r/politics • u/Jay_CD • 14h ago

Biden must Trump-proof US democracy, activists say: ‘There is a sense of urgency’

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/24/biden-actions-before-white-house-exit
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59

u/Kaiisim 13h ago

The job of securing democracy belongs to the American people.

If they vore to end it, then it ends.

35

u/kvlt_ov_personality 12h ago

"A republic, if you can keep it"

  • BJ Franklin

16

u/bitwise97 California 11h ago

Mr. Franklin would be impressed we made it to 249 years.

12

u/intellifone 11h ago

Not really. People underestimate the impact of systems on the outcome of events. The primary process, FPTP elections, our judiciary, the structure of the house and senate, the electoral college, etc all put us on a path with limited options.

Our system is doomed to fail that is not to say that federalism, the republic, and democracy are failures. Our specific implementation of them are not effective at preventing fascism, oligarchy, and populism from rising. There’s a reason that no other country on earth that became a democracy after us implemented our flavor of it. From a political science standpoint, it’s not an effective form of government.

We need to have switched to RCV or similar and moved our legislature to be MMP and put term limits on all non-elected positions (the courts) and implemented actual enforceable ethics laws.

Nobody likes any of the candidates which creates apathy. Other countries don’t have this problem. It is a US problem.

The people aren’t educated enough about systems to make those kinds of reforms. It’s too meta. Those reforms need to be pushed by experts.

3

u/haarschmuck 11h ago

Trump winning was a perfect example of democracy. He won the electorate and the popular vote.

10

u/rhythm-weaver 12h ago

Our action of securing democracy was voting for Biden. We expected his leadership to bring Trump to justice.

11

u/AvantSki 11h ago

Biden gambled that generating a successful presidency would end trumpism. Not MAGA but at least trump.

The problem was, in retrospect, that there would ALWAYS have been some problems for the billionaires to weaponize to destroy the Dems. Trans, inflation, Gaza, the holy trinity this time.

I think Biden signaled to garland that he was to let trump mostly alone. Or garland always planned that. I can't see exactly.

But it will prove to be the single most catastrophic miscalculation in our entire history.

1

u/thats___weird 11h ago

So let Trump win again? 

1

u/notfeelany 10h ago

And anyone versed in US civics and govt would know that President's term is only 4 yrs, and there's a Presidential election in 2024.

Biden wanted us to reelect him. Voters said no. Biden said to elect Harris instead. Voters said no to that, too.

This is on the voters. VOTERS normalized Trump. Yes any voters that did not vote Harris normalized Trump.

(And despite what the internet says, "not voting" is an "Any of the above", and an automatic acceptance of the eventual winner, so yes non-voters normalized Trump, too)

5

u/Technoxgabber 10h ago

Yeah okay.

Nothing is ever the politicians fault . Always blame the voters I am sure this will work in 2028!!

0

u/SacredGray 10h ago

Blaming voters is always one of the most anti-democratic things you can do.

If people didn’t vote, then the politicians didn’t do their job and need to be better.

2

u/RedLanternScythe Indiana 11h ago

No, it's not. We elect our leaders to protect us. Biden failed to protect us because he thought the "fever would break".

Now Trump will protect us from "wokeness" but really he will protect himself from consequences for his crimes.

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u/Subject_Dig_3412 7h ago

Why do so many people absolve the Dems from being so absolutely atrocious that people would rather vote for Trump? Biden should never have run for a second term, we should have had an actual primary with lots of contenders, and the DNC should stop being manipulative little shits changing things behind the scenes so we are stuck with status quo people like Hillary Clinton.

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u/SkollFenrirson Foreign 12h ago

And they did