Capitol insurrectionists unwittingly turn themselves in; checking the pulse on wealth and crime; and republicans covering up the truth, not their faces

Capitol insurrectionists unwittingly turn themselves in

Jamie Raskin is the Democratic representative for a district that is a stone’s throw from the U.S. Capitol building. He reports that “numerous” rioters called Nancy Pelosi’s office on January 7th to recover handbags and phones left behind in the House during their rampage through the building. They wanted to know if the House of Representatives provided a lost and found service. Congressman Raskin said they were referred to police officers who happily took down their names and addresses. (The Week, 1/28/22)

Checking the pulse on wealth and crime

According to Harper’s Magazine (January 2022) there has been a 70% increase in the wealth of most American billionaires since the start of the covid pandemic. There has been a concurrent jump in the number of citizens who view “the existence of billionaires as bad for the country”; that number is up by 26%. No mention has been made of figures relating to mere millionaires.

Meanwhile, the portion of U.S. adults who believe that national crime has increased in the past year is now at three out of five. The number of Fox News viewers who agree with this is three of four. The actual percentage change, however, for major crimes in the last ten years is down by five points. (Harper’s, 12/ 2022).

Republicans cover up the truth, not their faces

In early November the Missouri Department of Health, at the request of Gov. Mike Parson, conducted a study of the efficacy of Covid masks. It is a well-known fact that the Republican governor is opposed to the use of masks at any time or in any place.

The study reported “The data shows that cities with mask mandates saw fewer infections and deaths across the board.” Governor Parson refused to make the results of said report public.  He claimed that the study was vaguely planned, faulty, and inconclusive and was not worthy of the attention of the good people of his state. No evidence of this was ever presented by his office. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch 12/2/21)