Mob Smashes up Capitol Hill as American Democracy Fails To Perform!

A full-force performance by Donald Trump supporters has ripped away the final fig leaf of American democracy that U.S. politicians brag about. On the afternoon of Jan. 6 (U.S. time), a large mob stormed Capitol Hill and even vandalized various places, including Nancy Pelosi’s office. The live broadcasts of various TV stations filmed in the Capitol grounds were not spared either. Global public opinion is in uproar at this “beautiful sight!"

With less than a fortnight to go before the inauguration of the new U.S. president, it seems that the furor of the U.S. election “farce” is not ending but is intensifying, thanks to the machinations of U.S. politicians. In accordance with election procedures, on Jan. 6 the two houses of the U.S. Congress were to hold a joint session, chaired by Vice President Mike Pence, to count and certify the results of the election. This is the final stage in officially confirming the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. With Biden leading the vote by a wide margin, there was little doubt about verifying the result.

However, the incumbent Trump is still not willing to accept the reality of defeat and is trying in vain to make “last-ditch” efforts. First he was exposed in the “phone-gate” incident, brazenly putting pressure on local officials to “find votes” and causing a public uproar. Then he addressed the crowd of demonstrators in front of the White House and added fuel to the electoral chaos with a wild series of actions, claiming that he would “never concede,” agitating that “we will stop the steal” of the election and continuing to suggest that Pence “do the right thing.”

After Trump’s speech, supporters waved flags and protested in front of the Capitol before the demonstration turned violent. Some protestors clashed with police, broke through barricades and charged into the Capitol building, causing the day’s process of certifying the election results to be suspended. Four people have tragically died in the clashes. In the wake of the riots a rare nighttime curfew has been imposed in Washington, D.C.

This election-induced riot and the tragedy triggered by it have left the world dumbfounded. The United States, which has always proclaimed democracy and human rights, has become a land of riots, conflict and lockdowns. This is not only a democratic farce of social division, but also reflects the institutionalized tendencies of U.S. populism and extremes of racial and class antagonism.

Looking back at the amazing moments in the U.S. presidential election this scene in Washington today is not at all surprising. To complete the "reversal' of the election defeat, Trump has gone from abuse of power and threatening election officials to indiscriminate claims of electoral fraud to even being willing to incite the masses to violence. This has reached the point of seeking power by any means possible and a ripping away of the fig leaf of so-called American democracy.

The farce doesn’t end there; just before the final confirmation of the election results, 11 Republican senators indicated that they would formally oppose the election results at the joint meeting. The design of the checks and balances in the so-called two-party system has become a tool for partisan disputes and for undermining each other.

The electoral chaos is far from over. On the contrary, the mob’s vandalism of Capitol Hill has shown that the climax of this American political drama has just begun. The nation that styles itself as the “beacon of democracy” is struggling with a constitutional crisis and a growing distrust of the democratic system. American-style democracy is disgracing and bankrupting itself in front of the entire world. How can American politicians have the cheek to brag about their deceptive tricks!