If Democracy did not matter, the results of a recent poll would not have revealed that “Threats to Democracy” was the number one concern facing Americans today. Republicans are wrong to defend anyone aligned with former President Donald Trump as he continues to pose a grave danger to Democracy’s survival.
Trump gloated over Republican Rep. Liz Cheney’s re-election loss solely because she finally saw his lack of principles as a concern when he incited thousands to storm the United States Capitol to overturn the duly certified election on Jan. 6, 2021. Cheney serves on the House Committee charged with investigating the events that led up to a horrific threat to Democracy, which is the “real” reason the representative did not win Wyoming’s primary.
One of Trump’s representatives said Cheney “may have been fighting for principles, but they are not the principles of the Republican Party.” Does this mean that Trump is the Republican National Committee (RNC) chairperson rather than Ronna Romney McDaniel? Or does he merely speak for the party?
Sadly, if the RNC does not value the same principles as Cheney, they de-value the Constitution. Instead, the party supports Trump’s Big Lie that Democrats stole the election. Moreover, Republicans continue to understand that his refusal to concede was inappropriate for any adult, let alone the president of the United States.
The GOP is wrong to encourage the former president by hanging on his every word and promptly responding to his current complaint with rage. For example, how Trump’s supporters responded two weeks ago after he announced the FBI raided his home. According to the NBC News survey, 57% of registered voters say the investigations into alleged wrongdoing by Trump should continue.”
Forty percent agree with GOP Congress members who responded to the former president’s complaints with statements of defunding the FBI, which is part of the Justice Department. They also pointed out their belief that Democracy is not set in stone.
Republican Congresspersons insist that the Constitution can be rewritten to rid themselves of the rules meant to keep the Republic of the United States of America safe from tyranny.
They are wrong; the Constitution represents an effective national government that has endured many attacks since its inception 235 years ago. Moreover, until Trump’s presidency, politicians had not attacked the Constitution with such fervor since the Anti-Federalists protested its ratification.
The RNC threatens Democracy as it deconstructs the Constitution by violating the six significant provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Prohibits discrimination and segregation based on race, color, religion, national origin, and sex in voting, at work, school, housing, and public accommodations. The Act guarantees that every citizen is entitled to vote regardless of race or political affiliation.
After Joe Biden’s victory in 2020 and every effort to overturn the election failed, Republicans seemingly vowed never to lose another election under any circumstance. The following right-wing groups work with the RNC to advance anti-voting legislation:
- The American Constitutional Rights Union.
- Foundation for Government Accountability.
- Judicial Watch, Lawyers Democracy Fund.
- Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF).
- Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections.
- America First Legal Foundation.
- Election Integrity Network.
- Heritage Foundation.
- True the Vote.
Their objective is to create a system where the minority governs the majority. To accomplish this, Republicans packed the Supreme Court with biased politically-oriented Justices who approved their controversial redistricting. Additional threats against Democracy surrounding voter suppression included the creation of rules that violate human decency, such as disallowing volunteers to distribute water to voters waiting to cast their ballots, closing neighborhood polling stations, and restricting access to absentee ballots.
Americans are so dissatisfied with the systemic deconstruction of Democracy that 75% of the poll’s respondents say the United States is going in the wrong direction. Additionally, 58% — a record — say the country’s best years are but a memory. Sixty-one percent are angry enough to carry a protest sign for an entire day to make their point.
To save Democracy, every American must exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections. Americans should approach voting enthusiastically in every local, state, and federal election. It is not only a Constitutional right but a responsibility that must be used to fight against radical Republicans’ systemic destruction of Democracy.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
The New York Times: The Arizona Republican Party’s Anti-Democracy Experiment; by Robert Draper
The Hill: Threats to democracy top list of issues facing US: poll; by Zach Schonefeld
Annenberg Classroom: Chapter 1 – Why Was the Constitution Necessary?
NBC News: NBC News poll: 57% of voters say investigations into Trump should continue
Middle Tennessee State University: THE FIRST AMENDMENT ENCYCLOPEDIA: Anti-Federalists; by Mitzi
Ramos
Democracy Docket: A Constellation of Anti-Voting Groups Threaten Democracy; by Marc Elias
Featured and Top Image US Army Photo by Sgt. Dana Clark Courtesy of DVIDS – Public Domain License
Inset Image Courtesy of Gilbert Mercier’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
