Wow what a fantastic piece of writing. You have put into words what I have felt all along. This is my “favorite” part.
“Let us be plain: democracies do not die because tyrants rise. They die because good people look away. Because they cannot tell the difference between a flawed reformer and a demagogue. Because they let ‘both sides’ bury the truth in noise.“
Don, I agree with you. HOWEVER, now it’s time to ACT. The Rational League and dozens of others have provided lucid explanations of our descent into Autocracy, all the whys and hows. PLEASE, let’s proceed to the next, DIFFICULT step. WHAT DO WE DO?
It’s comforting for all of us the sit around the campfire and lament.
“They are the operationalizing of fear to justify exclusion, a manufactured moral panic that allows a party steeped in authoritarian instincts to cloak bigotry in the language of law.”
I think you could also swap out “law” for “religion.” I see my own family cloak bigotry in the name of God.
The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly grant states the authority to cancel elections. However, it does provide states with the power to regulate the administration of elections within their borders. This authority is primarily found in Article I, Section 4, which states:
"The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators."
This means that while states have the power to set their own election laws, including the scheduling and conduct of elections, they must still operate within the framework of federal law. In practice, states may have provisions in their laws that allow for the postponement or cancellation of elections under certain circumstances, such as emergencies or natural disasters, but these provisions are determined by state law rather than the Constitution itself.
What is the emergency? Challenge the law.
——————————————
Citizens can fight back against changes to laws that would postpone or cancel elections through several avenues:
1. **Advocacy and Lobbying**: Citizens can organize and advocate for the protection of election laws by contacting their elected representatives, participating in public forums, and lobbying for legislation that safeguards election integrity.
2. **Petitions**: Citizens can gather signatures to support petitions that call for maintaining scheduled elections or opposing any proposed changes that would allow postponement or cancellation.
3. **Legal Action**: If a law is passed that citizens believe is unconstitutional or violates their rights, they can challenge it in court. This may involve filing lawsuits to seek injunctions or to have the law overturned.
4. **Public Awareness Campaigns**: Raising awareness through social media, community meetings, and public demonstrations can mobilize public opinion against changes to election laws.
5. **Voting**: Engaging in the electoral process by voting for candidates who support fair election practices can help ensure that laws protecting election integrity are upheld.
By utilizing these methods, citizens can actively participate in the democratic process and work to prevent changes that could undermine the electoral system.
Remove money power, lobbying.. shoot down disinformation (lying), maybe penalize it. Invest in basic education, so that people are capable of detecting own interest and can have critical thought. Wealthy top can lose money for the poor, who apparently are 3rd world country level poor. Easy to list, but not much to do. Bullshit shooting down is one concrete thing to do
Wow what a fantastic piece of writing. You have put into words what I have felt all along. This is my “favorite” part.
“Let us be plain: democracies do not die because tyrants rise. They die because good people look away. Because they cannot tell the difference between a flawed reformer and a demagogue. Because they let ‘both sides’ bury the truth in noise.“
Don, I agree with you. HOWEVER, now it’s time to ACT. The Rational League and dozens of others have provided lucid explanations of our descent into Autocracy, all the whys and hows. PLEASE, let’s proceed to the next, DIFFICULT step. WHAT DO WE DO?
It’s comforting for all of us the sit around the campfire and lament.
NOW IT’S TIME TO ACT.
“They are the operationalizing of fear to justify exclusion, a manufactured moral panic that allows a party steeped in authoritarian instincts to cloak bigotry in the language of law.”
I think you could also swap out “law” for “religion.” I see my own family cloak bigotry in the name of God.
The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly grant states the authority to cancel elections. However, it does provide states with the power to regulate the administration of elections within their borders. This authority is primarily found in Article I, Section 4, which states:
"The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators."
This means that while states have the power to set their own election laws, including the scheduling and conduct of elections, they must still operate within the framework of federal law. In practice, states may have provisions in their laws that allow for the postponement or cancellation of elections under certain circumstances, such as emergencies or natural disasters, but these provisions are determined by state law rather than the Constitution itself.
What is the emergency? Challenge the law.
——————————————
Citizens can fight back against changes to laws that would postpone or cancel elections through several avenues:
1. **Advocacy and Lobbying**: Citizens can organize and advocate for the protection of election laws by contacting their elected representatives, participating in public forums, and lobbying for legislation that safeguards election integrity.
2. **Petitions**: Citizens can gather signatures to support petitions that call for maintaining scheduled elections or opposing any proposed changes that would allow postponement or cancellation.
3. **Legal Action**: If a law is passed that citizens believe is unconstitutional or violates their rights, they can challenge it in court. This may involve filing lawsuits to seek injunctions or to have the law overturned.
4. **Public Awareness Campaigns**: Raising awareness through social media, community meetings, and public demonstrations can mobilize public opinion against changes to election laws.
5. **Voting**: Engaging in the electoral process by voting for candidates who support fair election practices can help ensure that laws protecting election integrity are upheld.
By utilizing these methods, citizens can actively participate in the democratic process and work to prevent changes that could undermine the electoral system.
Simply become anarchist.
Problem solved.
The Rational League and dozens of others have provided lucid explanations of our descent into Autocracy, all the whys and hows.
While it is crucial to understand what is happening and why, this is NOT enough.
PLEASE, let’s proceed to the next, DIFFICULT step. WHAT DO WE DO?
It’s comforting for all of us the sit around the campfire and lament.
NOW IT’S TIME TO ACT.
Remove money power, lobbying.. shoot down disinformation (lying), maybe penalize it. Invest in basic education, so that people are capable of detecting own interest and can have critical thought. Wealthy top can lose money for the poor, who apparently are 3rd world country level poor. Easy to list, but not much to do. Bullshit shooting down is one concrete thing to do