, Columnist
Americans Care About Democracy, Just Not Enough to Save It
As political rhetoric gets more and more extreme, millions of Americans seem to be shrugging their shoulders.
Caring enough to vote.
Photographer: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFPThis article is for subscribers only.
Not many Americans remember the 2008 election for US Senate in Minnesota, in which Democratic challenger Al Franken beat Republican incumbent Norm Coleman — by 312 votes, after eight months of litigation. When the state’s supreme court issued its unanimous verdict, both winner and loser accepted the result in gracious remarks delivered from their front steps.
Now envision a similar scenario playing out in 2022. It’s hard to imagine any politician giving such a speech, but contested results and litigation are all too likely. And that’s a terrifying prospect in today’s culture of election denialism.