The horror, the horror!

"Storming a legislative chamber is now an 'insurrection' and not a 'beautiful sight'. Who knew?"

I woke up this morning to a strange sense of deja vu. A wild mob is rampaging through a legislative chamber, trashing institutional symbols, sending the police fleeing as control falters. Tear gas hangs in the air as hooligans brandishing US flags, scale the walls and occupy offices. Meanwhile, the US president eggs them on.

Did I suffer a time slip? Is karma real? But hang on, there is a difference. During the storming of Hong Kong's parliament by rioters, no one died. The police didn't open fire, plus we had no tear gas inside the building. 

Amazing how quickly things change. Storming a legislative chamber is now an 'insurrection' and not a 'beautiful sight'. Who knew?

In 2019, Nancy Pelosi salivated with pleasure at scenes of mayhem in Hong Kong. Now I know it's a cheap shot to gloat given that the two scenarios are slightly different, so I've restrained myself. Nancy P, you are a gorbellied common-kissing, flap-dragon and a hypocrite of the highest order! The tartness of your face sours ripe grapes. There, I feel much better. 

By blatant interference in Hong Kong's political development, with the 'you too can be like us' mantra, you've invited an unwelcome and avoidable outcome. It's cognitive narcissism that only your model of democracy works, and the route for getting there. Yesterday in Washington, your words echoed forlorn and tarnished, while blood spills on Capital Hill.

And yes, Trump is a law unto himself. He is a bully, a buffoon, and a whiner. He inhabits a self-made world in which he is the sole arbiter. He has no appetite for argument and seeks only to browbeat those he regards as his inferiors, namely everyone. Nonetheless, he secured over 70 million votes in what was a close-run election. From this, I can only deduce the US is a deeply polarised place. 

What happens over the next two weeks is anyone's guess. But I'm confident Trump isn't going away. After a tantrum or two, he may be gone from the White House, then settle into his new role of disruptor general. Think Colonel Kurtz operating with his private army, up the river, alone, with a heart of darkness. 

​On a more positive note, Mexico has decided they will pay for the wall and Canada wants one too.