Should Kamala Harris Pull Off 'The Big Funny?'
Probably not. But, if Kamala Harris shows "extreme courage" of the kind Donald Trump said Mike Pence should have? She can certainly make things interesting!
Hello, friends,
Fuck having to open by quoting Donald Trump on Twitter and all that, but he’s right about something: If Kamala Harris has “extreme courage,” she can make sure things don’t go as planned on January 6th. It’ll just be 2025 instead of 2021.
Okay.
Most of you are aware by now of an article by Evan A. Davis and David M. Schulte over on The Hill that suggests our Congress doesn’t need to accept Trump’s electoral win. The argument is a 14th Amendment one: Section 3 stipulates that insurrectionists cannot hold Federal office unless and until they are successful in a 2/3rds of Congress votes to “remove such disability.”
And, sure, maybe if Congress were going to be held by Democrats, that would be a feasible path towards blocking a Trump ascension to the Presidency. In a perfect world, Republicans would be willing to make this argument, but they’re also the folks who broadcast “We Are All Domestic Terrorists” at one of their major conferences.
Yes, that really happened. Technically that’s the title of a panel they held, but, it’s certainly fitting, isn’t it?
So, yeah - what was I saying?
Oh, right: The theory goes that Trump participated in an insurrection (which he absolutely did) and that someone - anyone, really - could object to his election given that he is, in fact, an insurrectionist.
But given that Democrats don’t control the House or Senate, and that Republicans seem pretty happy being domestic terrorists, only one Democrat will be a decision-making person of any substance in the January 6th certification of Electoral votes: Kamala Harris.
She could - according to Republicans! - refuse to certify the election, just as they demanded Pence do to Biden’s.
Okay; But Should She?
That depends on if you believe there is any hope for a strict adherence to the Constitution to effect the outcome of Trump’s budding Oligarchy.
I don’t. But, then, you know how what I said Biden oughta do to the Supreme Court the minute that they ruled Presidents are Monarchs and immune from virtually any prosecution in their (still-uncontested) Judicial Coup.
If you think technical procedure matters and that American ‘Democracy’ can be saved, then, no; Harris simply has no grounds. Even if her role weren’t merely ceremonial, and even if SCOTUS didn’t essentially make Trump immune from prosecution, thanks to Joe Biden’s utter failure as a President to hold him accountable for four years, well, guess what?
There’s no criminal conviction for anything remotely like insurrection.
Oh, sure, you’ve got him convicted for rigging the 2016 election via filing false paperwork to manufacture Trump’s persona vis-a-vis the Stormy Daniels case. Oh, what? You thought paying hush money wasn’t election fraud? It was. That’s exactly what happened, it’s just called the “hush money case” because what was being hushed was the truth about Trump as a candidate.
But that’s like saying he lied about not supporting Project 2025, then turned around and said he’s nominating all those Project 2025 guys like Homan and Miller. Weird!, sure.
But not at all a criminal conviction.
Moreover, even if - EVEN IF - Democrats held the House and Senate and Harris wanted to play this game, and even if they had a criminal conviction to go with, and even if it all went ahead despite the fact that the very reason I’m saying “it should” is the very reason why it won’t and, thus, is why I have my doubts American ‘Democracy’ survives what’s in store under Trump’s Oligarchy:
It wouldn’t lead to the outcome you think it would.
The Secret Outcome Of Blocking Trump
You want Democracy, right? So do I.
If you think we have one, I might disagree, but regardless:
If you think peoples’ votes matter, as we’d both agree they should, then the only winner of Trump getting disqualified at the last minute is a lil’ guy named J.D. Vance. Remember him? Mr. Dreamy-In-That-They’re-Nightmarish Eyelashes?
Remember how Democrats had two primaries, this year? The one Biden ran in, then the one that happened after Biden won those, but then dropped out, and Kamala Harris was elected by the delegates?
Remember how the argument went, “Well, you voted for Harris when you voted for Biden as the nominee because she’s his hand-picked and official successor,” even though that wasn’t technically true and Presidents can-and-have switched up VP’s between terms?
Remember how Americans voted for a ticket of Trump-Vance, not Trump-Harris?
Well, there ya go.
Even if Trump were somehow disqualified, the only way Harris becomes President is if she essentially says, “Well, only one other person got any Electoral votes, and that’s me, so, yay me!”
And that would disregard the will of the voters.
Which is effectively undermining Democracy, and might even be equivalent to insurrection in its own right.
So there ya go.
Hey! While I have you, do you wanna read a 2,500 word article that just scratches the surface of some local politics involving Republican malfeasance - because of course - but also major hospital systems and accuastions that NYS is robbing ours? Come check it out!
Edit: Addition - I forgot to credit Vaush with the term “The Big Funny” thanks to a food delivery distracting me. I think - I could be wrong? - he uses it to imply any big crazy political upheaval event, but I’m using it in a more narrow context. Apologies!