American democracy had near-death experience a year ago

[Dartz]

The other problem with stealing an election is that there are a lot of people who won't take it lying down. If it's that odious and obvious - things will happen. What shape does the protest take? When the ballot box is failing, what's left? The Armalite alone? It's not very effective. when you think about it. There're other methods of civil disobedience that are still civil. We can already see how uncomfortable 'The Great Resignation' is making businesses squirm - not to mention just general people getting sick and staying at home because 'Pandemic'. Short staffing is crippling businesses already.

When faced with an organised and generally peaceful mob, will the 6th be used as a justification by the election 'winner'? Will the winner 'Send in the Tanks?'. Will the tanks actually go in? That's why China doesn't like talking about Tiananmen - not because they're ashamed, but because the army actually started to turn and that's what really frightens them. The troops who actually quashed the demonstrators were rushed in from a rural province - and were barely literate at best.

Governments only govern by the consent of the governed. It doesn't take much to withdraw that consent --- to make governing hard. This isn't bombs under bandstands or shit-smeared cell walls, but the sort of protests that hit last summer. Generally peaceful, but noticeable, and making life damned hard for the establishment. It is very hard to make a mass, peaceful demonstration go away without the willingness to use overwhelming power.

And while governments have a lot of power - so do a lot of people. Don't forget, the agents of the government are also people, rather than monolithic faces - they've families at home and other shit, who might be protesting too.