Trump Trial Also A Referendum On Authoritarianism In America
A conviction would send a message that Republicans believe that elections and the rule of law are foundational, but so far, leaders prefer to avoid the issue.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File
Then-President Donald Trump speaks at a rally protesting the Electoral College certification of Joe Biden as president on Jan. 6, 2021.
WASHINGTON As the Senate readies for yet another Donald Trump impeachment trial and prepares to judge the former president’s conduct, senators also may be voting on a much bigger question: American democracy versus American authoritarianism.
Because, while Trump is charged specifically with inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, his and his allies’ and supporters’ own words show that the assault was the culmination of a monthslong attempt to overturn the election he lost and included a discussion of invoking martial law.
Impeachment Trial: American Democracy vs. GQP Authoritarianism
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Impeachment Trial: American Democracy vs. GQP Authoritarianism
my edits):
As the Senate readies for yet another Donald Trump impeachment trial and prepares to judge the former president’s conduct,
senators also may be voting on a much bigger question: American democracy versus
GQP authoritarianism.
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Because, while Trump is charged specifically with inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol,
his and his allies’ and supporters’ own words show that the assault was the culmination of a months-long attempt to overturn the election he lost and included a discussion of invoking martial law.
Beware of authoritarianism and conspiratorialism, twin threats to our democracy
Two experts discuss disquieting impulses in the electorate.
By Scot Lehigh Globe Columnist,Updated December 18, 2020, 9:44 a.m.
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Photo illustration by Lesley Becker/Globe Staff; Adobe; Globe file photo
Anyone who values a healthy democracy should be concerned about two trends distressingly evident in the last half-decade here in America: an affinity for authoritarianism and a penchant for conspiracy theories. Both are swirling currents that erode democratic norms.
Neither is new. Neither is confined to one side of the political spectrum. But in modern American history, we had not seen a pronounced and unapologetic authoritarian succeed in a national campaign until Donald Trump. Further, itâs hard to recall a period in modern memory when conspiracy theories held such sway in America.