by Bill Press for Leonard Pitts
To say it was shocking is the understatement of all time. For those of us living in the Bay Area, the news of the Jonestown Massacre was the equivalent of an earthquake, monsoon and tornado striking at the same time.
A year earlier, Jim Jones, pastor of San Francisco’s “People’s Temple” and pal of the city’s Democratic politicians had lured most members of his congregation to a compound called Jonestown in the jungles of Guyana. On Nov. 18, 1978, after a visit by Congressman Leo Ryan (murdered upon his departure) threatened to expose horrific conditions at the site, the charismatic Jones convinced his followers to commit mass suicide. Over 900 perished, one-third of them children, after dutifully lining up and drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid.
It was my first exposure to a cult-like figure. I never thought I’d see another one like him. And I didn’t, until I saw the Orange Man. Donald Trump is today’s Jim Jones. And today’s Republican Party leaders are the psychotic pilgrims of Jonestown. The only difference is they haven’t swallowed the poison Kool-Aid yet. But only because Trump hasn’t asked them to. No doubt. If he did, they would.
Otherwise, they’re lock-step enthralled by, in love with, or afraid of Donald Trump. Consider. In a stunning survey by the Washington Post, out of 249 Republican members of Congress, only 27 — 27 out of 249! — are willing to admit that Joe Biden won the election. Five weeks later, 220 Republicans still refuse to recognize Biden as the president-elect, while two Republicans — Paul Gosar of Arizona and Mo Brooks of Alabama — insist that Donald Trump, not Biden, actually came out on top.
It gets worse. This week, at a meeting of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, its three Republican members — leaders Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy and Roy Blunt — refused to admit that Joe Biden would be sworn in as president — less than 40 days away!
This would be shocking enough if it happened in Belarus, Venezuela, North Korea or some other country not exactly known as a haven of democracy. But for such autocratic, anti-democratic behavior to occur here — and be tolerated here — in the United States of America, the birthplace of democracy, is outrageous. Especially since there is no doubt about the results on Nov. 3.
You can’t deny the facts: This election wasn’t even close. As of Dec. 9, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had certified the results of the election. Joe Biden won 306 electoral votes. Donald Trump got 232. Biden racked up 81,009,468 popular votes, beating Trump by over
7 million. Biden not only scored more votes against an incumbent president than any candidate since Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, he received more votes than any presidential candidate in U.S. history. This election is over. Period.
Given such undeniable evidence, the question’s no longer what’s Donald Trump up to? Forget Trump. He’s a sore loser. Even though he’s lost some 50 lawsuits filed to overturn the vote in several states and has already been rejected by the Supreme Court once, he’ll continue to file frivolous lawsuits, harass state officials and pressure Congress to overrule the Electoral College, meanwhile milking his supporters for contributions (over $200 million so far) to fund his future political plans.
No, the question’s not: What’s Donald Trump up to? The question is: How can Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy allow this travesty to continue? It’s embarrassing. It’s inexcusable. It’s unacceptable. It’s worse than that. It’s downright un-American.
May I remind Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy and those 220 Republicans who still won’t admit that Joe Biden is our next president: This is America. We believe in the right to vote. We believe in counting every vote. And, like it or not, we believe in accepting the will of the people.
It’s time to stop piously excusing Trump’s actions as “his right to pursue all his options” and condemn it as nothing less than an attack on America. Because if Trump succeeds in his maniacal pursuit to persuade state officials, convince the Supreme Court, or force Congress to overturn the expressed will of over 81 million Americans, we will no longer have a democracy. We’d no longer have a country called the United States of America.
Stop pussyfooting around. Call it what it is: Donald Trump is committing treason against America. And so is every Republican, starting with Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy, who’s letting him get away with it.
Bill Press is host of The BillPressPod. His email address is: bill@billpress.com. Readers may also follow him on Twitter @billpresspod.
Leonard Pitts in on vacation until Jan. 5.
