Having caught up with a fair amount of the Jan 6th hearings in the US I was wondering if the Trump supporters here on the forum have changed their perspectives about what happened?

I will admit some of the evidence was potentially hammed up a little but the vast bulk was factual, sobering and more than a little disturbing.

Although I do not think much of his politics Mike Pence seems to have been one of the few standouts in preserving America's democratic system as it is hard to imagine the state it would be in now had he not held firm.

I will admit to having a bit more respect for their system in that Republicans in the judicial ranks, the DOJ, and in the electoral system protected the standing of institutions by holding firm against Trump and the more deranged in his followers.

What are people thinking now?

Trump was a fascist from the start. He did exactly what his supporters wanted him to. He also trained them to call anything that paints him badly 'fake news' so I would imagine there's little reaching such people. They are a clear and present danger to our societys.

There is no need for anyone on this forum to support or not support Donald Trump, or praise him or call him childish names, because he has sweet Fanny Adams to do with us. Anthony Albanese is the only leader we should be keeping an eye on.

ttbn: "When America sneezes, the world catches a cold." Dates back to the 1929 stockmarket crash, but unfortunately still relevant. Australia especially needs to keep tabs on what's happening in America for our own protection.

BTW when are the new submarines due? Before or after WW3?

I've also watched some of the coverage on the American news
PBS - regarding Donald Trump and Jan. 6th. The testimonies
of man of his staff and advisers is very disturbing. And
heaven help the world if Trump runs for office again -
especially being our country's biggest ally - who knows
what this man will decide not do do?

I basically can't understand why this man has not been
arrested, and why he hasn't been charged with anything?

The whole world is watching the US - and it really is
very disturbing.

Trump was the inevitable outcome of a system overtaken by extremist nationalists and white supremacists. If it wasn't him it would have been somebody else but I doubt they could have found anyone else so dishonest, narcissistic and deluded and are now forever chained to his legacy.

Instead of learning from their mistake the Republicans are doubling down and have set the bar so low that their next leader will need to be more divisive.
Their democracy is in serious peril and the country so divided that things may need to get even worse before it can start to get better.

Unfortunately there are some in this country who consider Trump a hero to use as a template for their own political intentions and would like us to follow his example.