The long history of the Republican party has, until now, stood for certain verities: less taxation, limited government, law and order, family values, freedom from totalitarian governments.

While the vast majority of citizens abhor the violence at the Capitol, there are still those Republicans who feel the election was stolen, thus justifying insurrection. How does that position square with the 60 lawsuits that were thrown out by mostly Republican appointed judges, many of them appointed by the Trump administration? If the election was actually stolen, Democrats must be incredibly clever to have withstood all of those lawsuits. The other explanation … there was no widespread, massive election fraud.

Trump’s every word and action during the past two months has had one goal … overturn a valid election. His call with the Republican Georgia election officials makes that clear. When that did not work, he incited his followers to march on the Capitol in order to thwart a constitutional process for validating said election.

That is a perfect definition of fomenting a coup. Guess who is good at this coup thing? Dictators. Is this the same party that strongly supported WWII against Hitler and led the Cold War against Russian dictators? The Jan. 6 actions by Republican Trump supporters indicates government by dictator is OK.

There were no U.S.A. winners last Wednesday. Many of us lost faith in the permanence of our democracy. It is OK with being upset with election results. God knows many of us felt that frustration in 2016. However, some responses are just not done. Invading the Capitol building while Congress is gathered to fulfill its constitutional duties has to be at the top of that list.

The only winners on Jan. 6 were dictators who probably shared a triumphant toast to Trump! Putin had to be very proud of his boy!

— Jerry Forthofer

Rockwell