AND THEN WHAT? — What This Week’s Rioters Can Learn From the Dog that Chased the Car

Over the last few days, I found myself thinking more and more of the old adage of the dog chasing the car. It’s really more of a metaphor, a kind of “and then what?” lesson about planning for the next step. You see, the dog is desperately chasing after the car but really, has no idea why. Nor does the dog have idea what to do with the car if he was ever lucky enough to catch it.

Is he supposed to eat it? Pretty unlikely given that the car is made out of steel and rubber.

Is he supposed to wrestle it to the ground and maul it? Also unlikely given that the car weighs a few tons more than the dog.

Maybe the dog thinks that he is supposed to have sex with the car. Hard to imagine given that cars are inanimate and have no sexual organs but you never know what is going on in the mind of the dog.

The problem for the dog is that while he is chasing the car in a desperate attempt to catch it, he has absolutely no idea what he is going to do with it once he does.

This made me think about the marauding band of domestic terrorists who attacked our nation’s capitol this past week. It has been reported that some in the crowd carried loaded weapons. Others had handcuffs and ropes. Some were said to have bags of feces. A large number of these criminals were planning on kidnapping the Vice President. And the Speaker of the House. They wore costumes and brought flags. They broke into offices and desecrated the hallways. It was a horrible and embarrassing and frightening scene and for a few terrifying moments, they controlled the Capitol Building and held the government hostage. They got what they wanted.

And then what?

Like the dog chasing the car, was there a plan for after?

After installing Donald Trump as Supreme Leader For Life, which doesn’t sound very patriotic or American, what was next? Was this group going to now govern the country?

Were they going to oversee the distribution of the COVID vaccine? Oh right, this group doesn’t believe that the virus is real. To them it was all a hoax.

Was this group going to help pull the economy out of the recession with fiscal and monetary policy decisions like government stimulus? Oh right, this group believes that government subsidies is a form of socialism.

Was this group going to deal with our allies and foes abroad and help keep America and its interest safe? Oh right, this group doesn’t believe in globalism; they think that America should be isolated from the rest of the world.

Was this group going to deal with the massive cyberattack that Russia just unleashed on us? Oh right, this group doesn’t believe that Russia is responsible for anything.

Was this group going to attempt to heal the wounds of 400 years of systemic racism in this country? Oh right, this group is perfect happy with systemic racism and in fact wants more of it.

Was this group going to lower the tax rate on the wealthiest in the misguided hopes that the excess would trickle down to them? Probably.

The truth is, the brainwashed, over zealous, illegal militia that attacked the Capitol on Wednesday had no plan for after. Had no “And then What” strategy. They were led into battle by a deranged, authoritarian, ego-maniacal, two-bit, snake oil salesman, who preyed on their gullibility because he couldn’t accept the fact that he might have lost the election.

Which brings us back to the dog chasing the car. While the dog has no notion of what it will do once it catches the car, at least it knows that the only one in danger is itself. The only life at stake is that of the dog. The crazies that attacked the Capitol this week killed a police officer along with at least four other people. The crazies that attacked the Capitol this week has put our democracy in peril and ruined our standing on the world stage.

The dog chasing the car has more sense then them.