A Coup

You know I don't usually discuss politics here, because I like to keep it focused on the virus topic and its effect on daily life, but once again something historic has happened that is impacting daily life, so it feels important to record it here.

AP Photo

Today was the day that the results of November's presidential election were to be certified. It's basically a formality (the current VP oversees it in just a ceremonial role) - he was elected president and he will become president on January 20. There have been lawsuits and challenges and baseless calls of illegitimacy for the last couple months, but so far every attempt to overturn the election results has fallen through.

Getty Images

So it felt like a last ditch thing that the president "invited" his supporters to DC today... And they came. And stormed the Senate. Senators were evacuated to undisclosed locations, told to wear gas masks in case of tear gas use, etc. There were guns pointed and a standoff at the Senate chamber doors, but rioters eventually got inside, wandered the floor, sat at the podium, went into private offices and riffled through people's belongings. The DC police (who are much better armed than an average city's police department) and Virginia National Guard were called in. There were calls for peace from all sides. Some of the pictures from today are just wild.

AFP via Getty Images

The president elect gave a press conference, calling for the president to make a public statement on national television calling for rioters to go home. The president posted a 1 minute video on Twitter bemoaning how the election had been stolen from him and everyone knew it and it was a great injustice, but to please "go home in peace." (One of my friends put it well: "Screams 'Stolen election,' whispers 'Go home.'")

I had to get on a call for work, so I missed the de-escalation(?) of the situation, but jumping back in now, I heard hundreds of protestors are "milling around" outside, and the police and National Guard are clearing out the area ahead of the 6 PM curfew imposed by the mayor.

Getty Images

So before the Senate was invaded, they got through counting/certifying like 12 of over 500 votes. They will eventually get done, and in a couple weeks, we'll have a new president. In the meantime, there are calls to impeach the current one (a process he already went through a year ago!), and expel the members of Congress who incited this attack.

And in breaking news that interrupts the breaking news, the Senate runoff race that concluded yesterday in Georgia has assured a Democratic majority in Senate (in addition to the House and of course the incoming president). I look forward to the many improvements our government will now be empowered to implement!