When (if) the full story of Jan6 ever comes out I predict it will have multiple levels of intention and complicity.
Broadly
1/The "base" level of the mob reacting out of what they believe & has been taught & insinuated into them for years.
I think this chaos is the cover for

other levels that seem to have a much more clear, "calm" mission.
These are the people who are now utterly confused that what they were told turns out to not be true.
These people being disbarred from flying, or taken into custody, thinking they were just returning home, are
bearing the brunt of the response by the law enforcement system. They are the easiest to see, find, and catch.
They are the pawns. They are the Orcs in the Trumpian system...expendable. Useful. Necessary. But Expendable as the strategy & tactics require.

Who knows if these
people, so adamant in their emotional pumped up outrage will figure this out. For now, the fact that they are the ones being hauled in, the first ones facing the consequences of their actions, seems to be solidifying their martyr frame of mind. I suspect they feel a kinship
with Trump, who does nothing but proclaim himself a victim and a martyr. In this they get to feel even moreso that they are part of the righteous army, gods army, doing gods work.
And they will be used again and again as necessary for the other levels.
2/ The disciplined "soldiers" who had a mission, and were executing it w a systematic intent and efficiency.
Using the mob action to cover their work.

This level is also there to be seen, but will need a great deal of clear, hard, investigation to actually understand fully.
Recalling the video of the stream of men, equipped with military gear, moving through the middle of the crowd. Some of the images, esp the fellow w plastic handcuffs, jumping the seats, seem to capture some of these people in action.

It has been reported that they were on
the way to capture, hold hostage some of the Congress members.
This "mission" is congruent with the public statements made to the crowd by Gulliani and D.Trump.

This level are those who are committed to the cause at a much deeper level than just the mob, stirred up and
manipulated by their fears, as well as the excitement of being part of "the movement".

3/ The level above this is the strategic level. The Generals who execute the strategy. The captains who lead the troops. Broadly this could be the GOP Senate level. Some like Cruz, Hawley
being the public voice. Calling the troops to the battle.

4/ At the top level is the strategic "plan" development happen(ed). The setting of the objectives. Basically Trump and his inner circle.
The objective seems clear... At least the bits we can see.
Retain Trump in power
This objective was implemented in a number of "skirmish" level actions. Seeming to test the system, see if it could be bent, broken and succumb to the project.
The abuse of the courts. The endless counter-factual accusations of fraud (very localized to only those districts
that voted against them/Trump) and etc.

It didn’t work. The backroom calls to Sec's State by Graham, later Trump, are part of testing this battle front. Attacking the voting system and individuals another.

What is likely more pernicious is what we do not know yet.
It seems clear that the events of Jan6 were not simply a spontaneous happening, but a long planned end game.

Such a plan would require these levels of function to implement.
Who turns out to be a functionary at each of these levels is going to be the work of any investigations
The paramount question is
a) whether there will be an investigation
b) if it will be tasked to follow all of the trails and evidence
c) no matter who is found to be implicated and complicit.

My suspicion is there are dark corners in this event that powerful people,
and institutions are not excited to have exposed.

I think the question is far deeper than simple Republican vs Democrat. Right v Left.

At the highest levels I suspect are some of the most powerful concentrations of power. I wonder if this event will end up shining any
light there?

It is not so much a conspiracy theory, as a deduction of hidden cause(s) from the known and "visible" effects.

I do not know who or what sits at the "Trump" level. Or if there are levels above that.
I am quite certain that what we see is not the full picture.
It recalls the notion/analogy that what is in play is a 10,000 piece puzzle, very complicated, very difficult to piece together.. especially as the #PuzzlePiece are being discovered bit by bit.
And, not everything, even what is known, is not yet in the public square.

More from Michael Beaton

Yes. This is the problem.

Irrational anger & outrage which is easily manipulated, as we see being done, into tribal affiliation. Predicated not on some devotion to core ideals & principles of the country, but something else.

Notice what ea side appeals how they express it.


One side largely is moved by wanting a system, a society, a government that is responsive to the situation and needs of the public. This has a number of aspects, from infrastructure, taking care of the environment, BLM, taking care of the 'least among us' &etc.

These folks...

These folks on "the other side"... Not sure what to call this other side. It is a collection of right wing people, some who are simply "members" by affiliation, by tradition, by location in the country...others by reasoned choice.
However they get there, a large % are like this.

Lets call this the Trumpian side, Trumper Cohort, since that is the current center around which these "73M" are organized.
Within this cohort, there are many who are simply "Republicans" by inertia. Their family has been so forever, and so they are too. In actual fact they

do not like what is being done in their name, wonder what happened to the party, but cannot imagine voting for a "Democrat", no more than the feud over Ford vs Chevy would resolve in welcoming in the other 'team'.
These don't really know or und what a "Democrat" is these days,

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