Thread by @FreedomFriesInc

Thread

When a Republican says "The US is a republic, not a democracy" they are just trying to avoid having to answer for their abandonment of the lawful democratic practices that used to be valued and agreed to by both sides.

Here's how the brainwashing works:

Until relatively recently, the Republican party's position was that the US is a democratic country, as opposed to one ruled by a military junta, absolute monarchy, or an actual communist party.

Direct democracy means that all decisions are made by voters. That's unworkable...

Most of the industrialized countries of the world are representative democracies.

That means that voters elect representatives to represent their general views when decisions need to be made.

A version of the democratic process is used to elect those representatives.

The framers of the US constitution designed it so that not everyone could vote, and even for those who could vote, some extra steps were placed inside the democratic process to adjust the popular vote before a result is generated.

Those steps are transparent, too.

The US is/was not unique in having those extra steps.

The Westminster first-past-the-post (FPP) system that is used in dozens of countries including the UK, CAN, AU, and (partially in) NZ, does not directly translate the popular vote into the end result.

Adjusting (or distorting, if you prefer) the popular vote into a different kind of result, as in the US, does have benefits for voters as a whole & for a country.

IMO, that a group of former presidents won the electoral college (EC) & lost the pop vote, does not outweigh them.

IMO it's advisable to be very cautious before amending the US constitution in response to particular presidents or majorities.

Example: FDR won 4 elections fair and square. But a 2-term limit was established, weakening the democratic aspects of the system. Because:

The unlimited presidential terms were put into the constitution at the start because that system works better for the people.

Multiple presidents have kept their worst policies for their second term, when they don't have to consider the possibility of re-election.

I am opposed to term limits on any position, because the disbenefits outweigh the benefits.

If you don't like a president, vote him or her out. Problem solved.

What if a genius like Abraham Lincoln comes along again? Why limit him to two terms?

And the state governorships that limit them to ONE term are even worse. Zero brakes on their worst impulses.

Democratic systems can only function if the people retain a right of recall, which commonly takes the form of elections.

Term limits show why caution is needed.

This "we're a republic not a democracy" BS gives the gullible an excuse to end the debate right there. Avoiding a chance to learn what the terms actually mean and why the model was designed in this way.

Because if they do that, they might see the inherent racism in the model.

The far right brainwashing is particularly effective when it comes to the part of American history over the past 400+ years that reflects how issues of race were/are dealt with.

I can easily refute every one of their race talking points. They don't listen, so I write for you.

As a foreigner who's only visited, not lived in the US, it took time for me to notice the severity and breadth of racist attitudes/practices observable in all parts of the country. That is, not just in red states or towns. Actively racist willfully ignorant people are everywhere.

They're everywhere in the US and worldwide. Many other countries have a better record of addressing racism, especially in laws and public institutions.

Within the US, many states and other jurisdictions have a better record than other states and jurisdictions there.

I have never experienced racism directed at me, where the racist person could already see that I am white. It does occur, but it's not my focus in this thread.

I have chosen to *listen* to what POC say about their own lives.

My ancestors were abolitionists, which matters bc:

If you are talking with a white person who is having a defensive reaction to the facts about slavery in the US, UK, or anywhere else, one of the techniques you might want to use related to white abolitionism.

When I discovered my abolitionist ancestors, I was proud of them.

The fact is, many of us have abolitionist ancestors, whatever their race. They donated funds, offered education to others, and generally participated in the political process, over many decades.

In the US, many Union soldiers made the greatest sacrifice of all.

Union soldiers, and the abolitionist movement, included formerly enslaved people, their descendants, biracial people, and white people. White and black Americans were fighting side by side for justice all along.

The US gradually became more democratic over time. More free.

I'm appalled that women could only vote in the US after 1920. In NZ we won that in 1893, first in the world.

Black women and men could only fully vote in the US after 1965. That is a nanosecond ago.

There are people alive now who have heard formerly enslaved people speaking.

I'm not saying that it took knowledge of my abolitionist ancestors for me to *see* the racism in front of me. It was a bonus on top of the anti-racist attitudes and practices I've always tried to have.

I've heard activists say this issue might help with others.

The far right brainwashed are willfully ignorant about racism & white supremacy in the here & now.

They react with hatred if you tell it to them this way, but those are the facts.

The US constitution was agreed at a time when white supremacy was seen as normal & desirable.

Prior to June 24, 2022, the US had been progressing toward greater and stronger human rights protections, including the rights affirmed in the 3 Reconstruction Amendments, especially the 14th.

Have a read of the 14th. It freed those people who were enslaved at the time.

One of the current SCOTUS judges has gone on public record that he wants to revisit all decisions based on the 14th. He happens to be African American.

The newly minted federal holiday #Juneteenth is the first bookend in the freedom season holidays concluding on July 4th...

I'm going to use these two essential anniversaries of American freedom to have an annual period of reflection from June 19th to July 4th. An activist suggested this; I can't take credit for it.

The craven SCOTUS decision of June 24, 2022 occurred during this sacred time.

Along with a truly excessive number of cowardly last minute decisions before the court went on it's lengthy annual recess.

Many outcomes of the lone term of the defeated far right 45th president will have a long shadow. There are bound to be more tragedies in store.

The frank lie that the US constitution always made the US sit apart from the democratic countries of the world was wrong before 2022 but it's especially destructive right now.

Words have meanings. Words matter.

I identify as pro-democracy.

I find "democratic" to be the most suitable term to describe the US system of gov't, at least in the time before Republicans pushed it across the line and into authoritarianism (via the unbridled power and recent actions of the current SCOTUS.)

The world remains broadly bipolar, between those countries that aspire to become more democratic all the time, and those who don't.

The US has been our leader since it won two world wars for us. We all contributed, but could not have won without the US.

The overwhelming majority of Americans want their country restored to it's formerly democratic path as soon as possible. I hope that happens in these midterms, as it did in 2020.

The same minority the framers wanted to have supremacy back then, is tightening it's grip rn.

IMO the necessary but not sufficient option is to #ExpandTheCourt to 13 or 15.

All arguments against that have been nullified by the uniquely dangerous situation the US and its allies are in.

We are in a situation like early WWII and must act accordingly.

Legislating to protect the rights affirmed in the Reconstruction Amendments is necessary but not sufficient. It will take too long, and this court will just find ways to overrule the people's representatives.

Ultimately, constitutional amendments are needed, but impossible rn.

I don't support some of the Democratic party's platform, but the only way to start restoring American democracy is to #VoteBlueIn22.

Along with making your voices heard by Democrat leaders in DC. Please hold their feet to the fire, while also voting for them.

Thank you.