Saddam Hussein said he was part of a democracy, too, as people voted for him. Or else. Same in China (the link goes to the Yahoo News reprint. You can see original at USA Today, though, behind paywall)
‘The crisis we face is real’: Blinken on why Biden is convening a Summit for Democracy
Democracy is facing a moment of reckoning.
For 15 years, global freedom has declined, according to the human rights organization Freedom House. It’s happening in authoritarian countries, where rulers have restricted people’s freedoms, canceled and postponed elections, and cracked down on political opponents with increasing brutality – and in democratic countries, where mis- and disinformation have eroded trust in public institutions, political polarization has widened, and long-standing challenges like economic inequality and systemic sexism and racism have left many feeling like the system won’t ever work for them.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made these problems more acute. Unscrupulous leaders have seized the opportunity to crush freedom of assembly and crank up surveillance, and false information about the virus and vaccines has spread widely.
What they call mis and disinformation, others call their truth. And, if you attempt to shut it down, well, that’s government tyranny. And government doesn’t like when you call them out. Considering public institutions are attempting to run people’s lives, how public are they, especially since there is little to no control of them by the Citizens, and they are almost unaccountable? Perhaps Joe would like to have a talk with mayors and governors over forced masking and forced vaccination? And talk to himself, since he’s tried 3 times in forcing people to take what is still really an experimental drug.
This is why President Joe Biden is bringing more than 100 governments together for the Summit for Democracy, which begins Wednesday.
And whether you live in a country where democracy is strong or where the chance of a free and fair election is nonexistent, this matters to you.
Democrats, like Brandon, want to make it easier to cheat, rather than one person one vote.
Democracy and authoritarianism are global phenomena. They don’t stay contained within borders. Ideas spread. News travels.
Like Build Back Better, which is 100% about implementing even more central government control over citizens?
Autocrats see how misinformation campaigns or sham trials worked in another country and try them at home. They point to divisions within democracies to make the case to their citizens that democracy is an inferior system that could never deliver for them.
Like the January 6th trials, and the way those who’ve pretty much committed trespassing (into Congress, which is owned by The People) and caused Congress to stop what they were doing are treated like terrorists caught on the battlefield in Afghanistan?
We also affect each other directly through our one-to-one interactions – for example, development assistance deals that include support for human rights – and multilaterally. Organizations like the United Nations, NATO and the World Bank have a direct impact on countries’ policies and practices.
Well, that’s interesting, considering how much Joe and his Democratic party voters pander to China, how Joe and climate envoy John Kerry consider a deal on ‘climate change’ more important than human rights.
All participating governments will make concrete commitments toward three goals: countering authoritarianism, fighting corruption and protecting human rights.
China is right there, Joe. Whatcha gonna do? How about the unfettered slaughter of the unborn? If Joe is serious, he’ll drop BBB and so many other things, like consideration of packing the courts. He’ll stop trying to be a dictator to tell people how to act, what they can buy, where they can go. Stop blowing off the text of the Constitution.
Anyhow, it’s a long piece, give it a read.
Read: Guy Who’s Pushing More And More Big Government Convenes Democracy Summit »