How to crush the Rebellion

That's what my Unionist ancestors would have called the white nationalist incursion at the Capitol last Wednesday. They were by no means "woke" or anti-racist, but they helped found the anti-slavery force that became the party of Lincoln. They didn't intend to be ruled forever by what they called "the Slave Power." When the southern states chose to break the country because Lincoln had affirmed that "government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free," those ancestors worked loyally for the Union war effort until the Confederacy was broken. They knew where the moral right lay.

I can bloviate long and vigorously about what I think ought to happen to our contemporary insurrectionists. But I think I'll hand that job off to San Francisco civil rights lawyer John Crew, writing on Facebook. I particulary appreciate the comprehensive scope of the sanctions he says we ought to bring to bear against the instigators as well as the perps. Here's Crew:

More attempted acts of insurrection may be imminent -- especially if the reaction to what has already taken place is not immediate, very strong and sustained. 

And, that reaction must be comprehensive. 

It must be political -- impeachment of the leader and inciter of the insurrection and, at minimum, official censure of the congressional enablers. 

It must be prosecutorial -- the punishments must fit the crimes and be more severe for those who do not turn themselves in. 

It must be professional -- disbarment, firings, expulsions from professional associations. 

It must be economic -- threatened boycotts and other pressure on business interests who remain complicit. (Hell, if the National Association of Manufacturers can break with Trump and the democracy-destroying lies that define Trumpism, anyone can.) 

It must be journalistic -- not just with relentless investigations and accountability pieces that name the insurrectionists and expose their roles but also with newly direct, no-bullshit, clarity and bluntness in how these events and those involved are described. 

It must be social -- people who openly seek to destroy democracy, who cannot or will not accept the core requirement of democratic citizenship that one MUST accept the equal legitimacy of all legally cast votes, and [must] peacefully accept legitimate electoral defeats, and/or who cannot accept the demographic certainty that this country's democratic power will continue to become ever more multi-cultural and less white must be shunned.

I would add that it must include the readiness of people to take to the streets and confront right wing hate groups who will surely be feeling a sugar high after their murderous stunt.

Further, the 147 Republicans in Congress who, after the attack on their citadel and persons, voted to throw out the clear verdict of the people in favor of Joe Biden, must be driven from office. If they had any decency, they would resign, but the votes Wednesday night gave them a a chance to repudiate sedition and they flunked it.

The people will have to do the job on most of these Congresscritters, rejecting them at their next election. That will be hard, but midterm elections are always tough for the party in power. With a Rebellion underway, lives depend on keeping Democrats in power in both houses of Congress. 

This cycle's success at turning Georgia blue shows that hard work by local organizers, with adequate financial support from outside, can increase participation and change outcomes. Georgia also showed that the work has to be ongoing; you can't just put up a campaign in the last six weeks and expect to swing elections.

Fortunately, the Cook Report has given democracy activists whose arena of struggle is elections what amounts to a target list of Republican offenders who voted to overthrow the election. Here's a small section of it, highlighting California's top target:

Mike Garcia's Congressional district is in Orange County. Anybody know who is doing the work of expanding and engaging the electorate in those parts?