Friend,
Welcome to the second of our weekly “Trumptastrophe” email series, that will serve to remind us all of the destructive policies, decisions, and actions we encountered during the Trump presidency and the threats that he and others in the MAGA movement still pose – and to keep those moments clear in our memory as we fight to defeat Republican extremists during the upcoming elections.
This week’s recap:
On September 23, 2020, President Trump was asked at a White House press briefing if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost the election to Joe Biden. He refused.
“Well, we’ll have to see what happens. You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots. And the ballots are a disaster,” Trump said, a reminder that his lies about the election being rigged against him began well before the election. So did threats of violence from his supporters.
Earlier on the same day, Trump reiterated his intention to nominate a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who had died a few days earlier, and he suggested one reason: he might have to rely on his nominees to hand him the election. “I think this will end up in the Supreme Court and I think it’s very important that we have nine justices,” he said.
Here’s how this story reminds us that Trump is a continuing threat to democracy:
- Trump refuses to accept defeat, and he is more than willing to undermine Americans’ faith in democracy for his own benefit. In 2020, when it looked like he might not get reelected, he started claiming that the only way he could lose would be if the election was rigged. He falsely declared victory on election night, setting up weeks of lies that would enrage his supporters and lead to the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.
- Trump’s lies have convinced millions of Americans to believe wrongly that the election was stolen from him, increasing anger, polarization, and threats of political violence.
- Trump’s lies have been used as an excuse by many Republican state legislators and governors to impose new restrictions on voting that are aimed at making it more likely for Republicans to win.
- Trump doesn’t seem to care about the harm he inflicts on the country. When riled-up supporters brutally attacked Capitol police and hunted for Members of Congress and Vice President Pence, Trump refused to tell them to stop. Instead, he spent hours watching the attack unfold on television, apparently delighted that his supporters were willing to fight for him.
- Trump has vowed retribution on his opponents, and his supporters are putting plans in place to help him purge the civil service if he gets back in power. He is preparing to destroy the independence of the Justice Department and FBI and turn them into personal weapons of revenge against anyone who stands in his way, a major threat to democracy and the rule of law.
These are just some of the reasons we need YOU in this fight. So, find your favorite way to unwind after reading through that brief recollection of “this week in the Trump presidency,” and then make a plan for how you will fight back THIS week, this MONTH, this election cycle.
Thanks for all that you do to defeat Republican extremism.
– People For the American Way
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