.. now for the rest of the story.
The National Republican Party is playing a dangerous game, called election denialism, the latest manifestation of anti-democracy. Voter suppression created Hitler and the maniacs who killed hundreds of millions of people throughout the centuries applying phrases similar to “Make American Great Again.”
The National Republican Party is walking on the same ground Hitler burned through. Seeking to toss votes after the fact is logical as a perverse extension of that strategy. So is the growing willingness of the National Republican Party officials to deny the legitimacy of their opponents.
This isn’t really about Trump anymore. He lost, and his ruinous tenure will soon be over. This is now about the corruption of a political party whose leaders are guided by the fear of Trump rather than the love of our country – and who are falling into dangerous habits.
The events of recent weeks have demonstrated the strength and resilience of the election system. A larger share of American adults voted in the 2020 presidential election than in the previous cycle. The votes were counted, sometimes more than once. The results were certified. In the states that have attracted the particular ire of Trump and his allies, most officials defended the integrity of the results.
But the National Republican Party incendiaries are changing the rules. They are battering public trust and raising doubts about the legitimacy of this and future elections. Most of it is political noise: Biden’s decisive victory is difficult to overturn. But a great number of voters trust their political leaders, they don’t expect to be lied to, they aren’t in on the con.
It is also a short walk from rhetorical attacks on the legitimacy of the election to denying the legitimacy of Biden’s administration. Republicans are certainly within their right to disagree with Biden and to challenge the decisions made by his administration, but those who refuse to accept his victory are undermining the rule of law. Those who stand silent are complicit.
The implications of this assault on truth and trust extend well beyond elections. We are in the midst of a public health emergency. Lives depend on the government’s ability to shape public behavior, including by persuading people to get vaccinated. By denying the authority of those who govern, Republican incendiaries are playing with dynamite and placing lives in danger.
We must, as a nation, demonstrate our patriotism by mustering the fact for many, and the courage for others to say four simple words, “Congratulations, President-elect Biden.
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