The single, biggest threat to American democracy—right now—is how its mechanisms appear to be manipulated to make it less democratic.
(Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, & Party, 2015. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call.[1])
Liberal-minded Democrats say that the storming of the Capitol Building on the 6th January 2021 was a manipulation of the right to protest.
Disaffected Republican patriots say the the outcome of the election was a manipulation of the voting system.
As a result of this contention, President Donald Trump has been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for “inciting insurrection”, “obstruction of justice”, “sedition”, and “high crimes and misdemeanours”[2], 13th January 2021.
That is because Trump had said to his supporters:
“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”[3]
President-Elect Joe Biden will take office on the 20th January 2021. He is backed, not only by the official election results,
but by the press, the judiciary, and civil-society organizations that were hostile to Trump even before he became President.
That is wonderful if you agree.
But what if you don’t?
What if you think that the vote-counting was—to put it politely—opaque? No one has actually made an effort to allay doubts on this question.
What if you think that, okay, Biden is well-meaning, but what about the crowd behind him, baying for Trump’s blood?
That crowd plans a show-trial—not to get him out of office (he will be leaving before you can blink), but to prevent him ever running again. In 2024, for instance.
Why are the Democrats so scared of this?
Because they know he has a chance.
Because they know that, supporting Donald Trump are—not only the hot-heads who broke in to “the people’s house”, but—a huge contingent of pauperized, white, lower-middle/working-class people.
Oh, it’s not huge?
What does 46.8% sound like to you?[4]
Democrats want to increase the size of the 9-member Supreme Court, in order to pack it with justices of their choice. Biden has not spoken in favour of this, yet.[5]
Democrats want to create 2 new states (the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico). Some people think it is overdue.[6] Others think it is a way of blocking a Republican majority in the Senate, forever.[7]
What is clear, is that if these things happen, the structure of the American state will be altered such that the Democrats keep their grip on power for a generation or more.
The only person who could prevent this is… Joe Biden.
But Biden is not a dictator, he is subject to his party; his moderating ability is limited.
Meanwhile, Biden has denounced the vanguard of that vilified, spat-upon 46.8% as “insurrectionists, domestic terrorists”.[8]
Calling people names never changes their minds.
Impeaching their ex-President will not improve the economic conditions of that 46.8%.
The Democrats want to change the system so that Trump never happens again.
But there is a better—more open—honest way:
Run the country so justly that no one wants to elect him again.
That is how democracy works.
The Democrats are for democracy, aren’t they?
Principal Source: Salvatore Babones, The Australian, 14th January 2021.
Footnotes
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