The Gathering Mob

So how do we measure the gathering threat from Trumpist mobs. Those already tightly organized, as well as those forming as you read this? 

Well, since we're sailing in uncharted waters, even the best answers from bona fide experts who study such haunting big questions would just be guesses. So let's think about it and do our own speculating ... sort of. 

OK, to get a little perspective, let's ask a few apt questions about  some numbers: 

• What percentage of the 74.2 million citizens who voted for Trump in November, by habit, tend to spread bullshit Trumpist propaganda on social media?
  
• What percentage of the same 74.2 million own several guns, including assault-style rifles and/or other military-grade firepower? 
• What percentage of the 74.2 are white nationalists and/or Lost Cause fanatics? 
• What percentage of the Trump voters have already participated in right-wing mob marches or battles on the street over the last couple of years?  

If you knew the answers to those questions, you could maybe string together some words and numbers to make a reasonable characterization of the threat. But we're not talking about reason and I sure hope the FBI knows plenty about the answers to my questions.

Sorry, but I won't even guess how many Americans -- mostly white men -- might want to get a thrill by joining in on a mob activity in the days to come. Nonetheless, it now looks like D.C. and every state capitol should do what they can to prepare, as best they can, to deal with large mobs of people over the next two or three weeks. 

Some of the Trumpist mobs will probably have embedded guys with a plan and a bag of tricks -- so expect some gatherings to be deliberate distractions from their real targets. And, some in the mobs will likely arrive well-armed.

While none of this cra-a-zy shit Trump is doing surprises me much, what is surprising me is that almost all of the Republican Senators have stuck by Trump during his provocative and irresponsible campaign to overturn the election. Much as I disagreed with most of them, I never thought so many were such shameless cowards.

Yet, here's one thing I am sure of: How elected Republicans act in public over the next few days will matter a lot to embolden, or discourage, the dangerous mobs looking to trump the will of the people, to reject democracy. Hence, America's elected Republicans have to decide where they stand. 

On these matters there's no middle ground and there's nowhere to hide. Pick a side: bad citizens or good citizens.