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B Carpenter - Thinking Deeply's avatar

As one considers Trump’s request of GA Governor Kemp to conduct an audit of ballot envelope signatures, it is essential to understand what he seeks to accomplish. Once the ballot envelope signatures are judged by election officials representing both parties as matching signature records, the actual ballots are separated from the envelopes. To preserve secrecy of the ballot, the actual ballot carries no individual identification. This ensures there is no way to identify which candidate an individual voted for. Trump is not seeking to cast out some number of votes, but rather to delegitimize the entire electoral process and simply declare his victory by proclamation. This is the very essence of autocracy attacking the core of democracy, free and fair elections.

Only days after the 2016 election, Masha Gessen’s prescient column published in the New York Review titled, ”Auocracy: Rules for Survival," warned about this outcome. This column later served as the basis for her book, ”Surviving Autocracy.”

Democracy and Rule of Law are not inevitable. Norms thought to protect democracy are not enshrined in law, they depend on the virtue and morality of those in power. When political leaders lack that virtue norms are ineffective. Citizens can allow democracy to vanish as they are distracted by day to day events or grievances. This is how autocrats raise to power, not through conquest but by apathy and false grievance.

We have been warned and seen all this before in history. Professor Richardson now and earlier Professors Masha Gessen and Timothy Snyder in their writings have foretold the slide into autocracy. Resistance is an imperative if democracy and the American Experiment is to survive. A good outcome is not assured. Do not be complacent. Do not believe it will all work out or that it is merely Trump being Trump. The crisis is very real and depends on citizens demanding upholding the Rule of Law and free and fair elections be protected and actual election outcomes be upheld.

Victory does not come by proclamation it must reflect the will of the majority of those governed.

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Deborah Minyard's avatar

HCR....my admiration, respect, and gratitude for you and your letters is boundless. But I must also add how much I enjoy the comments of your readers. They are thoughtful, intelligent, fact-based, respectful, and encourage me to continue the fight. I live in Texas, surrounded by trumper family and friends. I treasure the support I get from these letters and comments.

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