Why does Trump bear sole responsibility for the January 6 insurrection? Because the “buck” not only stopped with him, it started with him

 

It is just so difficult to move on with one’s life when we are faced with so many dangers, chief among them the slow erosion of democracy in this country—and many people simply refuse to see it. Take for example an NBC News poll that informs us of the following: only 17 percent of respondents believe Donald Trump was “solely” responsible for the January 6 insurrection, while 28 percent say he was “mainly” responsible. That means that a minority of Americans believe in his direct culpability. 

On the other hand, 20 percent say Trump was “somewhat” responsible, while a “shocking” 35 percent say he was “not really” responsible for causing the mayhem in the Capitol building. Of course that 35 percent is mainly in line with the percentage of hardcore Trumpists and white nationalists in this country.

It is thus fair to ask if anyone is still familiar with the saying “the buck stops here.” That means that whoever has the ultimate power has ultimate responsibility. What is the most powerful single position in this country? The presidency of the United States. Now we can say that the president can't control everything his underlings do, but in the case of the January 6 insurrection, the buck not only stopped with Trump, it started with him.

All Trump had to do was at any point between November 4 and January 6 was to gracefully concede his election defeat. Not only did he not do that, he has never even grudgingly conceded. Instead, he continues to inflame his supporters and enable psychopathic lawmakers with his claims of election fraud. The Trump hardcore might believe in their dark little minds that Joe Biden and Democrats are “responsible” for the insurrection because they “stole” the election; but even in their denials of the truth and belief in conspiracy theories, they are still admitting that Trump’s election lies swayed them and continues to feed their fanaticism.

Let’s dispense with false notions: Trump was solely responsible for the insurrection. It wasn’t just that he could have stopped  it in its tracks if he wanted to and refused to do anything until hours later; what he did that led to it was much worse. Trump deliberately used those people, both feeding off of and into their hate-filled fanaticism. From the moment it appeared that he would lose the election, Trump claimed election fraud. He allowed his stooges to make baseless fraud claims. He strategized with his supporters on how to overturn the election and stop the counting of electoral votes.

Trump called on his supporters to gather in Washington D.C. on January 6 to march on the Capitol building to “stop” the “steal.” He told a mob that he was “with them”—at least in “spirit”—as they prepared to march. And then he went “home” to watch events unfold, riveted by the effect of his “cult,” refusing to do anything for hours despite the pleadings of even his propagandists on Fox News who thought it was a “bad look.”

That’s all there is to it. Trump started it, fed into it with his election lies, sent out his stooges to propagate it, and he did nothing to stop the actual insurrection until it was too late, after people died. It was the most shameful single day in the history of this country. And so yes, Trump holds sole responsibility for it, as he continues to take no responsibility for it as he continues inflaming Trumpists with his election lies and endangering democracy.