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Link: U.S. added to list of "backsliding" democracies for 1st time
as ranked by Cato, Heritage foundation and freedom house every year.
The fat, authoritarian stooge is now just stewing in Mar a Lago, plotting his comeback and carrying out revenge against those he sees as disloyal. Of course he is going to run in 2024. And of course he will never admit defeat.
Concession speeches are the most important ones we deliver in democracies. He never conceded. He makes up bullshit and his (millions of) followers swallow it whole. This board is chock full of people who think the last election was somehow stolen (it wasn't) or unfair (it wasn't) or corrupted (it wasn't).
Of course this democracy is less stable than it was in 2016.
This is not a partisan statement. I never said anything like this about Bush, or his father, or Reagan. Or any other president.
No one would be happier than me if the GOP nominated someone else. But they won't.
spent 4 years trying to overthrow a democratically elected president?
The report lists a number of factors. I do view that as one. There are others...
(Of note, it talks about a disproportionate response to the Covid-19 emergency.)
This story is the facts of the report being delivered by CBS News. I intend to read the actual report...
comments...
"A historic turning point came in 2020-21 when former president Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election results in the United States," the report said.
In addition, Hudson pointed to a "decline in the quality of freedom of association and assembly during the summer of protests in 2020" following the police killing of George Floyd.
Also...
"The visible deterioration of democracy in the United States, as seen in the increasing tendency to contest credible election results, the efforts to suppress participation (in elections), and the runaway polarization... is one of the most concerning developments," said International IDEA secretary-general Kevin Casas-Zamora."
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It's certainly a good idea to go to the source document, but I suspect you'll find more of the same...clearly laid at the feet of Donald Trump and his supporters.
Thanks for posting this...hopefully...if you truly care about restoring America's reputation for Democracy, you'll join others in 'Strongly' repudiating DT and all who support him.
What does that mean exactly. Seems vague and nebulous. Hardly a serious metric to determine a slide of democracy.
And I believe it was Stacy Abrahams that contested legit elections before the orange one. And al gore. But you know....whatever.
Al Gore had genuine cause to object, yet he conceded...Stacey Abrams had genuine cause as well...1.4M Georgia voters were culled from the voting rolls by her opponent, Brian Kemp, who was the Georgia Secretary of State at that time...tens of thousands of those purged, simply for not voting recently, were denied a vote in the 2018 election...if you can't see the "corruption" in that, you need your eyes checked, or head examined.
Yet, in DT's case, EVERY state certified the results that Biden won...even after numerous subsequent audits and court cases...but you know this.
For you to jump in and in effect excuse the "Big Lie" through false equivalences, raises doubts about your ability to bring reason into this discussion...the quotes in the posted article clearly point an accusing finger at Donald Trump, not only for his failure to concede, but also his use of federal forces to break up a peaceful demonstration in D.C...very 'authoritarian' as opposed to 'democratic' use of power...or do you disagree with that as well?...please share your thoughts on the subject matter of IDEA report.
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GOP leaders...never mind the courts...is equivalent to Al Gore's questioning of the election of G.W. Bush by a very few votes in FLA...and an election in which he won the popular vote by over 500K votes...and Stacey Abrams' objection to hundreds of thousands of valid voters being purged from the voting roles by her opponent?
BTW, Al Gore conceded right after the courts ruled...and we haven't heard of any "Stop The Steal" campaign from Ms. Abrams for a very long time. The article puts the blame for America's drop in the "Democracy Rating" right where it belongs...on Donald Trump's shoulders...why you consistently embarrass yourself supporting such a loser and despicable person is hard to fathom.
Inactive voters were legally purged in 2017. NONE of them were prevented from voting. Had any one of them wanted to vote, they simply needed to show up with i.d.
She lost, then opted to grunt, snort, and flip canoes for years about having an election "stolen."
Gore wanted ineligible votes counted that favored him. The U.S. Supreme Court disagreed with his claims. I presume you accept their decision.
Georgia voter purge...(see link)...real, eligible voters were purged...and not just one or two...not a surprise in states that don't offer better choices on policies that their citizens want.
Link: https://www.apmreports.org/story/2019/10/29/georgia-voting-registration-records-removed
You people have fabricated a boogeyman for sound bites.
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of it?
I'm not so sure.
BTW, I've actually repudiated Trump for a number of things in the past. You joined in October 2020. How the hell would you know?
You don't and wouldn't. Nor do you care.
You're just a cheerleader, pure and simple...which has already been well-established.
have followed this board for YEARS...this is my Alma Mater's name on the "Banner"...I'm well aware of the various "Personas" participating here. In your case, I've observed that your posts IMO aren't intended to shower Joe Biden or Democrats with rose petals, so I suspect that the intent of the posted article was to very possibly instead throw "shade" on Biden's administration after 10 months in office...when in actuality, the few quotes listed in the report point the finger at Donald Trump.
I'm heartened by your lack of enthusiasm for Donald Trump...I just wish that you'd combine that attitude with the report you posted and use them both to advance the effort of restoring our standing in the world when it comes to Democracy...any chance of that?
You're a one-trick pony. To you "restoring Democracy" means supporting your agenda... exclusively.
As I mentioned, in addition to Trump's impact, the report cites the U.S. (among other countries) disproportionate response to the Covid-19 emergency as impinging on Democracy
Are you going to "advance the effort of restoring our standing in the world when it comes to Democracy" along that line? Why not, if this European think tank is not to be challenged in any way?
You've basically observed my posts for a year of Biden...and I've observed yours. Sorry, that you don't like that I'm (usually less than entirely seriously) critical of Biden. I believe he's doing a very poor job and himself threatens Democracy in a number of ways. He's the current President. (Not that I owe you any explanation, but I thought Trump did a poor job...primarily due to his personality and demeanor.)
Biden is doing such a poor job that he, himself (with Kamala's able assistance), may be opening the door for a Trump return...which. like Trump 1, I didn't believe possible at the time. You might want to be more concerned about that...
(BTW, does having your Alma Mater's name on the banner confer something on you in your mind? What an odd statement to put out there.)
think that in normal times I wouldn't be that way...as evidence, I submit that I voted for Reagan (2x)...H.W. Bush and G.W. Bush (2x)...but the previous 4 yr stint by DT?...he not only failed to accomplish ANYTHING of value (even the Tax Cut was a fraud (e.g. stock buybacks))...absolutely NOTHING...on top of that he totally SCREWED UP our critically needed pandemic response with his "Slow Play" strategy and undermining all basic mitigation efforts (e.g. mask wearing and social distancing) and testing...you know the rest....there should be DANCING IN THE STREETS over his removal from office, yet tens of millions do the opposite...this is a problem for the country that even Republicans want remedied.
Speaking of Biden...there's a lot of negativity, which is no big surprise...he's nowhere near a vibrant as Obama or a host of other candidates from either party (but still better than DT), but too many people refuse to look in the "+" column...JB has a "Fund of Knowledge" that is greater than virtually anyone else in D.C....he doesn't need to be educated on any of the big issues...he knows all the major players both domestically and internationally...and...they know/respect him for the work he's done in over 40 years of "Public Service"....he gets things done. Witness the bounce back from the worst days of the pandemic...the passage of the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Bill...the passing of the BBB Bill in the house, with concessions given by the most liberal factions of the Dem party, and a CBO score that shows it doesn't threaten to inflame interest rates....things that the GOP just couldn't seem to get around to doing...or even "Fighting For".
It's sad to see what's happened to the GOP...couldn't even put a 2020 Party Platform together that addressed ANY issue with a "Plan of Action' for Making America Better...never mind Great...this is why I support Biden and the Dems...and challenge the GOP to get their act together and not be afraid to deal with...debate on...POLICIES...with a "Demonstrated" ability to negotiate and concede where necessary to move the ball forward...you know this isn't happening right now.
On a personal note...I like New Yorkers and their somewhat "gruff" demeanor...they're just being honest...I grew up there, as I suspect you have...and I enjoy your sense of humor...that aside, what's your response.
P.S. the Alma Mater comment is to show my desire to represent it with the respect it deserves...even on a board that doesn't always think that way.
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btw, I simply copied and pasted quotes from the article that Knute chose to post...if you don't like them, complain to Knute for posting "Leftist" material.
One other thing...if you'd really like to get to the heart of any matter, try expanding on your thoughts, beyond inane one-liners...it's worth the effort.
cannot figure any way forward yourself. Because of your ego, you cannot fathom the other side having that solution, so in your mind, there is no way forward.
This is just as it was when Obama said that the US economy would never be as it once was.
I am sure you will come up with some sort of rationale. Never ever ever criticize Trump. Never ever.
paying people to stay home, ... these are just a few of your own actions that have caused the Dem backslide.
What is really funny is that while you accuse me of never blaming Trump, you yourself ALWAYS blame Trump. Trump had a very strong economy....so strong that it survived COVID and Dem over shut down policies in many states. if not for Florida and most of the south, or economy would have been in much worse shape.
Trump spent too much imo. There...a criticism. But he spent far, far, far, far less than Dems, and he had an economy that covered his costs. Inflation is on the Dems...starting with the partisan COVID bail out which was too much and went on for too long which hindered people back to work. This most recent spending pork will be felt for a long time to come, but the inflation from it hasn't even hit yet.
The Democrats support policies you don’t like. We get that.
But in no way does anything you list threaten US democracy.
Think about it a little.
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Link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Democracies-Die-Steven-Levitsky/dp/1524762938
Not pick up a book you recommend. Only the little pack of Liberals who agree with everything you say actually take you serious.
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