Assault on the Capitol: The US Republicans and their increasingly unique view of the world

Storm on the Capitol
Protest or uprising? Is Violence Legitimate? US Republicans and their increasingly own view of the world

by Niels Kruse
07.01.2022, 10:10 p.m.

Just two Republicans had come to the January 6th memorial ceremony of the US Congress, and that was the daughter and father. Reps Liz Cheney and Dick Cheney, US Vice-President under George W. Bush. Otherwise none of the Conservatives showed up on the anniversary of the storming of parliament. That black day for American democracy. The demonstrative lack of interest may have disappointed many, but it does not come as a surprise. At least not when looking at the state of mind of the Republicans.

In its weekly poll, the US Political Statistics Page “FiveThirtyEight” put together a whole bundle about the American view of their country. Or rather looks, plural. Even well-documented events like the capture of the Capitol a year ago are not the same for everyone. After all, the majority agree that the date is a tragic event for the country: 70 percent of Americans and 60 percent of Republicans. But that was it with the agreement, even with the rule of law taken for granted, such as the investigation of the events by a committee, opinions differ: 59 percent of the conservatives simply reject it.

Protesters or insurgents?

Also noticeable are the differences in the description of the participants in the Capitol Tower. Almost two thirds would use the term “protesters”, just under third would use the term “rioters” and ten percent would use the term “insurgents” – but that is how the majority of Americans see them. For 26 percent of the Conservatives, the intruders are even “patriots” and more than half (56 percent) call their actions in Washington “Defense of Freedom”.

There is also disagreement over the assessment of the outbreaks of violence. In December, 64 percent of all respondents said that the storming of parliament was “extreme” or at least “very” violent, while this view was shared by just under 40 percent of Republicans. Half were or are still of the opinion that the demonstrators would have been “peaceful” and / or behaved “in accordance with the law”. This view is also in contrast to that of the security authorities. More than 700 participants in the Capitol Tower have now been arrested and more than 70 convicted. Including Jake Angeli, the famous “QANon” shaman, he regrets what he did back then.

In general, political violence seems to be increasing for more and more conservatives a legitimate means of argument to become. Although government officials like US President Joe Biden assure that something like the attack on the Capitol will never repeat itself, 60 percent of Americans fear exactly that Means of violence should be used to save the country “. The question put by the “Public Religion Research Institute” is, however, suggestive because it begins in the original with the claim that “things are getting out of hand in the USA”.

Enough violent “to be concerned”

The political scientist Torben Lütjen said in the star On the US Republicans: “In a way, the party itself has become a victim of its own populism. You couldn’t be far enough away from conventional politics; the crazier the better. But this populism only works if you still add a briquette. “

The authors of “FiveThirtyEight” therefore point out that more cautiously formulated surveys on the subject would also come to different results. According to this, only around four percent of those questioned would support violence as a political means. However, it concluded, “four percent of the US population is still ten million people. Enough to be concerned.”

Sources: “FiveThirtyEight”, “The Guardian“,” Washington Post “, CBS News, YouGov / UMassAmherst