February 6, 2021
A year ago yesterday, on February 5, 2020, the Republican-dominated Senate acquitted President Donald J. Trump of two charges for which the House had impeached him: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in order to rig his own reelection.
A year ago today, February 6, 2020, 57-year-old Patricia Dowd of San Jose, California, died suddenly after feeling ill for several days. She is the nation's first known victim of coronavirus.
Now, a year later, on February 6, 2021, the official count of coronavirus deaths in the United States is more than 460,000, significantly more Americans than died in World War Two.
And on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, the second impeachment trial of former president Donald J. Trump will begin in the Senate. This time, the House impeached him for incitement of insurrection in a desperate attempt to retain control of the presidency despite losing the 2020 election.
It's been quite a year.
I'm going to take the night off. I'll catch you tomorrow.
[Photo by Peter Ralston, of Rockland, Maine, titled "Coming and Going."]
Thank you Heather! It’s been a coming and going year. I’m just not sure what is coming and what is going. As a front line nurse I have been fully vaccinated and yet feel bad that so many elderly have not been. I have a 91 year old mom in assisted living who is generally healthy but at her age Covid would most likely be her end. And yet we have a disagreement in our family about whether she should be vaccinated. And then I have the Covid deniers who have made health care workers their enemy. It breaks my heart after being an RN for 35 years with the goal of promoting and doing what we can to keep our community healthy.
Heather, I have lived a very long time; fought a purposeless and violent war. We have much to be proud of and much to be ashamed of. But the Republican Party and especially those who desecrate their oaths of office in the Congress seem more vile and cowardly than anything I have experienced. I am not a person of faith, but God help us.