If Trump wins, will 2024 be the year of the last free election in the U.S.?

[Tcg]

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We almost didn't have one in 2020? Will 2024 be our last if Trump wins?


Tcg

[historia]

If Trump wins, will 2024 be the year of the last free election in the U.S.?

Let's clarify our terms here.

Consider this explainer from the Civics Academy, a South African educational non-profit:

Elections are a central feature of democracy. For elections to express the will of the electorate, they must be 'free and fair'.

'Free' means that all those entitled to vote have the right to be registered and to vote and must be free to make their choice. In South Africa every citizen over the age of 18 is entitled to vote. An election is considered 'free' when you can decide whether or not to vote and vote freely for the candidate or party of your choice without fear or intimidation. A 'free' election is also one where you are confident that who you vote for remains your secret.

'Fair' means that all registered political parties have an equal right to contest the elections, campaign for voter support and hold meetings and rallies. This gives them a fair chance to convince voters to vote for them. A fair election is also one in which all voters have an equal opportunity to register, where all votes are counted, and where the announced results reflect the actual vote totals.

Given that distinction, are you asking whether, if Trump becomes President again in 2025, all subsequent U.S. elections will be 'free'? Or perhaps whether they will be 'fair'? Or maybe both? Is the scope here just subsequent elections for President? Maybe also for Congress? Or perhaps also for local and state offices?

[oldbadger]

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We almost didn't have one in 2020? Will 2024 be our last if Trump wins?


Tcg

......maybe.
After all, Mr Trump has said that only he is suitable to run the USA.
......looks a bit like 30s Germany in some kind of macabre 'repeat'?

[tersvas]

[Replying to Tcg in post #1]

What do you mean by "free election"?

[Yozavan]

Yes, Baron Trump will be assigned an execution squad, which will kill with extreme prejudice anyone who supports a future election.

Ivanka Trump will conduct a political pogrom, and all Democrats will be massacred with utmost cruelty.


Melania Trump will bulldoze liberal universities.

Eric Trump will kill anyone with a complexion darker than his.

Tiffany Trump will strangle the infants of liberals.

At the exact moment of Donald Trump's demise, Donald Trump Jr. will detonate every nuclear warhead on the continental United States.

[oldbadger]

Yes, Baron Trump will be assigned an execution squad, which will kill with extreme prejudice anyone who supports a future election.

Ivanka Trump will conduct a political pogrom, and all Democrats will be massacred with utmost cruelty.


Melania Trump will bulldoze liberal universities.

Eric Trump will kill anyone with a complexion darker than his.

Tiffany Trump will strangle the infants of liberals.

At the exact moment of Donald Trump's demise, Donald Trump Jr. will detonate every nuclear warhead on the continental United States.

Yes? Yes?
Now why don't you tell us what you really think?

[Yozavan]

Yes, Baron Trump will be assigned an execution squad, which will kill with extreme prejudice anyone who supports a future election.

Ivanka Trump will conduct a political pogrom, and all Democrats will be massacred with utmost cruelty.


Melania Trump will bulldoze liberal universities.

Eric Trump will kill anyone with a complexion darker than his.

Tiffany Trump will strangle the infants of liberals.

At the exact moment of Donald Trump's demise, Donald Trump Jr. will detonate every nuclear warhead on the continental United States.

Yes? Yes?
Now why don't you tell us what you really think?

Well after an assassination attempt, it seems " free elections" are being threatened!

The audacity to run for president! The fragility of our quasi-democracy is on full display!

[Purple Knight]

Elections stopped being free when moralising interests decided that they were the good guys, so the political process was just another way to bring that about, and had no legitimacy in and of itself. Both sides became like this.

The idea that someone will name himself tyrant for life is silly. We already have a few of those: The moral principles of those who consider themselves higher that the will of the people.

[AgnosticBoy]

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We almost didn't have one in 2020? Will 2024 be our last if Trump wins?


Tcg

I actually think presidential elections are already not free from the standpoint of the candidate choices. The simple fact is that not anyone can run for president. The amount of money, paperwork, legal processes, all things impose by the two dominant parties, makes it virtually impractical for an average citizen that isn't well connected and/or poor to run for president. That also gives the American voter limited choices so in that sense you are often forced (by process of not having any other choice) to choose candidates you may not want.

As for the concerns about Trump and free elections, I don't believe his winning again will change free elections. Trump has term limits to abide by and this would be his last term if he wins. So there won't be a future presidential election for him to complain about.

[oldbadger]

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We almost didn't have one in 2020? Will 2024 be our last if Trump wins?


Tcg

...............
As for the concerns about Trump and free elections, I don't believe his winning again will change free elections. Trump has term limits to abide by and this would be his last term if he wins. So there won't be a future presidential election for him to complain about.

Hitler was elected, but after that he did away with opposing politicians, impertinent journalists, anybody who opposed him, and elected himself to be the permanent father of the Reich.

So it's happened before, and all democracies need to ensure that the democratic election process lives on for them and theirs.