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The Biggest Threat to Democracy Is the GOP Stealing the Next Election
The Atlantic ^ | 7.9.2021 | Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt (Harvard Profs)

Posted on 07/11/2021 11:23:32 AM PDT by libh8er

The greatest threat to American democracy today is not a repeat of January 6, but the possibility of a stolen presidential election. Contemporary democracies that die meet their end at the ballot box, through measures that are nominally constitutional. The looming danger is not that the mob will return; it’s that mainstream Republicans will “legally” overturn an election.

In 2018, when we wrote How Democracies Die, we knew that Donald Trump was an authoritarian figure, and we held the Republican Party responsible for abdicating its role as democratic gatekeeper. But we did not consider the GOP to be an antidemocratic party. Four years later, however, the bulk of the Republican Party is behaving in an antidemocratic manner. Solving this problem requires that we address both the acute crisis and the underlying long-term conditions that give rise to it.

Last year, for the first time in U.S. history, a sitting president refused to accept defeat and attempted to overturn election results. Rather than oppose this attempted coup, leading Republicans either cooperated with it or enabled it by refusing to publicly acknowledge Trump’s defeat. In the run-up to January 6, most top GOP officials refused to denounce extremist groups that were spreading conspiracy theories, calling for armed insurrection and assassinations, and ultimately implicated in the Capitol assault. Few Republicans broke with Trump after his incitement of the insurrection, and those who did were censured by their state parties.

From November 2020 to January 2021, then, a significant portion of the Republican Party refused to unambiguously accept electoral defeat, eschew violence, or break with extremist groups—the three principles that define prodemocracy parties. Because of that behavior, as well as its behavior over the past six months, we are convinced that the Republican Party leadership is willing to overturn an election.

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2018; 2020election; authoritarian; danielziblatt; election2024; gop; harvard; howdemocraciesdie; j6; stevenlevitsky; theatlantic
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To: alloysteel
Just from a general point of view, more votes were COUNTED in this election than there were legal voters that used the voting booth, or the legitimate early voting, or the vote-by-mail procedures already in place and established with adequate safeguards in many states previously.

Yup.

Just wait until 2024 when the democrat wins by more votes than there are people on the planet.

81 posted on 07/11/2021 2:52:13 PM PDT by null and void (Our two party system is not two views fighting. There is only one view. Government needs more power!)
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To: libh8er

Glad I never went to Haaavahd.


82 posted on 07/11/2021 2:54:47 PM PDT by sauropod (The smartphone is the retina of the mind's eye.)
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To: libh8er

Is the Atlantic trying to be the Babylon Bee? If they are, they need help...


83 posted on 07/11/2021 3:16:38 PM PDT by Deplorable American1776 (I'm the one trying to save American Democracy...Donald Trump 6/5/21 at the NCGOP convention)
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To: Steve_Seattle

“It’s a lunatic conspiracy theory to say that Dems stole an election,”

There are numerous well documented cases where they stole elections.

Look at how they rig primaries to give that idiot Bernie the shaft in favor of Cruella DeCankles.


84 posted on 07/11/2021 3:23:55 PM PDT by 2CAVTrooper (One Nation, Under Fraud Completely Visible, With Spying and Lying Too All.)
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To: libh8er

Peak desperation


85 posted on 07/11/2021 3:33:09 PM PDT by kanawa ((Securing the 2022/2024 elections is of paramount importance.))
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To: libh8er

So any election Republicans win are stolen?


86 posted on 07/11/2021 3:51:37 PM PDT by SkyDancer (I Identify As Vaccinated)
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To: libh8er

The insane left wants power forever at any cost to America.

Democrat controlled cities run red with the blood of innocent people everyday, and Democrats don’t give a damn about anything but eternal government control forever!

Lies, everyday they spew lies and hatred of conservative christians, all for their power mad politics.

God save America from the Democrats!!!


87 posted on 07/11/2021 3:57:26 PM PDT by pacificus
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To: higgmeister

Long time between now and then. I think the wool has been pulled off a lot of eyes. I don’t think there will be much room for digital manipulation in the coming elections. God willing...


88 posted on 07/11/2021 4:04:41 PM PDT by Mathews (It's all gravy, baby!)
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To: libh8er
It's over folks. There is no way to live with people who think this way (insane). These people lie so much they have no grip on actual reality. They can no longer tell the difference between their lies and truth even when they try.

Anyone who thinks we will ever unite again is delusional.

89 posted on 07/11/2021 5:04:42 PM PDT by precisionshootist
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To: DPMD

Go back to the podesta emails where John Podesta himself feared that Barack Obama was bringing in illegal voters in the Colorado primary against Hillary. If the black Jesus could steal an election then anyone can steal an election.


90 posted on 07/11/2021 5:33:19 PM PDT by Titus-Maximus (The trouble with socialism is that you soon run out of other people's zoo animals to eat.)
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To: Mathews
I don’t think there will be much room for digital manipulation in the coming elections. God willing...

How are you going to stop it?   They did it in the dark of night and used the system against us.   Nothing has changed.   They will do the same things again but this time they will have no caution because nothing has been done about 2020.   They know they can do it now with impunity.   Why can't you recognize that?

91 posted on 07/11/2021 5:56:38 PM PDT by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken )
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To: libh8er

Project thee much, you radical, communist, totalitarian, despotic psychopaths who are leading us to civil war. Be careful what you wish for. You simply can not see what you’re doing, can you?


92 posted on 07/11/2021 6:06:52 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: precisionshootist
Anyone who thinks we will ever unite again is delusional.

I am not delusional.

93 posted on 07/11/2021 6:07:53 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: libh8er

This is what Viva Frei calls “Confession through Projection”.

To the Atlantic, having any kind of election integrity laws = “stealing an election”, not y’know...stuffing ballot boxes.


94 posted on 07/11/2021 8:27:21 PM PDT by FLT-bird
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To: 2CAVTrooper

See post #38.


95 posted on 07/11/2021 8:49:06 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: libh8er

Where do these clowns live?


96 posted on 07/11/2021 8:53:58 PM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our only true hope. )
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To: Political Junkie Too

“It was the second one that got him.”

Film noir quote from The Racket by William Conrad, as he is reloading his gun.


97 posted on 07/11/2021 9:33:31 PM PDT by JohnnyP (Thinking is hard work (I stole that from Rush).)
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To: higgmeister
I'm not stopping anything because I'm in no position to do so, but I have reached out to my representatives and have asked them to do all they can to make sure we have safe and secure elections in our state. As far as change, there hasn't been anything released from the AZ audit yet, so there really isn't anything to change. Georgia did affect some changes and PA is in the beginning stages of audits in some counties. I have to believe there will be punishments handed out for those with enough evidence against them that an indictment is warranted after the results of the audits are released. Criminal Organizations like this need “little fish” to commit the plan. The top tier folks will always have plausible deniability. Always. If the audits reveal crimes, and those “Little fish” get slammed to the mat for it, there won't be as many “Little fish” willing to commit to the plan the next go around. I do recognize the Big Fish will skip-out on all of this, but I also recognize there haven't been any findings released yet. There is a ton of proof out there already that is being ignored, but I think the results of the AZ audit will be the pebble that gets kicked loose to allow the avalanche to fall.
98 posted on 07/12/2021 5:26:29 AM PDT by Mathews (It's all gravy, baby!)
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To: libh8er

These people are so corrupt and spoiled they project what they are doing and are clueless about it.


99 posted on 07/12/2021 5:27:54 AM PDT by Vision (Elections are one day. Reject "Chicago" vote harvesting. Election Reform Now. Obama is an evildoer.)
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