If we lose our democracy it will be in part because of people like you H.W. who spoke the facts without speaking any truth. If you think Democrats are the ones who have lost their minds - and Republicans are just misguided "souls" - you really haven't been paying attention.
A quibble- the attack on Jan 6th wasn't repelled. The Capitol was invaded and lawmakers had to flee the building and reconvene later.
It is well documented Trump was going to claim he won in 2016 if he had lost- he was already preparing that argument but surprised himself that he won.
I don't fault the Democrats if Trump wins in 2024. I DO fault the idiots who vote for him as well as feckless Republicans who support him. People like Cruz, Vance, etal who take a butt-whipping from him and then roll over like supplicants.
Right now there are two kinds of Trump voters: The first are people who don't like him, but think they can get what they want buy electing and using him such as McConnell. The second are deluded cult members!
The assertion that “We the people” let it happen ignores the facts of an archaic, decidedly un-democratic electoral system that allows a few hundred voters in a small number of precincts in a handful of outrageously gerrymandered congressional districts in three or four states to override the votes and the will of the majority of We the People. Not to mention a Supreme Court outrageously packed with perjured partisan political hacks by those soulless Republicans in a revolutionary violation of over two centuries of tradition and precedent. Sadly, I fear Joe Biden is no Lincoln to do what may very well yet be necessary to save the Union. If he were, the treason of January 6th would already have been dealt with. Our problem is not the majority of voters failing democracy, but rather the structural impediments to democracy in our Constitution and a deliberate, long-planned ‘conspiracy’ to use those impediments to overthrow majority rule, engineered by a cabal of christo-fascist revolutionaries, financed by a network of billionaire oligarchs, that managed to take control of the Republican Party.
Trump's choice to declare the 2020 election a fraud was a major decision that had an immediate impact that led to the capitol riot and since has set a nasty tone going into 2024. He had every right to make the accusation but as evidence came forward from various courts, his Justice Department and other investigations his choice was wrong. The consequences of his action and his refusal to set the record straight has opened the possibilities that many voters will no longer trust election outcomes even if confronted with clear facts. By prolonging this false claim the very heart of democracy is threatened. He still may believe this falsehood and has shown no interest in clearing the mess he created with his followers.
Historians and other thinkers will have the time to make sense of what this era meant for the country. One aspect of our times is more people will find truth in what they believe whether it is in their personal values or even when confronted with empirical evidence. They cling to beliefs and views that often are amplified within ones social network or the media outlets that confirm these positions.
The sources for Trump's support are many. But our political system is deeply flawed as unlimited money strains the system, campaigns run way too long. And of course, the state electoral allocation of votes allows for choosing a president that no longer reflects the democratic vote. Changes are needed to prevent minority power that subverts the rule of the majority.
What could have been done in reaction to the violent attempt to overturn the 2020 election was a concerted effort to prosecute the perpetrators including the ex-president. president Biden should have urged more action through the Justice department. But it appears Sec. Garland was overly cautious in bringing charges knowing a step against President trump would put the legal system into unknown territory. No doubt Trump knew that his office would shield him from any immediate action. Besides he was fully attuned to how long prosecutions could drag on. Note as well he was ready to announce his next presidential run that could provide another shield keeping prosecutors away from him. As this was playing out charges were finally brought in a variety if cases including his role in the insurrection. This was done in 2023 close to two years from the time of the riot..
As we stand our constitutional system will allow those of Trump's character to emerge again. A demagog spouting lies, delusional outbursts and misinformation can advance to t the nation's highest offices.
“Democrats should look in the mirror and ask what they've done to enable a candidate with Trump's baggage to have a prayer of beating Biden. The short answer is: by carrying arguably worthy causes to unarguably divisive extremes. The Republicans may have lost their soul, but the Democrats have lost their mind.”
Any specific examples of the “arguably worthy causes” that the Democrats have carried to “unarguably divisive extremes,” Bill?
"Black Lives Matter" was a worthy cause and slogan. But when its supporters declared "All Lives Matter" racist, they lost a lot of moderates.
When reforming police departments became defunding the police, ditto.
When acknowledgment of racism in American history evolved into demands to proclaim one's "white privilege."
When Thomas Jefferson's statues went the way of Lee's and Davis's.
When Lincoln became unfit to have his name on a school.
When people were pressured to declare their pronouns in solidarity with those who chose to.
When questioning whether 12-year-olds were the best judges of their permanent gender identity made one a transphobe.
When meetings had to begin with an apology to the Indian tribes who once lived on the land where the meetings took place, without any effort to take substantive action about it.
When asking whether affirmative action might be unfair to Asian kids, or for that matter might be harming black kids, risked public shaming.
In general, when the Democratic agenda seemed to be set by the American studies department at Oberlin and the San Francisco school board, the party seemed to many to have lost its mind.
You should just admit your biases: You voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and you'll vote for him in 2024. Stop playing the historian - at least in this post.
You're an old white guy in Texas who votes Republican and doesn't like Democrats. Dats cool. You do you.
I just didn't like in the post how you were all Mr. Objective right up to the point you came down way too hard on Democrats. But knowing who you are and where you are from - it all makes sense. I just expected more from you.
I've enjoyed your books and will continue to read them. But now I have a better idea of HOW to read them.
Joe
- - -
The Democratic platform in 2020 did not explicitly adopt several of the points mentioned in your list, as these points reflect a variety of social and political movements, debates, and specific incidents rather than formal policy positions. However, some of the broader themes were part of the discussions within the party and its base. Here’s a breakdown of how these issues align with or diverge from the 2020 Democratic platform:
Black Lives Matter: The platform emphasized racial justice and acknowledged systemic racism, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement's goals, but did not endorse the claim that "All Lives Matter" was inherently racist.
Police Reform: The platform called for police reform, including accountability measures and ending practices like racial profiling, but it did not advocate for "defunding the police" as an official stance.
Racism and White Privilege: The platform recognized the need to address systemic racism and inequities but did not specifically mandate proclamations of "white privilege."
Removal of Statues: The platform did not explicitly address the removal of statues of historical figures like Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln, though it acknowledged the need to address historical injustices.
Pronouns and Gender Identity: While the platform supported LGBTQ+ rights, including protections for transgender individuals, it did not specifically mandate the declaration of pronouns in solidarity.
Transgender Rights: The platform supported transgender rights, including the right to self-identify, but it did not make specific statements about the age of consent for gender identity decisions.
Land Acknowledgment: The platform acknowledged the importance of Native American rights and sovereignty but did not mandate land acknowledgments at the beginning of meetings.
Affirmative Action: The platform supported affirmative action policies to address racial and economic disparities, while not specifically addressing the complexities around Asian Americans or public shaming for questioning these policies.
I agree with all these examples, yet the fact remains that despite them more voters have voted for Democrats, the Democratic Party and its values and agenda, for decades - not for Republicans. Even now, though the gap has narrowed, Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents, slightly outnumber their Republican counterparts. The real problem remains the structural impediments to absolute majority rule in the Constitution and our Judicial institutions that were designed to prevent majority tyranny of minority rights, but which have been deliberately and systematically subverted to establish a minority tyranny over the majority.
I must be a low information voter, I don’t think I have seen any of these examples. I know no one hears Joe Biden or even Nancy Pelosi saying these things. The only issue I am really cognizant of is allowing boys in girls sports and I can’t honestly say that that is a position of the Democrats.
I do think that when people on the left make extreme comments, the Democrats get tarred with it. But when a right wing extremist makes a crazy statement (like to deconstruct the federal government) people just roll their eyes and say well that’s just him.
Yes! I came to the comments to ask H.W. The same question. It seems to me that many Trump voters are primarily driven by inflation - gas prices, grocery prices. Valid concerns but how much of that inflation has been caused by the Democrats? And how much of it could mitigated by the Democrats? And how much is a product of the pandemic, including corporations acting to secure record profits?
I’ve seen the same arguments, Robert. I live in a very conservative state. That being said, most of my friends & family are not repeating Trump’s claims about the 2020 election being stolen (i.e. the Big Lie). Their main focus is on the economy, foreign wars, and Biden’s age. It’s interesting that while Trump has been able to convince large swathes of the population to believe his Big Lie narrative, he has caused another large swathe of people (ex. my family) to completely disregard/forget about the events of January 6th. My family’s argument is that the economy & foreign policy were both better under Trump’s presidency, and they’re not too keen on Biden dying & being replaced by Kamala. Even though the economy & foreign policy were (arguably) better during Trump’s first term (at least, until COVID began), I’m skeptical about how much of the current chaos he would be able to fix if he wins re-election in November. If he does return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I think that his second term will be a revenge tour against those who he perceives have wronged him, which will get in the way of him actually solving the nation’s problems. Regardless, I will be following Charles and not vote for either Biden or Trump in November; Trump will inevitably win my state’s electoral votes, though.
Some years back, a Republican friend excoriated me because I had voted Libertarian in some race. He said: "In other words, you voted Democratic." And, of course, Democrats are still whining and blaming Ralph Nader and the Green Party for 2000. I'll vote my conscience; my vote belongs to neither of the two major parties. It belongs to me.
I quite agree your vote is your own, as is your conscience. It is your logic, under these present circumstances when the issue is an existential threat to our representative democracy, that I find questionable. Whatever way you vote, you are still responsible for your part in the outcome. No man is an island, as Donne observed long ago…
I'll make a final comment, then shut up. "Existential threat to our representative democracy"? Democrats, going back to Goldwater in the 1964 election, have been claiming the same. I remember a cartoon from that era. A voter said: "People told me that if I voted for Goldwater, we'd be bombing Vietnam within months. So I voted for LBJ and sure enough, we were bombing Vietnam within months." As to our so-called democracy, we have in effect a plutocracy. Old Joe Kennedy, the father of JFK and RFK, once said: "Three things win elections: Money, money, and money."
I have to say, as a professional historian, the current situation is without precedent. The last time the Republic faced this kind of danger was 1861. And even then the insurrectionists never breached the Capitol. The result of that violent insurrection of course was four years of civil war and over a million casualties, including over 600,000 dead. Since then, no president or political party has ever refused to accept the outcome of an election, or made a concerted effort to overthrow the outcome of a certified election. Until now, no president has ever claimed total immunity for any act committed while in office, and no Supreme Court has ever entertained the suggestion that he could as the current Court appears determined to do under the influence of the partisan Republican members. Nor has any president deliberately maintained that official government documents, including classified Top Secret national security intelligence, are his personal property, and violated court orders and lawful subpoenas in an effort to hide such documents from the Government even after he was out of office. Nor has any former president and presidential candidate or political party openly attacked the integrity and legitimacy of virtually every institution of our constitutional system, including the courts, law enforcement, the military, virtually every aspect of the legally constituted Administration of the Executive branch, even the separation of powers and the secular foundation of the Constitution itself. Once again, I must question your logic, and your powers of analysis, when you try to compare the present situation with the 1964 election or any other examples of the normal partisanship that has always marked our political life until now.
Losing our democracy is when one votes Democrat. Installing a candidate like Harris instead of having a primary is just one example. The fact that Democrats are fine with open borders now, is yet another example. There is a video out of Hillary in 2008 saying she wanted to deport illegals. What changed? What happened to the Democrat party?
I have to filter through this liberal slanted nonsense to get a real picture of history. I am force fed a liberal history in college and one of the books I have to read is American Dreams. While I think Brands is a great writer and I have learned a good deal, I wish history could be learned without bias. It was clear when reading the book that Brands is a liberal. It would be great to learn without bias.
I am a conservative and I am tired of conservative bashing. I do not want an overarching government.
I think Betty Friedan sucked and that most women I meet today wish they could stay at home rather than go out in the rat race and then have to come home and do tons of chores and run until they are ragged. Most women I work with say they do not have the luxury of staying at home.
If we lose our democracy it will be in part because of people like you H.W. who spoke the facts without speaking any truth. If you think Democrats are the ones who have lost their minds - and Republicans are just misguided "souls" - you really haven't been paying attention.
A quibble- the attack on Jan 6th wasn't repelled. The Capitol was invaded and lawmakers had to flee the building and reconvene later.
It is well documented Trump was going to claim he won in 2016 if he had lost- he was already preparing that argument but surprised himself that he won.
I don't fault the Democrats if Trump wins in 2024. I DO fault the idiots who vote for him as well as feckless Republicans who support him. People like Cruz, Vance, etal who take a butt-whipping from him and then roll over like supplicants.
Right now there are two kinds of Trump voters: The first are people who don't like him, but think they can get what they want buy electing and using him such as McConnell. The second are deluded cult members!
The assertion that “We the people” let it happen ignores the facts of an archaic, decidedly un-democratic electoral system that allows a few hundred voters in a small number of precincts in a handful of outrageously gerrymandered congressional districts in three or four states to override the votes and the will of the majority of We the People. Not to mention a Supreme Court outrageously packed with perjured partisan political hacks by those soulless Republicans in a revolutionary violation of over two centuries of tradition and precedent. Sadly, I fear Joe Biden is no Lincoln to do what may very well yet be necessary to save the Union. If he were, the treason of January 6th would already have been dealt with. Our problem is not the majority of voters failing democracy, but rather the structural impediments to democracy in our Constitution and a deliberate, long-planned ‘conspiracy’ to use those impediments to overthrow majority rule, engineered by a cabal of christo-fascist revolutionaries, financed by a network of billionaire oligarchs, that managed to take control of the Republican Party.
Trump's choice to declare the 2020 election a fraud was a major decision that had an immediate impact that led to the capitol riot and since has set a nasty tone going into 2024. He had every right to make the accusation but as evidence came forward from various courts, his Justice Department and other investigations his choice was wrong. The consequences of his action and his refusal to set the record straight has opened the possibilities that many voters will no longer trust election outcomes even if confronted with clear facts. By prolonging this false claim the very heart of democracy is threatened. He still may believe this falsehood and has shown no interest in clearing the mess he created with his followers.
Historians and other thinkers will have the time to make sense of what this era meant for the country. One aspect of our times is more people will find truth in what they believe whether it is in their personal values or even when confronted with empirical evidence. They cling to beliefs and views that often are amplified within ones social network or the media outlets that confirm these positions.
The sources for Trump's support are many. But our political system is deeply flawed as unlimited money strains the system, campaigns run way too long. And of course, the state electoral allocation of votes allows for choosing a president that no longer reflects the democratic vote. Changes are needed to prevent minority power that subverts the rule of the majority.
What could have been done in reaction to the violent attempt to overturn the 2020 election was a concerted effort to prosecute the perpetrators including the ex-president. president Biden should have urged more action through the Justice department. But it appears Sec. Garland was overly cautious in bringing charges knowing a step against President trump would put the legal system into unknown territory. No doubt Trump knew that his office would shield him from any immediate action. Besides he was fully attuned to how long prosecutions could drag on. Note as well he was ready to announce his next presidential run that could provide another shield keeping prosecutors away from him. As this was playing out charges were finally brought in a variety if cases including his role in the insurrection. This was done in 2023 close to two years from the time of the riot..
As we stand our constitutional system will allow those of Trump's character to emerge again. A demagog spouting lies, delusional outbursts and misinformation can advance to t the nation's highest offices.
“Democrats should look in the mirror and ask what they've done to enable a candidate with Trump's baggage to have a prayer of beating Biden. The short answer is: by carrying arguably worthy causes to unarguably divisive extremes. The Republicans may have lost their soul, but the Democrats have lost their mind.”
Any specific examples of the “arguably worthy causes” that the Democrats have carried to “unarguably divisive extremes,” Bill?
"Black Lives Matter" was a worthy cause and slogan. But when its supporters declared "All Lives Matter" racist, they lost a lot of moderates.
When reforming police departments became defunding the police, ditto.
When acknowledgment of racism in American history evolved into demands to proclaim one's "white privilege."
When Thomas Jefferson's statues went the way of Lee's and Davis's.
When Lincoln became unfit to have his name on a school.
When people were pressured to declare their pronouns in solidarity with those who chose to.
When questioning whether 12-year-olds were the best judges of their permanent gender identity made one a transphobe.
When meetings had to begin with an apology to the Indian tribes who once lived on the land where the meetings took place, without any effort to take substantive action about it.
When asking whether affirmative action might be unfair to Asian kids, or for that matter might be harming black kids, risked public shaming.
In general, when the Democratic agenda seemed to be set by the American studies department at Oberlin and the San Francisco school board, the party seemed to many to have lost its mind.
ChatGPT just destroyed your list, Bill.
You should just admit your biases: You voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and you'll vote for him in 2024. Stop playing the historian - at least in this post.
You're an old white guy in Texas who votes Republican and doesn't like Democrats. Dats cool. You do you.
I just didn't like in the post how you were all Mr. Objective right up to the point you came down way too hard on Democrats. But knowing who you are and where you are from - it all makes sense. I just expected more from you.
I've enjoyed your books and will continue to read them. But now I have a better idea of HOW to read them.
Joe
- - -
The Democratic platform in 2020 did not explicitly adopt several of the points mentioned in your list, as these points reflect a variety of social and political movements, debates, and specific incidents rather than formal policy positions. However, some of the broader themes were part of the discussions within the party and its base. Here’s a breakdown of how these issues align with or diverge from the 2020 Democratic platform:
Black Lives Matter: The platform emphasized racial justice and acknowledged systemic racism, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement's goals, but did not endorse the claim that "All Lives Matter" was inherently racist.
Police Reform: The platform called for police reform, including accountability measures and ending practices like racial profiling, but it did not advocate for "defunding the police" as an official stance.
Racism and White Privilege: The platform recognized the need to address systemic racism and inequities but did not specifically mandate proclamations of "white privilege."
Removal of Statues: The platform did not explicitly address the removal of statues of historical figures like Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln, though it acknowledged the need to address historical injustices.
Pronouns and Gender Identity: While the platform supported LGBTQ+ rights, including protections for transgender individuals, it did not specifically mandate the declaration of pronouns in solidarity.
Transgender Rights: The platform supported transgender rights, including the right to self-identify, but it did not make specific statements about the age of consent for gender identity decisions.
Land Acknowledgment: The platform acknowledged the importance of Native American rights and sovereignty but did not mandate land acknowledgments at the beginning of meetings.
Affirmative Action: The platform supported affirmative action policies to address racial and economic disparities, while not specifically addressing the complexities around Asian Americans or public shaming for questioning these policies.
I agree with all these examples, yet the fact remains that despite them more voters have voted for Democrats, the Democratic Party and its values and agenda, for decades - not for Republicans. Even now, though the gap has narrowed, Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents, slightly outnumber their Republican counterparts. The real problem remains the structural impediments to absolute majority rule in the Constitution and our Judicial institutions that were designed to prevent majority tyranny of minority rights, but which have been deliberately and systematically subverted to establish a minority tyranny over the majority.
I must be a low information voter, I don’t think I have seen any of these examples. I know no one hears Joe Biden or even Nancy Pelosi saying these things. The only issue I am really cognizant of is allowing boys in girls sports and I can’t honestly say that that is a position of the Democrats.
I do think that when people on the left make extreme comments, the Democrats get tarred with it. But when a right wing extremist makes a crazy statement (like to deconstruct the federal government) people just roll their eyes and say well that’s just him.
Yes! I came to the comments to ask H.W. The same question. It seems to me that many Trump voters are primarily driven by inflation - gas prices, grocery prices. Valid concerns but how much of that inflation has been caused by the Democrats? And how much of it could mitigated by the Democrats? And how much is a product of the pandemic, including corporations acting to secure record profits?
I’ve seen the same arguments, Robert. I live in a very conservative state. That being said, most of my friends & family are not repeating Trump’s claims about the 2020 election being stolen (i.e. the Big Lie). Their main focus is on the economy, foreign wars, and Biden’s age. It’s interesting that while Trump has been able to convince large swathes of the population to believe his Big Lie narrative, he has caused another large swathe of people (ex. my family) to completely disregard/forget about the events of January 6th. My family’s argument is that the economy & foreign policy were both better under Trump’s presidency, and they’re not too keen on Biden dying & being replaced by Kamala. Even though the economy & foreign policy were (arguably) better during Trump’s first term (at least, until COVID began), I’m skeptical about how much of the current chaos he would be able to fix if he wins re-election in November. If he does return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I think that his second term will be a revenge tour against those who he perceives have wronged him, which will get in the way of him actually solving the nation’s problems. Regardless, I will be following Charles and not vote for either Biden or Trump in November; Trump will inevitably win my state’s electoral votes, though.
I don't have a dog in that fight because I'm going to vote third party, just as I have in all recent elections.
Then you most definitely have a dog in that fight, for you will have enabled evil to triumph.
Some years back, a Republican friend excoriated me because I had voted Libertarian in some race. He said: "In other words, you voted Democratic." And, of course, Democrats are still whining and blaming Ralph Nader and the Green Party for 2000. I'll vote my conscience; my vote belongs to neither of the two major parties. It belongs to me.
I quite agree your vote is your own, as is your conscience. It is your logic, under these present circumstances when the issue is an existential threat to our representative democracy, that I find questionable. Whatever way you vote, you are still responsible for your part in the outcome. No man is an island, as Donne observed long ago…
I'll make a final comment, then shut up. "Existential threat to our representative democracy"? Democrats, going back to Goldwater in the 1964 election, have been claiming the same. I remember a cartoon from that era. A voter said: "People told me that if I voted for Goldwater, we'd be bombing Vietnam within months. So I voted for LBJ and sure enough, we were bombing Vietnam within months." As to our so-called democracy, we have in effect a plutocracy. Old Joe Kennedy, the father of JFK and RFK, once said: "Three things win elections: Money, money, and money."
I have to say, as a professional historian, the current situation is without precedent. The last time the Republic faced this kind of danger was 1861. And even then the insurrectionists never breached the Capitol. The result of that violent insurrection of course was four years of civil war and over a million casualties, including over 600,000 dead. Since then, no president or political party has ever refused to accept the outcome of an election, or made a concerted effort to overthrow the outcome of a certified election. Until now, no president has ever claimed total immunity for any act committed while in office, and no Supreme Court has ever entertained the suggestion that he could as the current Court appears determined to do under the influence of the partisan Republican members. Nor has any president deliberately maintained that official government documents, including classified Top Secret national security intelligence, are his personal property, and violated court orders and lawful subpoenas in an effort to hide such documents from the Government even after he was out of office. Nor has any former president and presidential candidate or political party openly attacked the integrity and legitimacy of virtually every institution of our constitutional system, including the courts, law enforcement, the military, virtually every aspect of the legally constituted Administration of the Executive branch, even the separation of powers and the secular foundation of the Constitution itself. Once again, I must question your logic, and your powers of analysis, when you try to compare the present situation with the 1964 election or any other examples of the normal partisanship that has always marked our political life until now.
Losing our democracy is when one votes Democrat. Installing a candidate like Harris instead of having a primary is just one example. The fact that Democrats are fine with open borders now, is yet another example. There is a video out of Hillary in 2008 saying she wanted to deport illegals. What changed? What happened to the Democrat party?
I have to filter through this liberal slanted nonsense to get a real picture of history. I am force fed a liberal history in college and one of the books I have to read is American Dreams. While I think Brands is a great writer and I have learned a good deal, I wish history could be learned without bias. It was clear when reading the book that Brands is a liberal. It would be great to learn without bias.
I am a conservative and I am tired of conservative bashing. I do not want an overarching government.
I think Betty Friedan sucked and that most women I meet today wish they could stay at home rather than go out in the rat race and then have to come home and do tons of chores and run until they are ragged. Most women I work with say they do not have the luxury of staying at home.