Election 2020: The Light of America’s Democracy Flickered
July 2020.
Although the constitution allowed only two terms in office, he navigated his way through the courts, the legislative branch, and a public vote to continue to be President beyond the constitutional term limits. Now, Putin will be the President of Russia until 2036. The Russian government claims the Russian Federation is a democracy; in reality, it’s only a façade. Although Russia has an executive, legislative, and judicial branch of government, democratic processes are only an illusion. Putin controls the Russian Parliament and the courts. Russian elections and voting are rigged. Even Russian citizens know it.
The U.S. Constitution limits the number of terms for the U.S. President to two terms. Trump argued he should be able to be President beyond two terms. In August 2020 Trump asserted, “We are going to win four more years. And then after that we’ll go for another four years, because they spied on my campaign. We should get a re-do of four years.” In fact, Trump stated some version of this thought throughout his presidency. Have you ever heard any U.S. President in your lifetime say such things? No, you haven’t.
When Trump says something outlandish or half-baked, you often would hear his supporters say he’s just “kidding.” In June 2020, when asked about his comment to slow down coronavirus testing, Trump clarified, “I don’t kid.”
In July 2020, Trump argued that the election should be delayed; unsurprisingly, polling showed Trump was badly trailing Joe Biden for the 2020 presidential election. Of course, the U.S. President doesn’t have the constitutional authority to set the date for a federal election; only Congress has that authority. In August 2020, Trump claimed, “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged.” Trump made this claim repeatedly. He also made it clear he won’t commit to accepting the election results if he loses. He doesn’t kid.
Even before any votes were cast, Trump claimed he will win. Nothing wrong with that claim. Most candidates for office express confidence in their ultimate victory. But Trump goes further. Trump stated that if he loses the election, it’s only because it was rigged. Hence, an illegitimate election in his tortured logic. Trump also claimed that mail-in voting will result in massive fraud and a rigged election. Studies and experts say otherwise. Regardless, creating doubt about a presidential election’s legitimacy, a pillar of American democracy, is incredibly dangerous. Especially if a U.S. President fosters such doubts. No patriot would cultivate doubt about a core component of America’s democracy. And no president who loves their country would either. Have you ever heard a U.S. President in your lifetime make such a claim before? No, you haven’t. The light of American democracy flickered.
The Trump campaign filed lawsuits in several states to curtail mail-in voting processes. Ironically, states have the constitutional responsibility to develop and direct the voting processes in federal and state elections. Several states have been successfully voting by mail for years. The Trump campaign also sent detailed questionnaires to county election officials in battleground states to explore numerous voting issues. Now let’s be clear about what the intent was here. The Trump campaign was not looking to ensure that election processes were fair. They were looking to litigate any issue to ensure Trump could win the election. Why else would the Trump campaign questionnaire inquire if there was a way to determine if a ballot was cast by a Republican or a Democrat? (1)
In July, Trump tweeted, “Must know Election results on the night of the Election, not days, months, or even years later!” This statement is ridiculously false. In the modern era, the media has, at times, projected the winner based on vote counts from the various states on election night; but even in modern times, a projected winner isn’t always announced by the media on election night. In the 2000 presidential election between Bush and Gore, the election outcome was uncertain until December 12, and the official results were not certified until January 2001. There is nothing unusual, unfair, or suspect when election results are announced well after election night. In fact, election results are always officially certified in January by Congress. Based on Trump’s statements and actions, his administration, and campaign, there was a sense that Trump would attempt to invalidate mail-in or absentee ballots in a bid to retain presidential power.
Trump had already shown his willingness to use federal law enforcement against U.S. citizens. In September 2020, convicted felon and Trump confidante Roger Stone urged Trump to declare martial law if he lost the election. Stone was not kidding. Michael Cohen, former Trump lawyer, asserted that Trump will not accept an election defeat and would go so far as to start a war. Cohen wasn’t kidding. Perhaps Trump also felt that since he appointed so many federal judges (about 200) and three Supreme Court justices, he could navigate the courts to do his bidding like Putin. Considering his actions, including aggressively rejecting established independent reviews of this presidency, employing the Department of Justice to benefit political allies in legal and criminal matters, and spending our tax dollars in defending himself against a defamation lawsuit surrounding credible claims of rape, Trump’s actions were indeed Putinesque.
The 2020 presidential election was not just about electing a Republican or a Democrat. The election was primarily about the nature and viability of our democracy. As Americans, we are opposed to dictatorship, tranny, military strongmen, authoritarianism, corruption, and lawlessness. And we value freedom, individual rights, equality under the law, morality, decency, and honesty.
Regardless of your political persuasion, we all agree our democracy is priceless. Trump’s own words and actions as President are a testament that he didn’t care about our democracy. If you voted for Trump, I believe if you reflect on this objectively, you would know deep down that Trump only cared about himself. Don’t disregard his reckless words and actions. Trump told you who he is. Believe him.
Our democracy was in peril. Trump supporters, see things as they are. Even if you support Trump’s policies and political ideology, was a Trump victory in 2020 worth the decline of our democracy? I don’t believe you would knowingly compromise our democracy. I believe you would stand against lawlessness. Stand against tyranny. Against authoritarianism. Against corruption. I believe you would stand for our democracy. Our freedoms. Our rights. Decency. All citizens who voted against Trump safeguarded our democracy. I call on our elected officials who have been complicit in Trump’s abuse of power, to resign your office as you have not demonstrated moral courage and fidelity to your oath of office. We need heroes. Not followers.
If Trump had won the election, America was in danger of ultimately becoming a democracy in name only, just like the Russian Federation. Trump seemed enamored with Putin’s power and control in Russia. Perhaps he wished the same power and control in the U.S.
Even if Trump and his political allies like Roger Stone were bluffing about the 2020 election, a bluff of this nature is dangerous. This is how democracies often fail. By suggestive rhetoric. Marginalizing democratic norms one step at a time. Trump appeared to embark on this path. The light of our democracy flickered.
Article Updated December 28, 2020
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