Given the horrific events in the US Capitol, today’s Sedition Edition will document the events of the day after the coronavirus news.
Pfizer vaccine has caused 21 anaphylactic reactions: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-06/21-people-experienced-anaphylaxis-after-pfizer-covid-vaccine-cdc-says . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccines-have-triggered-severe-allergic-reactions-in-29-people-in-u-s-to-date-11609956076 .
WSJ: Status of nursing home vaccinations: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pro-trump-protesters-breach-the-capitol-11609970191 .
Miami doctor dies after receiving vaccination: https://localnews8.com/news/2021/01/06/miami-medical-examiners-investigate-death-of-doctor-who-got-coronavirus-vaccine/ .
WSJ: Second shot delay gains traction abroad: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nations-stretch-scarce-covid-19-vaccines-by-delaying-a-second-shot-11609960653 .
WSJ: South African variant may be less responsive to current vaccines: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccines-expected-to-work-on-south-africa-coronavirus-variant-11609963906 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-covid-19-strain-in-south-africa-what-we-know-11609971229 .
Care may be rationed at California hospitals: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/jan/07/california-hospitals-prepping-for-grim-covid-19-ch/ (link replaced 3/16/21).
WSJ: New York concerned about UK variant’s acceleration of pandemic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/highly-contagious-covid-19-strain-threatens-new-york-hospitals-gov-cuomo-says-11609965378 .
Georgia sees acceleration of pandemic: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-in-georgia-full-pandemic-resurgence-wh-report-says/85-b04ba2db-7015-4ab8-8f64-60fda4f9dbe4 .
Quebec to extend lockdown another month: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-canada/canadas-quebec-imposes-curfew-extends-lockdown-as-covid-19-cases-soar-idUSKBN29B2L5 .
WSJ: World’s largest vaccine manufacturer: https://www.wsj.com/articles/indias-vaccine-colossus-is-a-model-for-the-world-to-follow-11609930891 . Recall that India banned COVID vaccine exports.
WSJ: CRISPR gene editing helps aging disease in children: https://www.wsj.com/articles/crispr-gene-editing-treatment-could-point-way-to-fix-for-deadly-aging-disease-11609950054 .
COVID privacy, trust, and the government: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/05/953604553/singapore-says-covid-19-contact-tracing-data-can-be-requested-by-police .
US private payrolls drop 123,000 in December: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/06/private-payrolls-decrease-123000-in-december-vs-estimate-for-a-60000-gain-adp-reports.html . Against a predicted gain of 60,000 jobs, this is horrible news.
Israel vaccinates 17.5% of population: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/coronavirus-vaccine-update-175-percent-of-israelis-jabbed-654538 .
Trump’s new Iran sanctions: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/1/5/trump-admin-targets-irans-steel-sector-with-new-sanctions . How are we doing on Russia? Four years of putzing around, and now actions to tie Biden’s hands.
China takes advantage: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-police-arrest-dozens-of-opposition-politicians-over-alleged-subversion-11609895177 . One more challenge for Biden is the decline in human rights around the world occasioned by declining rationality, consistency and strength in US foreign policy.
Ossoff declared winner in Georgia; Senate is now 50-50 and controlled by Democrats: https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/952417689/democrat-jon-ossoff-claims-victory-over-david-perdue-in-georgia-runoff . In this situation, it is incredibly helpful to Biden that he chose a sitting Senator as his running mate. Ossoff, 33, is the youngest person elected to the Senate since … Joe Biden (at 29 in 1972).
WSJ: Effects of the 50-50 Senate divide: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-happens-if-the-senate-is-split-50-50-after-the-georgia-runoffs-11609965242 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-bidens-agenda-gets-boost-from-georgia-runoffs-11609958532 .
Statehouses nationwide attract protesters: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-coronavirus-pandemic-evacuations-e81e82d4c6d3db6bc45a68ae0124c85e .
Biden selects Merrick Garland as Attorney General: https://apnews.com/article/merrick-garland-attorney-general-e7972db4cd96352d028af3167b253481 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-to-name-appeals-court-judge-merrick-garland-as-attorney-general-11609954069 .
Hope for the environment: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55429607 . Think is good. Discuss is good. Action is critical.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
(Written before Capitol violence) Electoral College BS comes to a head: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/05/senate-gop-electoral-college-challenge-455104 . One immediate result of Loeffler’s defeat is to reveal her Electoral College challenge as putting her self-interest over the country. She’s just another sore loser we can all now forget about. It’s also the path Cruz and Hawley are now on. More: https://au.sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/election-wnba-appreciation-raphael-warnock-defeats-kelly-loeffler-us-senate-runoff-georgia-150907967.html .
Full text of Mitch McConnell’s speech: https://www.newsweek.com/full-text-mitch-mcconnells-speech-before-most-important-vote-his-career-1559426 . I find McConnell’s comparison of this situation to prior elections repugnant. But at least he clearly repudiates the members of his own caucus who look to profit from this lunacy.
(Written as violence unfolded) National Association of Manufacturers calls for Pence to consider invoking 25th Amendment and removing Trump from office: https://twitter.com/carlquintanilla/status/1346921397193494530?s=21 . The comments in this Twitter feed are remarkable. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ceos-industry-groups-denounce-capitol-riots-11609974772 .
Full text of George W. Bush’s statement: https://www.khou.com/article/news/nation-world/george-w-bush-statement-riot-capitol/507-0e5ef0b8-65a8-402f-9c23-88773d4bebde . It’s also remarkable that the only living Republican ex-president would so directly criticize the current “leaders” of the Republican Party.
Full text of Barack Obama’s statement: https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1346983894298595330 . Once again, there are remarkable comments in this feed.
Comments from Mitt Romney: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/01/06/burgess-owens-rallies/ .
Four dead at Capitol: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/capitol-building-assault-4-dead-after-trump-supporters-storm-capitol/ .
WSJ: Capitol images: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pro-trump-protesters-breach-the-capitol-11609970191 . Number 12 – A Confederate flag was certainly never in the US Capitol in the 1860 – 1865 period. That goddamn thing is domestic terrorism and needs to be banned – it is not free speech.
The world is stunned by today’s events at the Capitol: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-international-reaction-f/world-stunned-by-trump-supporters-storming-u-s-capitol-attempts-to-overturn-election-idUSKBN29B2VS . VENEZUELA expressed its concern … we are now a banana republic. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/world-leaders-are-shocked-worried-by-storming-of-u-s-capitol-by-trump-supporters-11609971098 .
WSJ: Timeline of Capitol invasion: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-protesters-are-in-the-building-inside-the-capitol-stormed-by-a-pro-trump-mob-11609984654 .
“Insurrection” defined: https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Insurrection .
“Sedition” defined: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sedition .
Facebook and Twitter lock Trump’s accounts: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/facebook-youtube-twitter-remove-video-trump-amid-chaos-capitol-n1253157 .
The context of Trump’s video: https://reason.com/2021/01/06/trump-to-capitol-rioters-we-love-you-youre-very-specialbut-go-home/ . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-tells-rioters-i-know-how-you-feel-draws-bipartisan-condemnation-11609977209 .
WSJ: Rioters overwhelm Capitol police: https://www.wsj.com/articles/capitol-police-werent-prepared-for-rioters-authorities-say-11609978798 . Security changes must come after this. Quickly.
WSJ: Electoral College process goes late into the night: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-allies-in-congress-challenge-bidens-election-win-11609929001 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-allies-in-congress-challenge-bidens-election-win-11609929001 .
My take: I lived in downtown DC for 8 years (1969 & 1971-1978). I spent considerable time at the Capitol. With no security at that time, I was in the Senate subway one day in 1969. Seeing Oregon’s Senators chatting (then Hatfield and Packwood, both Republicans), I approached them and engaged them in conversation. Today’s events are not even close to the America I grew up in.
What happened today at the Capitol was insurrection. Trump’s actions today were sedition. Trump has always been unfit for office. Today’s actions demonstrate he is mentally unstable, and out of touch with reality. Fourteen days is not a long time, so either the 25th Amendment or impeachment and conviction cannot get done before January 20. However, we are at incredible and unacceptable risk for the next two weeks. There were televised reports today that Trump’s staffers refer to him as a “madman”. The best option for the country is for Trump to resign immediately. To get this result, Republicans and Pence may have to offer him a pardon for all federal crimes. His state crimes (tax evasion in New York) appear to be adequate to jail him for many years.