How Trump led Republicans to historic losses

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/10/politics/trump-losses-analysis/index.html

 The Democratic wins in the Georgia Senate runoffs this week ensured President Donald Trump's place in electoral history. While much has been written about Trump's ability to pull off electoral victories in spite of conventional wisdom, the actual record shows something considerably different.

The Trump-led Republican Party suffered historic losses on the federal level in a short four-year span that has rarely, if ever, been duplicated in modern American history.

Schwarzenegger: Trump 'worst president ever'

Arnold Schwarzegger: Capitol raid was Kristallnacht ‘right here in the US’

 https://www.jpost.com/international/arnold-schwarzegger-capitol-raid-was-kristallnacht-right-here-in-the-us-654982

 “President Trump sought to overturn the results of an election, and of a free election. He sought a coup by misleading people with lies,” Schwarzenegger said. “I know where such lies lead. President Trump is a failed leader. He will go down in history as the worst president ever.”

The day America realized how dangerous Donald Trump is

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/09/politics/donald-trump-dangerous-capitol-riot/index.html

 When the history of the 45th presidency is written, Wednesday, January 6, will go down as the day America realized how dangerous President Donald Trump really is.

In the span of hours, the country finally witnessed the price of its five-year experiment turning its election process into a reality show that produced an unhinged megalomanic as commander-in-chief who amassed so much power through his lies and fear-mongering that he was able to engineer an insurrection as a final act that left democracy dangling by a thread.

Drafting women in Army or national service in America

Igros Moshe (Y.D. 04:09): Drafting women in Army or national service in America. The issue of taking married and unmarried women into either the army or national service is against G-d’s  Torah. Therefore if G-d forbid any government establishes this law it is prohibited for the women to obey. It is like a decree of the government to transgress religion and it is prohibited to comply with it. Therefore since you heard that there are some who want to make such a law in America and it is known that the government and president typically do not make decrees on Jews which are against our holy Torah, it can only come about from ignorance. Therefore we are obligated to try all things to notify the president and congress that this is against the Torah and that it is anti-religious legislation. It is also necessary at the same time to express how good America has always been to the Jews. We as Jews love America totally and we are loyal devoted citizens

Girls learning Mishna?

Igros Moshe (Y.D. 03:087):Girls learning Mishna? Concerning the issue that there are girl’s schools (Beis Yakov) that the staff or principals want to teach them Mishna. Rambam (Talmud Torah 1:13) rules according to Rabbi Eliezar (Sotah 20a) not to teach girls Torah but he distinguishes between the Oral Torah which he says is like teaching them obscenity and the Written Torah which is only problematic l’chatchila.Nevertheless Mishna is Oral Torah and our Sages have commanded us not to teach them and it is like teaching them obscenity. Therefore it is required to withhold this from them. Except for Pirkei Avos which is mussar and good behavior which should be taught to them with clear explanations in order to motivate them in love of Torah and good character.

Repentance for secretary having an affair with boss in office

Igros Moshe(O.C. 04:117) A woman worked in office and had inappropriate contact with a coworker. Regarding proper repentance for hugging and kissing and other disgusting behavior for a period of 6 months with a coworker while working as his secretary. It is now 4 years after you got married to a bal tshuva who is a ben Torah and truly G-d fearing and you haven’t repeated these acts and you are very broken hearted that it happened.  You should know that the essence of repentance is having great regret for what has happened and accepting never to do it again as we see in Rambam (Teshuva 2:2). Certainly confession in whispering to G-d is sufficient repentance together with the 4 Yom Kippurs that have occurred. However there is no question that you should do some deed to properly repent but since the wife is subservient to her husband and also has the responsibility of taking care of children and all this requires health and peace of mind therefore it is impossible to be involved in the affliction that would normally done. Rather you should work on strengthening  your faith in G-d that He sees and hears everything and nothing is concealed from Him. That will help you from doing anything wrong. It would also be good to say every day in any language you know well, that you know and believe this. You should also say Tehilim every day and if I you have time to divide it up so that you complete Tehilim every month. If you don’t have time than you should finish it every two months. It is a good idea to keep this up and it will also serve to increase the merit and thus the blessing in your house. Furthermore every Monday and Thursday you should silently say Vidoi but only from Our G-d to we have wronged You but not more than that. On erev Rosh Chodesh which is called Yom Kippur Koton, you should say the Vidoi of Rabbeinu Nissim which is printed in the Machzor of Yom Kippur and it is divided into 6 sections – but the fourth section which is for the sake of others don’t say because it is only said publically in synagogue.  All this should be done without an oath so that you will not transgress if you forget sometimes or you are prevented from saying for any reason. In addition you should decide that when your daughters grow up that you try to prevent them from working in an office so that they are not placed in such  temptation. The saying of saying vidoi on Monday and Thursday and erev Rosh Chodesh should be said until this coming Yom Kippur while the saying of Tehilim should continue indefinitely but without an oath. All the saying of Vidoi is to be said only before G-d but no one else should know about it. It is forbidden to publicize one’s sins.  You should also know that it is forbidden to be depressed but only should only have joy that you are merited to  repent and have a husband who is a talmid chachom. On Yom Kippur you will be able to have complete repentance from G-d. G-d should bless you and your husband with all good and peace, pleasure and happiness  from your children and your descendants should have G-d’s blessing

Capitol riots: Questions mount over security failure

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55577362

The Washington Post, citing sources close to the matter, says that Capitol Police charged with guarding the building and its grounds did not make early requests for help from the city's main police force or the National Guard nor set-up a multiagency command centre to coordinate response to any violence.

And without an adequate security perimeter in place, their sparse police lines were quickly overwhelmed by thousands descending on the Capitol.

Dozens of officers were injured, and one later died, in the effort to retake control - including some with armour, weapons and chemical spray agents.

Lindsey Graham Urges Biden to Stop 2nd Trump Impeachment Push by Democratic Lawmakers

 https://www.newsweek.com/lindsey-graham-urges-biden-stop-2nd-trump-impeachment-push-democratic-lawmakers-1560243

Lindsey Graham called on President-elect Joe Biden to immediately contact Democratic congressional leaders and "the Squad," requesting they cease any discussion of President Donald Trump being impeached for a second time in the aftermath of the Capitol assault.

The Republican senator from South Carolina appeared on Fox News Friday night and urged Biden to "pick up the phone" and tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats not to impeach Trump in the coming weeks. Pelosi on Friday told House members "we must take action" to immediately remove Trump from office, a sentiment echoed by several top Republicans including Lisa Murkowski. The Alaska senator said the president simply "needs to get out."

But Graham, who said he "hated it to end this way," touted Trump's "helpful" speech Thursday following the deadly riot.

Must-See New Video Shows Capitol Riot Was Way Worse Than We Thought | All In | MSNBC

Haredi newspaper photoshopped masks onto rabbis

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/haredi-newspaper-photoshopped-masks-onto-rabbis-654830

The newspaper Hamodia, which is associated with the United Torah Judaism party (UTJ), photoshopped masks onto rabbis who participated in a closed meeting held in disregard to the coronavirus guidelines, Israeli media reported on Friday.

The picture was taken in the home of Rabbi Bezalel Simcha Menachem Benzion Rabinowitz, known as the Rabbi of Biala, where he and other prominent rabbis discussed ways to encourage the ultra-Orthodox public to study Torah during Israel's third lockdown, in honor of Maimonides' death.

Pro-Trump rioter in horned fur hat, man who grabbed Pelosi’s lecturn, charged

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/more-suspects-charged-in-storming-of-us-capitol-by-pro-trump-mob/

Dozens of people have already been arrested and prosecutors across the US have vowed to bring to justice those who stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, sending lawmakers into hiding as they began their work to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Two men in high-profile photos from the events — one wearing a horned, fur hat and the other carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern — were charged Saturday, the latest arrests in Wednesday’s mayhem that left five people dead.

Top Capitol security officials sacked after deadly riot

 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/07/security-fallout-in-capitol-could-be-swift-455803

McConnell said ultimate blame lies with "unhinged criminals" that desecrated the Capitol, but nonetheless suggested that the Congress would have to address the "shocking failures in the Capitol’s security posture and protocols.” Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a trusted Pelosi ally who chairs the committee in charge of Capitol security logistics, said Sund misled her about the security preparations for the Jan. 6. session.

Lofgren told reporters Thursday that the Capitol Police chief assured her that all contingencies were in place and "there was no doubt they were completely able to keep us secure in the Capitol." The National Guard was at the ready, Lofgren said Sund told her.

"We were told it was all in place, it was all a go," she said. "It was just not true. They had not been called."

“How could they fail so miserably? We’re 20 years from 9/11. Yesterday they could have blown the building up. They could have killed us all. They could have destroyed the government,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who said those who breached the Capitol are "domestic terrorists" and not patriots. “Warning shots should have been fired. Lethal force should have been used once they penetrated the seat of government.”

 

Trump’s cabinet members discuss ousting him after Capitol stormed

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-cabinet-members-discuss-ousting-him-after-capitol-stormed/

 Members of US President Donald Trump’s cabinet on Wednesday discussed the possibility of removing Trump from office after his supporters stormed the Capitol, three US news channels reported. The discussions focused on the 25th amendment to the US Constitution, which allows for a president’s removal by the vice president and cabinet if he is judged “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.”