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Like many of the markers of Donald Trump’s four years in office, this week’s insurrection at the US Capitol was high on symbolism, theatrics, and nastiness—and much lower on substance.
The images of rioters climbing walls and breaking windows at one of the cornerstones of American democracy have been taken by many as an ominous sign of its demise. The mob literally trashed the place. But if there was a concerted plan to seize power, many plotters got sidetracked with looting congressional offices and taking selfies.
Trump’s seemingly irrepressible desire to put on a show has dominated his time in the White House, and this was his season finale. That is not to say the Capitol mayhem—and other Trumpian attempts to hijack the national narrative, from his border wall to his trade war with China—are mere spectacle. The president and his supporters have inflicted deep and lasting damage, and the five riot-related deaths are just the latest tragic example.
But as we watch the last days of the Trump show, it’s worth remembering the real story is often not where he chooses to put the spotlight. As we obsess over the Trump-provoked storming of the Capitol, will we miss more dangerous actions behind closed doors? Some reports suggest the president orchestrated law enforcement’s tepid response at the Capitol, though details are so far scant. That would add an alarming element of conspiracy to his seditious pre-riot pep speech.
Wednesday’s insurrection also quickly drowned out news that might inspire a very different assessment about the state of US democracy: the victory of Georgia’s two Democratic US Senate candidates, who beat the Republican incumbents and the state’s long history of voter suppression.
In the end, Trump’s outrageous attempts to remain the center of attention may be what ultimately gets him canceled. After years of enabling his egregious behavior, top Republicans are finally drawing a line at his open incitement of a violent mob. Whether their party’s Trumpian, radical wing goes from sullying to derailing democracy will depend on how serious—and how effective—they are at holding that line. —Ana Campoy
Five things from Quartz we especially liked
A coup by any other name. As people worldwide struggled to wrap their heads around Wednesday’s violence at the Capitol, they also struggled with how to describe it. Is it an insurrection? Sedition? Were they protestors or a mob or extremists? Nico Rivero consults the experts (and the dictionary) for the definitive term, because the right label helps us figure out how to respond. —Alex Ossola, deputy membership editor
What’s in a flag? Many members of the mob that broke into the US Capitol waved the Confederate flag, widely understood as a hate symbol. I learned a lot from Anne Quito and Amanda Shendruk’s breakdown of the many other flags on parade that day, from the Thin Blue Line flag (a reminder of support for Trump from some members of the police force) to flags associated with QAnon, militia groups, and anti-government extremists. —Sarah Todd, senior reporter, Quartz at Work
No, they’re not the same. Beijing was quick to draw parallels between Wednesday’s events and Hong Kong protesters, who at one point in 2019 took over the local legislature, to expose what the regime says are the West’s double standards. But this comparison couldn’t be more incorrect. Mary Hui and Tripti Lahiri explain that while Hong Kong’s protests demanded the right to a full and free vote, the Capitol insurrection was in support of those who would deny a fair election. —Jane Li, tech reporter
Anger translator. In late December, a young tech worker at Pinduoduo, a popular e-commerce site in China, collapsed on her way home from work and died hours later. Jane Li’s excellent piece about the online firestorm and anti-capitalist uproar that followed puts the tragedy in context, revealing why the most upvoted response to the company’s statements about the death “can be translated most accurately as ‘fuck off.'” —Lila MacLellan, senior reporter, Quartz at Work
The failure that spells doom for US healthcare. Haven, the company set on disrupting the largest and least efficient healthcare market in the world, is dead after three short years in operation. While shoddy top-level business practices were certainly to blame—not having a clear vision is never a great start—another major roadblock was the sheer fragmentation of regional healthcare, Annalisa Merelli writes. If the smartest minds in business can’t fix privatized US healthcare, is it even possible at all? —Katherine Ellen Foley, science and health reporter
One membership thing that made us nervous
This is fine. Last January, in our field guide to the 2020 economy, we highlighted the “wildcards” that could disrupt the world, first among them a novel coronavirus spreading in Wuhan, China. Last year was a reminder that wildcards—unlikely but potentially catastrophic events—are worth paying attention to. So in our field guide to the economy in 2021, Tim Fernholz lays out nine wildcards that just might shape the year. Let’s hope that this time, they don’t come true. —Walter Frick, executive editor
✦ Don’t blame the messenger—instead consider supporting this particular messenger by becoming a subscriber. It’s one thing you can count on that will make 2021 better.
We’re obsessed with futons
Life’s padded pitstop. For decades, buying a futon has been a rite of passage for young adults, one saved for a first dorm or apartment, when you can barely find the budget for a bed or a couch. When it debuted in the late 1970s, however, the American futon was a serious interpretation of a Japanese way of living and not intended for transient college life. The Quartz Weekly Obsession shows you how it all unfolded.
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Five things from elsewhere that made us smarter
Occupy the Capitol Facebook Group. Even cybersecurity experts sound stunned at the incredible coordination behind the insurrection at the US Capitol this week. In this gripping episode of The Daily, Sheera Frenkel outlines the “Stop the Steal” Facebook groups, Gab, and Parler forums where pro-Trump supporters discussed everything from airfare deals to hotel recommendations to tips for traveling with guns. —Anne Quito, design and architecture reporter
Who’s in my backyard? The high cost of living in US cities and the people it excludes has a familiar scapegoat—developers—facing a coalition that opposes buildings in their backyards: homeowners, but also renters, environmentalists, and preservationists. In the Atlantic, Jacob Anbinder argues that the alliance of strange bedfellows that fought urban renewal schemes in the 20th century can’t solve the 21st century challenge of competition for scarce housing. —Tim Fernholz, senior reporter
The Biden administration has its work cut out for it with China. Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Bob Davis and Lingling Wei outline the major challenges US president-elect Joe Biden will face in dealing with a rising Beijing, beginning with his first day in office. What the president-elect has proposed so far—a “Summit of Democracies” to counter China—could yield little more than talk. And talk, especially when it comes to great power relations, is cheap. —Annabelle Timsit, geopolitics reporter
Water wars. In the western US, water rights have always been a contentious commodity, endlessly bought, sold, reparceled, subcontracted, and grandfathered as an assortment of city officials, utility companies, ranchers and farmers, and other interested parties tussle over how to divvy up water from the Colorado River to big cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas. Now there’s a new contender: Wall Street investors. Ben Ryder Howe reports for the New York Times on what one hedge fund manager calls “the biggest emerging market on Earth.” —Tim McDonnell, climate and energy reporter
The great holdup. The US stimulus may have been approved, but getting unemployment aid to Americans is still a major challenge. The Washington Post’s Alyssa Flowers and Heather Long report the infuriating details: some claims are held up for months simply due to a typo, leading families to fall behind on paying rent or buying food. Largely understaffed US state unemployment offices are responsible for handling millions of individual cases; meanwhile, Europe has a more efficient process, providing unemployment through company payroll. —Michelle Cheng, reporter, Quartz at Work
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