We all saw the January 6th Committee hearings last night during prime time and learned more about how trump and his enablers in Congress ran rough shod over our Democracy by inciting and fanning the insurrection against our nation on Jan 6. There were some riveting testimony by witnesses and powerful speeches by members of the committee.
This morning, on CNN, Adam Kinzinger, did something you rarely see done by Democrats — directly talk to MAGA republicans and shame them for being fools for supporting trump and trump’s money-making machine. It was great to see someone address republican voters and tell them that their interest lies not with trump and his enablers but with a revived republican party, one led by sane leaders, not lunatics and grifters. It may not make much difference with hardcore trump supporters, but it might sow some seeds of doubt with republican-leaning Independents. I think we need more of this.
And Republicans in particular, let me talk to you. You deserve far better than somebody that's going to stand in front of you, knowingly lie to you so they can steal your money from you and tell you lies so that you believe it and then they laugh behind your back.
Trust me, they are laughing that they can manipulate you so easily; so you can get mad at people like myself and Liz Cheney for telling you the truth, but the people you should be mad at are those that are lying to you and completely disgracing you and your family. And that's what we have to, as Americans, say if our parties aren't going to represent us, we have to do something different, dang it. It's up to us to take our party back.
He continued, with this suggestion to MAGA republicans that their fellow republicans will soon abandon trump and they should too.
Cheney was more generous to trump supporters last night, calling them patriots, but also stating emphatically that they were being fooled and manipulated by trump.
Here are some more statements by Adam Kinzinger last night, castigating trump and appealing to those (esp republicans) who love and who have served this country —
Kinzinger’s takes a dig at his fellow lawmakers. He certainly has taken a courageous stand for integrity and for his oath of office.
A concise summary of last night’s hearings — “trump CHOSE not to act.”
The closing remarks by Adam Kinzinger were powerful —
We the people must demand more of our politicians and ourselves. Oaths matter. Character matters. Truth matters. If we do not renew our faith and commitment to these principles, this great experiment of ours, our shining beacon on a hill, will not endure.
Praise for Kinzinger -
Are these hearings changing minds? Yes -
The two-day poll, finished hours before a scheduled eighth hearing of the congressional probe, showed that 40% percent of Republicans now believe Trump is at least partly to blame for the deadly riot, up from 33% in a poll conducted six weeks ago.
Yes, Cheney and Kinzinger are republicans; they do not share our ideas and ideals on many policy matters. But, they are sane and sanity is in short supply in the republican party. We need all the help we can get, to divide the republican party, energize Democratic voters and give our candidates a better chance of winning in November.