Given the events that occurred in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, there is a lot that could be said…

We have already recorded our podcasts for this week, so unless we can schedule a time to get together, we will not be able to comment on the D.C. protests, the Georgia senate run off, or Trump’s behavior until we reconvene for next week’s cast.

That being said, I (Wes), thought I would publish our very first article using those events as the subject material. The first thing you should realize is that the thoughts that follow are solely my own and they do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of my Driveway Liberty Cohosts.

There is much to discuss, so let’s get to these random thoughts I have swirling around:

Did Trump incite a riot?

This one is a toughie for me. Trump has never been known as a great orator, but we also know that there is always a response being sought for the words he chooses. The language in his speech to the protestors on Wednesday could very well be deemed as inflammatory. There was most definitely a tone of bitterness, and also a hint of desperation. Given that he honestly believes that the election was stolen from him, this type of language is also quite understandable…especially given his history of such things.

For the most part, he was preaching to the choir: The people who chose to head to the capital were there because they feel the exact same way as Trump does. They felt disenfranchised by the electoral system, and they felt as if their opinions and voices had been cast aside. Trump didn’t create that sentiment yesterday during his speech. That sentiment already existed.

All of that being said, however, we are all responsible for our own actions: Trump may have slightly exacerbated the issue, but those in attendance had their own agenda prior to arriving. I would submit that those few who did trespass on the people’s property, cause damage, and assault others were already in the mindset to do something along those lines. The ability to gain access to one of the most secure facilities in this country is not something you decide to do at the spur of the moment. It was planned, and I personally think that there may have even been some assistance or involvement from those in charge of protecting said facility.

In the scope of the entire protest, only a small minority overstepped. There may not have been millions at this protest, but there were most definitely several hundred thousand. Given that there have only been 14 arrests, none of us should be lumping everyone in attendance into the “rioter” category. It was just a handful of people.

How is this different from the BLM/Antifa riots in Portland or other areas?

I have seen many comparing the motivations of yesterday’s events to that of the Antifa and BLM protests, and those questioning why one is okay and the other is not. This is both a fair question and unfair comparison.

The feelings of helplessness and disenfranchisement can most definitely be fairly compared. Regardless of how you feel about the BLM movement, George Floyd, and the like, AND, regardless of how you might feel about yesterday’s events. The baseline sentiment is similar… justified or not.

There is a big difference, however, in the activities taken by the protestors on each side to express that sentiment. While a life was lost, some cops were injured, some windows were broken, and a group of people trespassed on government properties, there was no looting, no businesses burned to the ground, and in the scope of the entire operation, very few human casualties. I don’t say that to diminish the lost life or injuries that did occur during any protest. I say that to exemplify that within the scope and size of this protest, they were minimal in comparison to what has occurred during the BLM and Antifa protests.

There is also another primary difference between yesterday’s protests and the others. That difference is how it’s being represented in the media. How is it the media’s job to label any protest good or bad. Are the feelings of the disenfranchised Trump voters any less legitimate than those of the BLM movement? Why is one justified over the other? While there may be arguments from the supporters of each, is it really media’s job to choose one side or another?

To clarify, I am not questioning the sentiments of BLM or even Antifa for that matter. There sentiments are their own whether I share them or not, and a liberty minded person should not question those. What I am questioning, however, are the measures in which they express that sentiment.

Buildings aren’t special.

Many politicians and others being paraded out in the media were just flabbergasted at the fact that such sacred places of governing had been breached. This sentiment is stupid. These places aren’t places of worship, ancient fore father burial grounds, or anything super sacred. These buildings are where the people’s business used to take place…and those entering those places yesterday are the people.

Don’t get me wrong, I hold historical places in high regard, and when foreign enemies threaten those halls, they should be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.

That being said, these were American citizens redressing their own government. Right or wrong, those buildings are irrelevant. Buildings are a product of society, not society itself. Plus, windows are about the only things that were actually damaged. Nothing was burned down or permanently damaged.

This is a republic not a democracy DAMNIT!

Like many of you, I was glued to the television yesterday. Politician after politician, journalist after journalist, and pundit after pundit kept saying how yesterday’s events were a discredit and disgrace to our “democracy”. While there are democratic facets to our republic, we are not a democracy. If we were, then Joe Biden would’ve already been confirmed as POTUS because the population centers love that socialism more than the rest of us. Just a pet peeve of mine.

Everyone loves big government… except for me and like three people.

If we break all of this political discord down to one simple principle, it leads us to know that everyone wants someone we agree with to be in control of government…. because government has entirely too much power and too much bearing on our lives. If it didn’t, elections wouldn’t matter so much, riotous behavior to redress government wouldn’t exist, and we’d all probably be a hell of lot happier. This is the way.

I realize that I bring this one up a lot…and I will continue to do so…because it’s true and it seems no one is listening to me about it.

What’s the big deal in allowing a special committee to examine the election discrepancies?

I’m not totally convinced that election fraud occurred. To be honest, I don’t know what or who to believe or trust anymore…especially when it comes to the dissemination of public information. I can say that, like many of you, I no longer trust the electoral process. I no longer trust others to act in good faith or show intellectual honesty in the matters of politics.

That, for me, is enough reason to follow Ted Cruz’s suggestion and appoint a special committee made up of 5 congressmen, 5 senators, and 5 supreme court justices to look into it. Does that mean I am in favor of halting any inaugurations? Absolutely not. Should they find issue we can then recall Biden at that point. If everyone is so confident that things will stay as they are, then why have a problem with being thorough in the evidence?

I genuinely believe that this would be the only way to reboot the faith in the electoral process. As it stands right now, almost 50% of the voting public believe there’s something sketchy that happened in the general election. Let’s set their minds at ease so we can move forward.