Posted on 03/08/2021 1:16:48 PM PST by RandFan
Is the senator's authoritarian grandstanding the dark future of the GOP?
When rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol in January, Sen. Josh Hawley (R–Mo.) was there. Not only was he happy to see the mob assembled outside his workplace; he cheered them on.
Shortly before the group of conspiracists and reactionaries broke into the building—vandalizing offices, taking selfies amid the wreckage, and dramatically halting business on both the House and Senate floors as lawmakers were evacuated to secure locations, sometimes fearing for their lives—Hawley had been photographed giving them a raised fist of encouragement.
Earlier that morning, then–President Donald Trump had addressed a rally at the National Mall. "We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women," he directed. "And we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong."
Trump pumped the mob up, but it was Hawley who gave it an official channel and a sense of legitimacy. The week before, Hawley had been the first senator to announce that he would oppose certification of the electoral votes that would give the presidency to Joe Biden. "I cannot vote to certify without pointing out the unprecedented effort of megacorporations, including Facebook and Twitter, to interfere in this election, in support of Joe Biden," he said at the end of December. Congress, he complained, had "failed to act."
The announcement was entirely typical of Hawley: blustery, partisan, pro-Trump, anti–Big Tech, and transparently authoritarian. And it led to disastrous consequences.
More...
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
McCacke needed to be replaced.
A writer in Reason mouths the left wing narrative? This is the zombie apocalypse.
I’ll take ‘toxic’ populism.
I’ve been telling friends that I’m a proud reactionary since Obama was sworn in on a platform of “fundamental change”. His and other progressives ideas have made America poorer, more strident and more dependent on government. If being a reactionary in America these days means a more peaceful America then count me in.
I’ll read it but i am a Hawley fan.
Josh has a bright future with the 2021 Trump administration.
Josh is definitely giving the DERPS heartburn!!
He’s a typical “right/conservative disguised” UniPartian
He’s funded and supported by the DERPS to give “balance” to their operations..and support the illusion of a partisan divides in DC
Ah yes, the plethora of fake conservatives who are really left-wingers.
Peter Superman’s toxic and reactionary propaganda hit piece is NOT WORKING. Go away.
Superman = Turdman
Spell checker ....
The original version of this overly-long screed had the fake story of Brian Sicknick’s death in it.
The SOS Jay Ashcroft did a super job getting a clean and tight 2020 vote cast. Eric Schmitt is a solid AG and Ann Wagner is a female with a large St. Louis money base and statewide activism.
I see no further reason for Reason. I never found it useful anyway.
bull
More National Review than Reason apparently.
“Josh has a bright future with the 2021 Trump administration.”
What year do you think you’re living in?
L
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