#57 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Sunday June 13)
“The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.” Milan Kundera
Good morning,
I have received some complaints that I am taking the right wing to task without doing the same with the left. It’s worth a brief explanation.
I have noted for some time that we all have what I call our “entry level” issue to political affiliation. That issue is the one that will send us down a course of political affiliation, even if we may disagree with some of the positions of that affiliation. Some of these are absolute. For instance, someone who believes abortion constitutes murder will have a hard time supporting a pro-choice candidate. Similarly, some gun owners (although, as data show, not a majority) will look at a candidate’s position on gun regulation as their “entry level” issue, which often will dictate their candidate choice.
My long-term issue is preserving the environment. But the short term issue motivates me more in the current moment. To me, the most important short-term issue is maintaining the Constitution and our system of government, acknowledging the results of free and fair elections, and keeping state legislators and other politicians out of the elections management business. If we fail to do that, all other arguments about important issues will not get attention and will be addressed—if at all—by autocrats of the future. This means that, in order to secure my support, a candidate would have to:
Accept the basic principle that elections of the voters will determine the results of elections and that elections should be as free and open as possible, with effective safeguards to prevent widespread fraud (understanding that no system that doesn’t also unreasonably limit voting rights can reduce fraud near zero).
Accept election results when they are clearly presented, audited, verified, recounted and confirmed by multiple courts. To do otherwise makes all elections suspect. If each party has the power to overturn a “stolen” election, how can the American people ever be assured of a
Rely upon experts in election law and practices to manage our elections, without interference from elected political leaders.
Accept basic scientific principles and not support, directly or passively, things like the QAnon foolishness.
Embrace the truth proven by facts, statistics, and logic, and tell one’s supporters what these truths are.
I may disagree with the Democrats on a number of issues (just as I disagree with the Republicans on many issues) but the anti-democratic behaviors of the Republican party are dangerous. Until they will speak the truth to their constituents, instead of kowtowing to the more ignorant and irrational of their constituents and their ridiculous conspiracy theories, they pose a real present danger to the republic.
Voter suppression, intimidation and repudiation of popular election results are tools of authoritative rulers the world over and through the past centuries.
And yes, I know that some of my Republican friends will claim that “they are just as bad” or “they would have done the same thing.” But whataboutism is not a governing policy. And this case, it’s simply untrue. Hillary Clinton lost by a narrower margin in 2016 than Mr. Trump lost in 2020. The Democrats were well aware of the dangers of the most unfit man ever to sit in the White House. And yet Hillary conceded the election and Mr. Trump’s leadership was accepted, albeit reluctantly and with reservation.
Mr. Trump has yet to concede defeat in what he claims was a “steal.” Signs that there is an alternative universe of information abound. What is most disturbing is the actions taken within that alternative universe:
A majority of Republican Senators wanted to not certify the legitimate votes submitted by states voting for Mr. Biden.
A majority of Republican House and Senate members refused to sanction—must less impeach—Mr. Trump for his riling up his followers to march on the Capitol.
The Republicans in the Senate have used the filibuster to kill the bipartisan investigation into the insurrection at the Capitol.
15% of all Americans and 25% of all registered Republicans believe in QAnon’s crackpot conspiracy theories (more than 50% of Republicans believe some of it or “aren’t sure”)
State legislatures in Republican dominated states (Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Texas, and Montana) are taking steps to restrict the ability of voters to obtain absentee ballots, drop off ballots (including restrictions on weekends that most disadvantage working class Americans) and other voter-suppressing practices. Coupled with open carry laws, the intimidation factor is meaningful.
State legislatures are weakening the powers of election officials—the people trained and well-versed in managing elections, recounts and certifications—and supplanting their primacy with the right of the legislature to determine the outcomes of elections, notwithstanding the will of the people. This particularly pernicious practice may throw the election to the House where, because of our strange system of treating states as if they are equal, notwithstanding their populations, ensures Republican victory.
Nothing about this should make us feel anything other than trepidation and fear.
So, yes, I continue to take issue with a number of the policies and excesses of the left, including the size of the stimulus package, the seeming preoccupation to reshape education and our historical narrative to the exclusion of other points of view, the inability to keep election reform legislation “inside its lane” and not include various other pet projects, and the conflation of minority rights in America with the complexity of Middle East politics. But at least the left today is arguing about ideas more than restricting our rights.
And that is why the Republican party currently stands as the greatest impediment to American democracy. And that is why those of conscience must resist the anti-democratic power-grab that will result in the diminution of our democratic institutions and the erosion of free elections and minority rights.
ONE MORE SONG--KATMANDU
Thanks, Marc Graboff, for pointing out this Bob Seger classic. Yet another stutter song!
Have a great weekend,
Glenn