There is a big difference between exhausting legal remedies in a truly close election (as Gore tried to do) and an incumbent falsely claiming that he won, that mass fraud occurred, and that legislatures or courts overturn the results. We really are in an unprecedented place.
Will Trump's actions work? Probably not, if by "work" we mean reverse the results of the election. That does not mean they will not have an effect on the legitimacy of the new President, faith in democracy, and behavior in future, closer elections.
It is disturbing that many GOP officials are happy to make outlandish suggestions like redoing the election, or barring vote-by-mail. Or that they don't feel they can push back against a base they have raised on conpsiracy theories.
https://twitter.com/elisegaro/status/1326150923719241728?s=20
Communities are held together by the common myths. The US depends upon a shared story of being the world's greatest democracy, even though we often fall short of that. Trump is building a tribal myth of a corrupt deep state and a rigged democracy, a myth inconsistent w democracy.
Democracy is a repeat game; you accept losses in one round because all players are collectively better off in the long-run if they abide by the rules of the game. The equilibrium starts to collapse when one party does not accept losses as legitimate.
https://twitter.com/smotus/status/1326167014478499840?s=20
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
