this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2025
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I heard this metaphor use the other day. If you're playing soccer and the other team picks up the ball and starts running with it you can either also pick up the ball or just loose. That's it. The issue isn't that democracy will be damaged by this, it's a democracy will be dead if you don't.
If you want to play soccer, and someone else picks up the ball, you're not playing soccer. If you too pick up the ball, you're still not playing soccer. If you somehow successfully forced the other team to return to kicking the ball (how does that work?) then you will be the one not playing soccer.
I want something to happen! I want to live in a democracy. It's not a question of "should we do something extreme to save our country?" It could very easily destroy it. Doing "our own gerrymandering" is antidemocratic. That's why I said something time bound or explicitly/legally tied to a bad action on the other side is at least a little better. Because otherwise how do we ever get back to "democracy"?
Even when a regime is overthrown by violence (another action that's inherently undemocratic but sometimes in service of good) for the next administration to be recognized it's expected they have elections. There has to be some consent from the governed, some legitimacy.
Yes, you're no longer playing soccer. That's the point. The game has changed. You can change with it or you can literally die. Those are your options.