This essay is about my metamorphosis. This transformation has been in the making for the past couple years. Perhaps, it’s began many years prior, but I just hadn’t noticed it. Regardless, in the past few months, this change in me reached a crescendo, which coalesced on January 20th, which was the inauguration of President Biden and my birthday. Allow me to tell you the backstory, which is an interesting example of the new me.

I use Amazon all the time; I love it. Instead of driving all over various malls or shopping centers, Amazon is a one-stop place to purchase anything. Search for anything on Amazon’s site, and you will find it. Actually, there are countless themes and variations…hundreds of them. If you are looking for a USB hub or Omega 3, 6, and 9 chewable treats for dogs, you will find fifty times more choices than you could find in Best Buy or Petland.

When you order items from Amazon, they will arrive sometimes the next day. When the item wasn’t what you wanted, returns are easy…until last week. I ordered a woven basket from an Amazon seller, which means that it was shipped from the dealer. The shipping box arrived already opened. When I took the basket out of the box, it looked like someone had sat on it. So, I logged into my Amazon account and did the necessary things to return a product. I wanted to return it because it was damage and not useable. Usually, merchants respond in a couple of days, which they didn’t. I called The Factory Depot. I got a recording, which said that they would respond quickly to the call. Fifteen minutes later, I still was waiting. I called back that afternoon. I got the same recording and the same wait.

A couple days later, Amazon emailed me about the merchant’s response.

Hi Dr.: Thank you for shopping with us. Amazon seller The Factory Depot would like to follow up on your recent return.

The Factory Depot’s request seemed odd, which I highlighted in yellow. I wanted to return an item, and they wanted me to take some pictures of the damage shipping box and the basket. If I wish to return it, the pictures aren’t necessary, since I was returning the damaged item. How will photos expedite the situation? Nevertheless, I sent the pictures of the shipping box and the basket.

I sent the shipping box back along with the basket. Then I got an email from The Factory Depot stating that I was given a refund and didn’t have to return the damage property.

That is the backstory. I had a problem that I didn’t create and wanted to resolve it. And what did I get? By the time this essay gets posted to my webpage and Facebook, it will fade to an annoying moment a couple weeks ago. However, what is more annoying, troubling, and a national security issue is that over a hundred Republican House members and all, but one Republican Senator, want more facts.

Trump lost the election. Our ex-president told the mob on January 6th that he wanted to march down Pennsylvania Ave. with them to go to the Capitol. And stop Biden from being confirmed. The rioters went to the Capitol, but he went to the White House and watch the insurrection on TV.

Our macho president

Trump did lose the election, and he told Pence that he’d better do what is right, from Trump’s point-of-view, and not announce Biden had won. Pence, Trump’s lap dog, knew that he had no control over anything. He merely had to stand up and state the obvious. Biden and Harris have been elected as president and vice-president.

The rioter stormed the Capitol while many members of Congress were in the House Chamber. Five people died due to hardly any police presence that day. Fortunately, the coup d'état was quelled, and the joint session of Congress met. Pence announced the results early in the morning of the next day. Twelve hours prior to that the rioters were going through desks of members of Congress and stealing items from the House Chamber.

“Hi Donald…look what I took.”

A majority of Republican members of Congress believe the election was rigged. Those beliefs are in spite all appeals to courts at both the state and federal levels were dismissed. In addition, two appeals to the Supreme Court weren’t even heard. It reminded me of The Factory Depot asking for proof that my order was damaged. So, I gave them proof that the item was damage. That wasn’t enough, The Factory Depot wanted me to return the item, which I did. They were going to examine the item to confirmed it was damaged.

No court at the state or federal level including the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump’s election mantra that it was a rigged and fraudulent election. The Republicans have the proof, but they still ask for proof.

In the mid-80s, Wendy’s had an advertising jingle, “Where’s the Beef?”

A newer question is, “Where’s the Proof.”

Today, that one-liner is modified slightly, Where’s the Proof?” The reality is that the Republicans have over fifty cases that no court in the land buys the notion of a rigged election. Interestingly, many of the judges were Trump appointees and a third of the Supreme Court was appointed by Trump. All the courts wanted was proof.

Now, either the Republican members of Congress are simply stupid, chickens, or a combination of the first two options. There is no proof of a rigged election, but they still say it was rigged. They are being chickens due to fearing Trump will diss them, which might hurt their future elections. They are afraid to face reality. They will kowtow to DD, aka Despicable Donald, and hope that he will support them. Apparently, they are more concerned about their position in the party than following their pledge to the Constitution.

Beyond the courts, Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was told by Trump to find more than 11,000 votes, which he needed to get Georgia’s electoral votes. Raffensperger is a Republican. Nonetheless, he was an honest Republican.

If Trump’s coup d'état is not impeachable, remember what George Santayana warned us, “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.”

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