Ah, but there was a “There” there, and Mike Nearman is another self-delusional. Pure as new york snow and victimized as a toddler having a temper tantrum in a toy store.
I know our democratic government isn’t perfect, but I also know that most those faults and issues lie, not within the government’s structure, but within the people who are tasked with carrying out it’s duties - and of course, the problems caused by an apathetic citizenry who’s intellect and priorities are closer to a three year olds, than to what one would expected from educated, critical thinking, constructive adults.
Democracy demands an informed and engaged electorate - but a century of babying the people seem to have breed that out of most. Our Hollywood Nation - dreams and facades matter more than substance and understanding.
Then we have a third of our citizens who consider, themselves God-fearing people, ready to do whatever their leader tells them. Thinking not required, blind faith will do just fine - and critical thinking is an enemy. This crowd seems to have totally given up on civility and they’ve been talked into rather working towards destroying our government, rather than working within it. Why because they have what can only be described as totalitarian beliefs. They don’t have a clue of what they’d replace it with.
Although I imagine the corporate oligarchs who are dishing out the dark money to keep this trump-insanity alive and thriving - think they have it figured out. But then, when self-interest is the only thing that matters to their richer than god absolutist minds - I think its a no-brainer, what ever it is, it will be an existential disaster for America and this planet’s biosphere that provided our life support system.
"Rep. Mike Nearman coached constituents how to breach Oregon Capitol with “Operation Hall Pass”
Newly expelled Oregon legislator - and the video that even his diehard fellow GOP couldn’t ignore.
On Thursday, Oregon’s House of Representatives approved a resolution, voting 59-1, to eject Republican State Rep. Mike Nearman from the chamber.
The lone vote for Nearman came from none other than … Mike Nearman.
Nearman makes history, becoming the first person ever expelled from the Oregon legislature.
His crime?
Helping to plan and then attempt to execute a breach of the Oregon state Capitol building during a December 21, 2020, protest.
The breach of the Oregon state Capitol ended with “thousands of dollars in damage and six injured Salem and Oregon State police officers.”
Important to note: Nearman’s pantomime defense—that he just happened to be going outside to take a breather when these folks came through the door he was leaving—was accepted by his GOP colleagues enough that they stayed mum on calls for his resignation for weeks. As fellow Republican state Rep. Bill Post crocodile-teared in a post on his blog, “Mike told us that there is NO further evidence and certainly not any that would show premeditation. In fact, about five weeks ago, as his friend and one of the closest colleagues he has in the Capitol, I asked “is there ANY further video or other evidence?” He said “no.” That is the crux of the problem: he lied. To me personally and to the House Republican caucus. This pains me to no end to reveal. He is my friend.”The problem was that he lied to fellow Republicans about there being evidence that he planned some kind of criminal action that might put his fellow colleagues in harm’s way, to thwart the democratic process of our country. The problem was the lie, not the actual action? Luckily for America and Oregon, there was video showing Nearman actually planned to break the law. You know, like how if someone had died because of Nearman’s actions it would have been considered second-degree murder as opposed to first-degree.
But video did appear, showing state Rep. Nearman speaking with a group of constituents, about something he jokingly said he didn’t know about called “Operation Hall Pass,” then giving out his cell phone number and saying if he was texted at a certain section of the building he might be able to let people in, that Republicans finally realized it was time to pretend they understood the magnitude of Nearman’s betrayal to Democracy.
