By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Following the January 6th Capitol attack, initial expectations of accountability for Donald Trump and his allies were quickly dashed. Despite investigations and early distancing from Trump by some Republicans, Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 individuals involved and has avoided legal and political consequences. The failure of prosecutions, attributed to delays and the political landscape, allowed Trump to win re-election and reshape the federal legal system. This lack of accountability stands in stark contrast to how other countries have handled similar events, like the aftermath of the storming of government buildings in Brazil.
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We learned nothing from Jan. 6. The evidence is overwhelming: Trump tried to overturn the election, and there have been no real consequences. It’s a statement that cuts right to the heart of a deep, pervasive disappointment. The whole thing, from the insurrection itself to the aftermath, feels like a betrayal of the ideals this country supposedly stands for. Watching Trump’s actions and the actions of those around him, attempting to undermine a fair election, was like witnessing a slow-motion car crash, and yet, here we are, years later, with the driver still behind the wheel, potentially ready to do it again.
It’s truly unsettling that the historical precedents aren’t working as expected. No consequences after the Civil War, and the echoes of Nixon, Reagan, and Bush’s lack of accountability are deafening. Now, the fearmongering tactics, cleverly designed to divide and conquer, seem to be working again. It’s almost as if the playbook hasn’t changed, but the willingness to call out the foul play has. The fact that Trump is back in the picture, and the system hasn’t held him accountable, tells a devastating story about how much has truly been learned.
The lack of action, the slow pace of justice, and the ongoing political maneuvering is frustrating. It’s hard not to feel as if the gravity of the situation was never fully understood, or worse, that it was deliberately downplayed. The January 6th hearings felt like a great show, but the lack of real teeth and accountability was a massive letdown. It was as if Congress was made up of a limp, weak, excuse for governing bodies. Instead, the nation is at risk of being handed over to someone who would treat it as his personal golf course.
The evidence of Trump’s attempt to subvert the election is undeniable. There are direct quotes from emails, text messages, and meetings, all laying bare the plan to manipulate the electoral process. The goal was to manufacture electoral votes to prevent Joe Biden from reaching the necessary 270 votes. Even his own lawyers, in memos, admitted the scheme’s unlawful intent, and yet, it seems like the people are turning a blind eye.
The fact that so many people seem unfazed, or even supportive, of these actions is deeply troubling. The lack of condemnation, the willingness to ignore the facts, and the speed at which it has faded from public concern is disturbing. And the people who enabled him, by not calling him out, have been rewarded. There’s a sense that the lessons of history have been forgotten, that this generation has failed to uphold the values of the past. The idea of generational shame is haunting, a harsh judgment on those who are complicit in this potential erosion of democracy.
It’s almost as if the system is rigged to allow this kind of behavior to go unpunished. The entire narrative of what happened is clear: Trump lost the election, attempted to undermine the results, and got away with it. There’s no debate, yet here we are. The response to all of this has been, at best, tepid and, at worst, an outright acceptance of what happened. The slow walking of the prosecution, the failure to be decisive, and the lack of strong consequences all contributed to this. The fact that the man, who was caught red-handed trying to dismantle democracy, can still campaign for the presidency and garner so much support is a testament to the fact that something is fundamentally broken.
The Democrats, in particular, are bearing the brunt of the criticism. The narrative is that they did not see the threat for what it was and didn’t use all the tools at their disposal. The silence, the lack of a strong defense of democracy, and the perceived weakness have been interpreted as complicity. Their failure to counter Trump’s actions with decisive force has allowed the GOP to push their own agenda forward.
The idea that the GOP is essentially a party of terrorists, who are destroying the country, isn’t that far-fetched. The only true outcome that seems to matter is the willingness to allow all of this to take place. The fact that there’s no accountability, only rewards, is a bitter pill to swallow. People are outraged, and there’s a sense that those in power have utterly failed. And that’s a tragedy.
The current president remade the legal system in his image. The entire idea of checks and balances seems to have evaporated. The lack of accountability creates a dangerous precedent. It allows those who seek to undermine democracy to believe that they can do so with impunity, and that’s a recipe for disaster. The people failed to see what was coming, the institutions failed to stop it, and now, the same players are setting the stage for a repeat performance. The phrase “We learned nothing” is more than a statement; it’s a condemnation.