Glenn Grothman: “Before we deal with the purpose of this speech, I would like to make some observations about changes that have been made…”

“Before we deal with the purpose of this speech, I would like to make some observations about changes that have been made in the last few weeks and other rapidly changing aspects of American life. One of the few positive observations I have made since I was a Congressman is the freedom people have normally had to see their Congressmen. Eccentric people can stand at the base of the Capitol steps a few yards away and hand out their pamphlets, nice and free. Easy to meet their Congressmen, for those of us who like to walk outside and not use the tunnel. Now, a chain-link fence stands around the Capitol with razor wire on top. Let's be honest. After about midnight on January 7, I think most of us felt pretty safe. Now, we are almost a month later, and we still have National Guard folks in full combat, ready to protect us. We have the wire on top of the walls, as well as Constitution and Independence Avenues shut down. I feel like I am in East Germany in the 1970s. I am not sure exactly what East Germany was like, but that is how I kind of visualize it, around maybe their parliament or whatever, fencing, police, always afraid of the people. It is a fitting background for our brave new world order in which our high-tech oligarchs are censoring ideas. Perhaps that is this background to the new censor regime. It seems almost appropriate. Our high-tech oligarchs are censoring ideas which are unpopular with the wealthy and powerful in our country.…”