One Year After the Capitol Attack, Why Have We Done Nothing to Protect Our Democracy?

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2022/01/05/one-year-after-the-capitol-attack-why-have-we-done-nothing-to-protect-our-democracy/

*snip*

The solutions are plentiful—if we just have the political will to adopt them.

First, Congress must update the Electoral Count Act, the 1887 law that dictates how Congress counts Electoral College votes. The law’s wording is confusing, which opened the door for Trump and his allies to use its convoluted language to jam the process last January. Congress should make it harder to object to a state’s certified election results. There is nothing partisan about fixing this law, so McConnell and his fellow Republicans should immediately announce their support.

Second, Congress should declare that Trump is ineligible to serve as president again under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. That section disqualifies anyone who, having taken an oath to uphold the Constitution, “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.” Trump’s incitement of the Capitol insurrection surely qualifies to make him ineligible to be president again. His continued lies about election integrity remain an existential threat. If Trump runs in 2024 and courts are confronted with the question, they too should declare him ineligible under this provision.

Third, Congress should pass meaningful voting rights reform. It is better to try real negotiation with Republicans on this matter, as one side should not have all the power to dictate election rules. But if Republicans continue to refuse to even come to the negotiating table, then Democrats should eliminate the filibuster for this issue and pass a law to enhance the right to vote. Importantly, the proposed bill, the Freedom to Vote Act, has components that both Democrats and Republicans should favor, such as redistricting reform and required best practices on post-election audits. If Republicans truly cared about our electoral system, they would debate the measure in good faith.

It is a sad commentary that we have done so little to protect our democracy one year after it almost collapsed. If we continue to do nothing, we may not have many years left.

*snip*

[onecaliberal]

1. An entire branch of government and a political party are complicit and still trying.

[KPN]

2. That's it in a nutshell ... but don't forget two Senators who enable the filibuster in the face

of everything else, and a predilection for a genteel approach in the face of them.

[onecaliberal]

3. Oh trust me I don't forget but have two hides from pointing out the reason

The one Senator is a NO.

[Beastly Boy]

4. That's beating a dead horse.

We all know what Congress must do. We also know that Congress is bitterly divided and frozen in place with indecisiveness. We all know what needs to be done: elect more decisive lawmakers. So the ultimate responsibility for "nothing being done" is on the American voters. The fact is, American voters as a group are too complacent with the status quo. So inasmuch as the ultimate responsibility for "nothing being done" is on us the voters, us the voters lecturing the lawmakers is a bit hypocritical. In effect, we are demanding that the lawmakers we elected clean up the mess we created.

Having said this, the suggestion of us doing nothing to protect our democracy is patently false. It is ridiculous to suggest that nothing is being done. The only valid question is whether what is being done will be enough. And here, the opinions diverge.

[Amishman]

5. Because there is no widespread public outcry about it

Outside of politically engaged Democratic party voters, very few still care about it (if they ever did).

[Magoo48]

6. Yup, an astonishing number of citizens either don't give a shit or are too cool for politics.

An apathetic lack of interest in even basic civic and political responsibility threatens our democracy .