@Jazzhead
It's hard for some to admit someone they put all their hopes behind had some serious character and behavior problems that cost him the election. My wife is convinced trump lost because of fraud. Not that I don't believe folks may have some legitimate questions regarding the election. But yes, if voter fraud was the reason why Trump lost then why did they "allow" the GOP to do well downticket in a year that, on paper, was going to be a tough one for the GOP?
Well of course. The fraud didn't extend down ballot? That's absurd on its face.
But let's back up a bit. AG Barr didn't say there wasn't any fraud; indeed there may have been substantial fraud. Nor did he say that the Justice Department was wrapping up its investigation. What he said was, almost a month following the election, that there was no evidence of fraud at the kind of level that would change the results of the election.
In other words, it is time to accept reality. Or, I guess, one of two versions of reality.
The American tradition has long been to accept the results of the election as the verdict of the people, a force, polity, greater than the tribal concerns of the parties. Keep up the fight, but on the new battleground established by the results of the election. After all, the situation may well be reversed in two or four years.
The new, subversive tradition was established by Stacey Abrams. Never concede, never acknowledge the outcome of the vote, and claim that the peoples' verdict was illegitimate and unworthy of respect. Now Trump is following that playbook to the letter, with the same poisonous results, the same subversion of faith and confidence in democratic norms.
I think all of us will likely agree that Abrams' play was that of a selfish scumbag, both dangerous and destructive of the fabric the holds our polyglot nation together. But only a handful here will say the same of the President, and indeed will admonish the few of who do as disloyal to the tribe.
My loyalty is to the Republic, not Donald Trump. If that's not you as well then you ought to think long and hard of the consequences of such naked hypocrisy.