Thread by @AliVelshi

1/12
Thursday, Nov. 19, was the 157th anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. At only 275 words, it’s widely considered one of the greatest political speeches ever given. In it, Lincoln emphasized healing our divided nation, while bringing equality to all citizens. #velshi

2/12
Just as memorable as the opening words—“Four score and seven years ago”—is Lincoln’s conclusion that a “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” #velshi

3/12
It used to be obvious what Lincoln meant: everyone gets to vote, and their votes create and empower the government. I don’t think I’m exaggerating to say that that idea has felt, recently, like it’s slipping away. #velshi

4/12
The Trump campaign’s dozens of entirely baseless lawsuits and false claims about voting—for which Trump himself set the stage before the election—make clear that Democracy itself is under pressure in America. #velshi

5/12
The so-called “will of the people” is what Trump and his toadies and enablers are actively fighting in our courts and in our legislatures with their brazen attempts to change the outcome of the 2020 election. #velshi

6/12
Trump’s pretext is mostly conspiracy theories, racism and word-salad, yet most Republicans—at least most of the ones in power—seem to be fine sitting by and watching the democracy Americans protested, spilled blood and went to jail for, erode in front of them. #velshi

7/12
Just this week, @WashingtonPost asked all 53 sitting Republican Senators about Trump’s efforts to overturn votes in various states. Fewer than 10 Senators responded, and most declined to comment. 80% of GOP Senators are avoiding a pretty major issue. #velshi

@washingtonpost 8/12
Most people believe this will all work out and that Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the U.S. But with each day that passes Trump has the chance to convince more people that there was something flawed about the election results. There isn't. #velshi

@washingtonpost 9/12
Trump’s only problem with the election is that he didn’t win. PERIOD. Now he’s undermining not just the votes of nearly 80 million people who chose Joe Biden, but the votes of more than 155 million people who believed in the very system that’s been used since 1804. #velshi

@washingtonpost 10/12
Trump’s attempts to over-turn the election are predictable, delusional and will achieve nothing but the erosion of our democracy. And that will be Trump’s real legacy. #velshi

@washingtonpost 11/12
The history books will skip over the ridiculousness of much of his presidency and focus on this, its dying days, when, in defeat, Donald Trump tried to take American democracy down with him. He will do damage, but he won’t succeed. #velshi

@washingtonpost 12/12
Trump will just make it a slightly tougher battle for those of us willing to fight for that amazing, hard-won gift: government not just OF the people, but BY the people. #velshi