Politics Has Grown Too Big for Politicians Alone | The Walrus

"O n January 6, 2021, the day of the Capitol insurrection, many people were transfixed by what they saw in Washington. It was only a heroic effort by the police that kept the insurrectionists out of the House of Representatives, where elected members and staff took refuge behind chairs and under desks. In one sense, the riot, with its outlandish characters wearing costumes and face paint, felt like an absurd exclamation mark that punctuated the end of an erratic presidency."

"The next few years passed quickly. Too quickly, in retrospect. Before long, rumours of a third run by Trump began to circulate. A new storm was gathering, and on November 5, 2024, he beat the odds and won a second term. Early in the campaign, the once and future president declared, "I am your vengeance," and since his re-election, his vengeance has been swift."

"Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, and entire centres, agencies, and departments have been eliminated. Universities and law firms have been muzzled, and many of America's world-leading scientific and research capabilities have been destroyed. Migrants, and even those with legal residence permits, are being deported to foreign prisons. The United States has started a trade war with its closest allies, and, incredibly, has threatened to annex the Panama Canal, Greenland, and Ca"

On January 6, 2021, rioters attempted to breach the House of Representatives and police prevented entry while members sheltered behind chairs and under desks. The subsequent election of Joe Biden restored a more predictable national posture, and prosecutions followed that indicted and convicted many agitators, creating a sense of resilience. Rumors of a Trump comeback culminated in a November 5, 2024 victory. The re-elected leader proclaimed "I am your vengeance," then enacted swift purges, eliminated agencies, muzzled universities and law firms, degraded research capacity, deported migrants and residents to foreign prisons, and initiated trade and territorial threats.

Read at The Walrus