While the nation continues to learn about and reflect upon what happened on January 6th, when Trump-supporting white supremacists and neo-nazis stormed the capitol after the President’s incitement prompting congress to be evacuated and hours-long standoffs with police, I’ve found myself considering what will happen if those responsible for inciting what happened do not face consequences for their actions. As the significance and broader implications of what occurred sets in, I keep thinking about what Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries said just days before it happened.

In response to President Trump’s recorded phone call with the Georgia Secretary of State where he urged him to find the number of votes that would overturn the results of the election and implicitly threatened him and his lawyer if they would not go through with it, Hakeem Jeffries — one of the highest ranking Democrats in the House of Representatives — was asked about whether or not the President would be impeached for the phone call. …

It’s been over a week since a mob of pro-Trump rioters rushed the capitol building, vandalizing the Senate floor and Congressional offices, engaged in hours long standoffs with armed officers, and were left with five people dead by the end of the day. Considering the way things have been evolving and unfolding since the election was called for President-Elect Joe Biden, it seemed almost inevitable that some sort of violence would take place after Donald Trump did everything he could to ensure that would be the case right up to the day the certification of the electoral college votes.

And yet, none of that stopped a significant number of Republican lawmakers from continuing their efforts to delegitimize Joe Biden’s victory in the eyes of their base, and object to results of the election being certified. As it turns out, even the monster they helped to create turning against them was not enough for some of Trump’s fiercest loyalists among congressional ranks to break away, and realize what they’re doing. …

As the country waited to see who would win the Georgia runoff Senate races that would determine which party controlled the Senate, Joe Biden promised the American people $2000 checks in an admittedly smart effort to help ensure Democratic victory. Unsurprisingly, however, the recent reveal of his economic relief plan indicates that he has decided to break his promise to the American people. Instead of proposing $2000 checks, Biden’s team predictably decided to merely tack on another $1400 to the $600 Americans received at the end of last year.

Even in the midst of a public health and economic crisis the likes of which the country hasn’t seen in modern history, our lawmakers in either party still see no real issue with nickel and dime-ing the American people. But why, considering the fact that they just secured the House, Senate, and White House, would Biden put forward such an overall lackluster relief bill? Why, after promising the American people money they desperately need, would Biden feel it’s appropriate political strategy to immediately back away from what the people were promised if Democrats were elected? …

After the riots at the capitol that resulted in multiple deaths and the President himself has been rightfully accused of inciting, Donald Trump made history as the first President of the United States to have ever been impeached twice exactly one week later. There is no denying the President certainly deserves to be impeached, especially considering the fact that he called on these people to come to the capitol. That said, I can’t help considering how quickly congress seems to feel the sense of urgency, and acts accordingly when it happens to affect them personally.

Millions of people are unemployed as a result of this pandemic, losing their health insurance as well for oftentimes not only themselves, but for their families, too through no fault of their own. Parents are unsure of how to put food on the table for their children in the richest country on earth let alone keep the roof over their heads, meanwhile the richest among us continue to see staggering increases to their wealth as a direct result of the same circumstances that cost so many their jobs. Hundreds of thousands of people are dead, leaving countless loved ones behind to mourn and healthcare workers struggling with the stress and trauma of being surrounded by so much death and loss. The student debt crisis has reached a staggering $1.6 trillion dollars, and countless Americans are currently cutting pills in half and rationing their insulin because they cannot afford it. …

Following Trump’s calls for his supporters to come to Washington D.C. to protest the certification of the electoral college votes, rioters stormed the capitol in an event that resulted in multiple deaths and hours long standoffs with the police. Since then, House Democrats have vowed to move forward with a second impeachment if Vice President Pence didn’t invoke the 25th amendment as calls for Trump’s early removal from office unsurprisingly continue to intensify. …

On January 5th, the Democratic party took the two Georgia Senate seats, ensuring that for the next two years Democrats not only have control of the White House and House of Representatives, but the Senate as well. Some might remember Joe Biden promising that if Democrats managed to take the Senate, Americans would be getting the desperately needed $2000 survival checks in the midst of a public health and economic crisis the likes of which the country hasn’t seen in modern history. …

On January 6th, as congress prepared for the ceremonial process of certifying the results of the November election, rioters in support of Trump descended upon the capital building in an event that resulted in lawmakers being evacuated, hours long standoffs with the police and death. The riot took place after the President had called them to D.C., spoke at their event, and told them to go to the capitol building. …

It should go without saying that Joe Biden was far from my first choice to be the Democratic nominee for President, let alone the man who will ultimately be responsible for getting the nation out of a health and economic crisis the likes of which we haven’t seen in modern history. Even setting aside his past rhetoric, Biden’s decades long career in politics has been enough of an indication about how he will govern. Whether it be the fact that he was the architect of the predatory 1994 crime bill or that his bankruptcy bill helped to create the current student debt crisis, there’s no denying we have legitimate reasons to be concerned about what to expect under his presidency. …