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Yet another friend called me tonight - this one from Mississippi - and thanked me for sharing your letters with her. She said it calmed her down. That's four friends in the past week - also women in Missouri, Illinois and Pennsylvania - all said the same - you are an anchor in a storm. Thank you for your work.

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Heather: I’ve brought this up before as a “chat on politics “ question to you before the attempted coup on the Capitol. It probably came across as an extreme notion then, but in light of what’s come to pass— which most never thought would happen in the USA— I think it’s worth serious consideration now.

The unfolding of events in DC is unpredictable yet worrisome. As a safety net emergency measure for extraordinary times, I think it would be prudent for Biden/Harris to take the oath of office now that they are president elect and VP elect. The oath can be taken any time in that it is not written in the Constitution that it be done January 20 at noon when Trump’s presidency and power ends and Biden/Harris’ begins. There is precedent for this though not for these unprecedented circumstances. It is taken privately with a Bible, with a judge administering it plus a witness.

Nobody can predict what will be happening at noon January 20 when power shifts and the transition is complete except for the oath-taking. If chaos reigns, Biden/Harris will already have taken the oath and are in power. He can do whatever is necessary as President. The inauguration ceremony might have to be postponed. Who knows. Whenever it takes place, Biden/Harris can publicly take the oath of office again. The early taking of the oath is strictly a safety net for he is still powerless till noon January 20. No?

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I've been writing my senators (Ds) requesting they initiate at least a censure of the six slimes lead by Hawley and Cruz and not allow the Senate to go back to business as usual after these roaches crawled out from under their rusted bean cans to de-legitimize the voices of tens of thousands of Arizona and Pennsylvania folks who cast legal votes which were counted legally. I'm so disgusted with Cruz calling out Biden for not healing the country Cruz has been hacking apart for years with lies and sneers. Trump is a terrible reminder of all that is not honorable and positive in our country, but Cruz and his like are even more despicable for wanting to lick up Trump's crumbs and profit from Trump's false cult. Enough, sorry...

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We are all supremely fortunate to have found Dr. Richardson’s monumental contribution to our one day even greater nation. That possibility still exists, in part, due to her work dissecting the events of these past 15 or so months. Thank you, Professor.

To all my co-grape pickers in Heather’s vineyard, I feel a deep obligation to share this rather blunt article, assessing the response to Wednesday’s insurrection. It carries an eye-opening message that this virtual community, especially, needs to heed and remember.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/political-violence-all-american-history_n_5ff73da1c5b6214c551878e6

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Get some rest, Heather. If I'm exhausted, with no particular responsibilities, I know you're way beyond spent. Thanks so much for your invaluable, unfailing efforts for all of us and our democracy. We should nominate you for the Medal of Freedom.

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The idea that Trump's terrorists succeeded in attacking and damaging the U.S Capital when Bin Laden's failed is a reality I find difficult to get out of mind. I would so like to hear reaction from the widows and widowers of the heroes on Flight 93 who died to protect the Capital on 9/11. Surely they are in shock and dismay at the tarnishing of their spouse's memories by such a foul group of human slime.

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Still waiting to hear what the complaint was about yesterday’s letter. So sorry you have to put up with this kind of nonsense. Your work is invaluable. Don’t stop and don’t let idiots get you down.

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So many good things happened this week:

1. Biden proved he is presidential and not an addled old man prone to gaffs, much less a socialist.

2. Georgia assured a change in Senate control

3. The Republican Party is finally at it's turning/breaking point as to whether or not it has a future.

4. The appointment of Merrick Garland will prove to be a checkmate move. Even though we on the left are not enthralled with the man, he will be Kryptonite to the GOP's accusations of liberal commies are coming to get them.

Finally, it really doesn't matter all that much if there is a 25th Amendment or Impeachment remedy for T****. He will ultimately go down the way of Al Capone being convicted not for his most heinous crimes, but for something like tax evasion or corruption in a court where no pardon can protect him. We may not get the punishment we want but his crimes will be punished.

Meanwhile as we gird ourselves for the next attack being advertised already on the Capitol on the 17th, remember all the good things above knowing more are on the way and this time D.C. will be prepared to render a proper defense.

Hope is the absence of fear. So be hopeful.

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In the meantime, I highly recommend yesterday's article by Timothy Snyder, the authornof On Tyranny.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/09/magazine/trump-coup.html

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Not sure how one can talk about the dome of the Capitol without mentioning that it is topped by The Statue of Freedom. A statue built by slaves.

"While Freedom was being cast at Mills' foundry, the foreman in charge of the casting went on strike. Instead of paying him the higher wages he demanded, Mills turned the project over to Philip Reid, one of the slaves working at the facility. Reid presided over the rest of the casting and assembly of the figure.[11] Late in 1863, construction of the dome was sufficiently advanced for the installation of the statue, which was hoisted by former slaves in sections and assembled atop the cast-iron pedestal. The final section, the figure's head and shoulders, was raised on December 2, 1863, to a salute of 35 guns answered by the guns of the 12 forts around Washington, D.C."- from Wikipedia

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This may be a good time to invoke some levity into our stressful lives: SEDITION! - a Randy Rainbow Parody: https://youtu.be/wT5kafhG3Qw

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Declaration of Independence is one of four large panels in the Capital Rotunda painted by John Trumbull around 1820. Trumbull was just 19 years old when he joined the Army at the start of the Revolutionary War. He was at the Battle of Bunker Hill, though not a participant; that experience formed the basis for much of his most famous artwork. After the war, he travelled far and wide to capture the likenesses of the men who signed the Declaration so he could get their images right when he created the first version of this painting in the 1780s.

The other three Trumbull panels represent key moments in the making of America: Burgoyne's Surrender at Saratoga, Cornwallis's Surrender at Yorktown, and General George Washington Resigning His Commission to Congress. This latter subject may seem a dramaless choice, but Trumbull understood its significance.

He had been in London studying art with Benjamin West when this occurred. He had witnessed firsthand the awe and disbelief Washington's resignation had caused. Europeans could not imagine someone with the power that Washington wielded freely transferring it to the civilian authorities. Trumbull, more than most Americans, understood the significance of Washington’s gesture, and he intended to immortalize that moment.

This is just some more of the heritage that was desecrated by Trump's terrorists last week.

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It should be remembered that the architectural concept of the Capitol building and its dome served as a model for many State Capitol buildings throughout the country. Constructtion of the Washington Capitol began in 1793. Symbolically, it represents representative democracy both to Americans and those striving for freedom around the world. Creating Capitol buildings in the different States inspired by this concept brought representative democarcy to every corner of the United States in practical and not just legal, constitutional terms; it brought the people together to decide collectively what their future would look like.

In each we now find many Trumpian opportunists and fanatics. The fight to ensure that "government of the people, by the people for the people" survives starts in everyone's backyard; in the politics of your local district and your State elections. Clean out these Augean Stables and the results will be clearly visible in Washington.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state_and_territorial_capitols_in_the_United_States

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Peace be upon us all.

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As Heather rests, some food for thought from Timothy Snyder:

“Post-truth is pre-fascism, and Trump has been our post-truth president. When we give up on truth, we concede power to those with the wealth and charisma to create spectacle in its place. Without agreement about some basic facts, citizens cannot form the civil society that would allow them to defend themselves.”

Snyder continues to discuss our problem of trump’s big lie that he won the election and how it functions in the political power dynamics.

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1348002285297799168?s=21

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When my dad told me about this he said that, early in the Civil War, from the roof of the Capital dome, the carpenters could see the Confederate army on the far side of the Potomac. Even so, President Lincoln insisted that they continue building the Capital’s dome. I thought of this on January 6, even after a riot and loss of life, the senators and congress people returned to the task of certifying the results of the election.

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