For release: 06/20/24
Who’s a ‘threat to democracy’?
By Cal Thomas
Tribune Content Agency
People of a certain age will recall a time when after an election the losing side would usually accept the results and initially give support to a new president during what was then called the “honeymoon” stage. Richard Nixon conceded to John Kennedy in 1960, although he believed the election was “stolen” by Kennedy operatives in Cook County, Illinois. Al Gore conceded to George W. Bush in the razor-close 2000 election. Hillary Clinton conceded in 2016, despite strong evidence of election interference by Russia, while Donald Trump is still in denial that he lost 2020 by more than 7 million votes.
The days of concession “for the good of the country” are gone. Not only is there no honeymoon, the “divorce” occurs first.
While claiming that Donald Trump would be a “threat to democracy” should he win in November, Democrats and the left are plotting how to oppose his every policy, including Trump’s plan to deport millions of migrants. To Democrats, apparently, it doesn’t matter if President Biden’s margin of victory is small or large, they believe they have a standing and perpetual right to govern, even if a majority vote differently. Damn the voters.
One might arguably conclude such behavior makes them the real threat to democracy.
A New York Times story reveals their strategy, including lawsuits to prevent deportations and Democrat governors who are stockpiling the abortion pill. What is it about Democrats and abortion?
Let me see if I have this right. If Trump wins, he will be a threat to our Constitution, the law, the environment and just about everything else. We are a constitutional republic, not a pure democracy, but since Democrats keep using the word, let’s look at its definition: “government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.”
Are Democrats saying that if a majority of Americans vote for Trump and/or a majority of electoral votes go to the former president, that is not democracy, but if Biden wins, that is democracy? Those are contradictions, aren’t they?
This is the arrogance of the left which believes it has a divine right (if they believed in the divine) to rule perpetually regardless of the outcome of an election. Yes, we witnessed some of the same attitude demonstrated by Trump supporters during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but those people, many of whom were arrested and sentenced to prison terms, do not seem to be plotting lawsuits and other strategies to thwart a second Biden term.
In the not-too-distant past the losing side in an election would lick their wounds, study what went wrong, and live to fight another day. Those days are over. It’s now year-round warfare. It is not good for the country and emboldens our adversaries.
From the Times article: “Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, denounced these efforts as a way to pre-empt Mr. Trump from being able to implement a legitimate policy agenda.
‘It’s not surprising Biden and his cronies are working overtime to stymie the will of the American people after they vote to elect President Trump and his America First agenda,’ Mr. Cheung said. ‘Their devious actions are a direct threat to democracy.’”
Whether one is pro or anti-Trump, Mr. Cheung has a point. Elections can’t be legitimate only if your side wins and illegitimate if the other side is victorious. That attitude is the fastest way to undermine the United States into divided states and a perpetually divided people.”
Readers may email Cal Thomas at [email protected]. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).
(C) 2024 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
In your opinion piece, “Will the real ‘threat to democracy’ please stand up?” you attack Democrats and their alleged plans to prevent future deportations should Trump prevail in November. You conclude, “Elections can’t be legitimate only if your side wins and illegitimate if the other side is victorious. That attitude is the fastest way to undermine the United States into divided states and a perpetually divided country.” Your chutzpah may be exceeding your memory.
When Trump was declared winner in 2016, on the very next morning Hillary Clinton gave her concession speech, requesting her supporters give Donald Trump “an open mind and a chance to lead.” But let’s backtrack to the February 2016 Iowa caucus, after which Trump initially congratulated Ted Cruz, but two days later tweeted, “Cruz did not win Iowa, he stole it.” Cruz at a later news conference, replied that Trump, “finds it very hard to lose,” and when he loses, “he blames everybody else. It’s never Donald’s fault,” tweeting, “yet anther #Trumpertantrum.”
Fast forward to 2020, and the two months between Trump’s November loss to Biden and the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
During that time he and his allies filed 62 lawsuits challenging the election results, losing 61 (one in Pennsylvania ruled voters had three days after the election to provide proper ID and “cure” their ballots). That was insufficient for Trump. And so the false electors scheme was hatched. That didn’t work, and so the insurrection occurred, while Trump basked for hours witnessing over a hundred Capitol police officers getting injured trying to defend against “patriots” tearing down the Capitol, threatening to “Hang Mike Pence” and kill Nancy Pelosi.
Only one former President ever commanded a state’s Secretary of State to “find 11,780 votes.” If you want “the real threat to democracy to please stand up,” you need look no further than to the very person who would use a Bible and golden sneakers as a political fundraiser, claim a U.S. General should be executed, refuse to answer the ultimate softball question whether he would repudiate white supremacy, and become a convicted felon x34 based on the review of evidence by a jury of his peers.
You must not be a regular reader. I have been critical of Trump’s behavior and character on a number of occasions. Read The NY Times story about the left’s plans to thwart Trump policies should he win. I didn’t make this up.
Dear Cal,
I appreciate your criticism of Trump. Despite Trump’s considerable character flaws, Biden’s character and policies are exceedingly worse.
Please share your thoughts on choosing to vote for neither Trump nor Biden. I reject the logic that “voting for neither is a Biden vote.”
Brian Ray