Good Luck Waiting for the Democrats to 'Save Democracy'

The "big lie" is that Democratic leaders opposed Trump, when they gave him expanded surveillance powers and funded his worst abuses.

Photo by Brent Stirton via Getty Images

The storming of the Unites States Capitol on January 6th, 2021 was an egregious and murderous act of domestic terrorism, encouraged and coordinated at the highest levels of the Republican Party. It was the predictable culmination of Donald Trump's lawless presidency, and an ugly display of the rightwing rage bubbling and boiling across America. The appropriate response is to investigate and impose criminal penalties on those responsible for organizing and carrying out this attack.

Anyone who has followed the decades of eliminationist rhetoric on the right — a foundational element of “conservative” talk radio — wasn’t surprised by the events of January 6th. In 2019, I wrote a book about confronting the far-right menace in which I explained that the vast majority of domestic terrorism and violence is carried out by rightwing extremists, not leftists.

If the Democratic Party was actually serious about opposing fascism and white supremacism, I’d take their obsession with the Capitol Riot/Insurrection seriously. But look around you: Donald Trump and his entire gang of thugs are getting Fox News gigs and signing book deals. Not one has faced real consequences as of this writing. Stephen Miller committed crimes against humanity and is now a pundit.

When Trump was in office, Democratic officials barely lifted a finger to “save democracy” from him. They funded his policies — including child torture at the border — and gave him expanded surveillance powers and a huge military budget. Rather than oppose Trump, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer visited the White House and begged Trump to let them give him a “signature achievement” (Pelosi’s words).

Peter Daou @peterdaou

And even while Trump was kidnapping migrant children and inciting white supremacist violence, she was praying for him and saying she wanted to give him a "signature achievement" on infrastructure. Meanwhile, she extended the #PatriotAct, giving him sweeping surveillance powers.

Peter Daou @peterdaou

Of course we need an infrastructure bill. We need a thousand other things. But trying to give Trump a historic achievement?? That is normalizing an outright assault on the rule of law.

When leftists were in the streets calling for Trump’s impeachment, Pelosi was punching at them and saying Trump wasn’t worth it. After months of pressure, she relented and narrowed impeachment down to a farce, absolving him of virtually all his transgressions.

Peter Daou @peterdaou

Remember when Pelosi resisted #impeachment for nearly a year because Trump "wasn't worth it." Also remember how her defenders bashed leftists for criticizing her...

Peter Daou @peterdaou

And impeachment-lite gave him a pass on 95% of his abuses, including torturing migrant families.

Dilan @dilanpcook

Nancy Pelosi only impeached Trump so she could say she did and get some yas queen soundbites and photo ops for her re-election. She let Trump, and Bush, go.

Peter Daou @peterdaou

Take the famous sideways clap. She got endless praise and adulation for her apparent sarcasm, only to have her later say it was genuine. Pelosi was actually APPLAUDING Trump. Think about that. The Dem leader cheering a racist criminal who tortures children.

Democrats froze like deer in headlights as Mitch McConnell packed the Supreme Court. Chuck Schumer helped fast-track Trump’s judges. To add insult to injury, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi have continued to praise the GOP over the years and called for a stronger Republican Party. If they really believe Republicans are a “threat to democracy,” why wouldn’t they push for a stronger party to their left?

“You’re the grand old party of America, you’ve done wonderful things for our country.” - Nancy Pelosi, September 2021

“I think our country needs a strong Republican party. It's very important." - Nancy Pelosi, February 2021

"We need a Republican Party.” - Joe Biden, January 2021

“The country needs a strong Republican Party that’s done so much for our country.” - Nancy Pelosi, September 2021

Worried that the GOP might get “clobbered” in 2020. “I’m really worried that no party should have too much power.” - Joe Biden, December 2019

“In my view, we need a strong Republican Party. We need a Republican Party that’s united.” - Joe Biden, November 2011

Performative opposition is the raison d'être of the Democratic Party. They are the pretty wrapper on a rapacious capitalist system. Establishment stalwarts like Biden, Schumer, and Pelosi are unparalleled masters at convincing people that they truly want meaningful change, while doing everything in their power to maintain the status quo.

When the Democratic Party obsesses over January 6th, it’s not about “saving democracy,” but about keeping their supporters distracted and donating. Democratic politicians are addicted to Donald Trump’s money. And for that matter, so is the corporate media. Trump has always been a ratings bonanza.

So here’s the real reason Democratic leaders want the January 6 attack to dominate headlines day in, day out:

1. Keep their voters hyper-focused on Trump.

2. Use that Trump focus to raise buckets of cash.

3. Distract from their own abject failures.