America is Fucked
Out of context: Reply #1713
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- Bennn1
'Elections will never be the same'
Donald Trump's legacy portends tough years for American democracy, experts believe.
As Joe Biden moves to the White House these days, a majority of voters who backed the Republican Party believe he cheated to get there.
No less than 65% of Republican voters believe the lie repeated by the highest authorities of their party that the election was fraudulent, according to a poll conducted by ABC News.
And, far from being isolated, the 147 Republican elected officials who rejected the results of the ballot in Congress on January 6 have the support of 78% of Republican voters, who agree with their gesture or who would have wanted the elected do more to invalidate the election.
Data that "should give us shivers," believes Bob Altemeyer, retired psychology professor and co-author of the new book Authoritarian Nightmare.
Americans have come very close this month to see one of the two main political parties scuttle a democratic process that has been in place since 1796, he says.
"If the Republicans had controlled both the House of Representatives and the Senate, they would almost certainly have challenged the outcome of the election, and successfully. The election would then have been decided state by state in the House of Representatives, and Trump would have won."
- Bob Altemeyer, retired professor of psychology and co-author of the new book Authoritarian Nightmare
Unthinkable just a few months ago, such a scenario is now impossible to rule out. Joe Biden appeared to allude to it in his speech during his swearing-in, when he said that "this time around democracy prevailed", implying that it might not always be the case.
“In the past,” notes Mr. Altemeyer, “it was believed that no party would dare go against the will of the people by rejecting the result of a poll. But authoritarian leaders like Donald Trump say to themselves: "If it brings me to power, 'i can do anything' (edited)"
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The danger with the Republicans' crying wolf strategy when there is no evidence of fraud, she says, is that election results are now seen as partisan news, which can be denied if you don't like it.
“Trump left a road map that others can pick up on. "
Donald Trump has also normalized the use of intimidation and violence in American politics. Officials who refused to follow his directions had become targets for him or his supporters, and could face death threats.
M me Ben Ghiat cites the example of Republicans in the House of Representatives who voted for the dismissal of Trump and have since had to buy body armor and fear for the safety of their families.
"We are on authoritarian ground here. These are things that are happening under Erdoğan, under Putin. It is a work plan that does not bode well. By shouting fraud when the election was fair, Trump gave the green light to breaking the law. This will be the greatest legacy of his presidency. Everything is possible now. There are no more limits."
- Ruth Ben-Ghiat, specialist in fascism and professor of history at New York University
“I believe many Republicans are excited about this transformation. There is this notion of you can do whatever you want right now. "
“Not that long ago, what the doctors said or what the judges said, or even what the president said was above the political sphere. Trump made it all go away. Donald Trump politicized absolutely everything. "
- Scary as hell, I’d like to say the best course of action is a good old firing squad or the gallows for these tyrants and crooks but what they really need is a_niko
- Better education system. It would do the democrats a world of good to push this. The republicans thrive on a base of ignorance, fear and religion_niko
- repeat a lie long enough, and it becomes truth #biglieimbecile
- What percentage of dems believe the lie that trump colluded with Russians to win the election?Gnash