Recently, I have debated professors from Harvard and Boston College over claims that we are in a “constitutional crisis.” Hashmi is apparently well past a crisis and is suggesting that the Constitution is somehow deceased.
She tells the crowd:“We have to fight. We are not going to concede this democracy to the efforts of tyranny. We are not going to concede the rights that we have in this country to protect every single citizen. We are going to fight. This is an act of civil disobedience that we are going to keep up and make sure that your voices continue throughout Virginia, all throughout the country.”
Hashmi is continuing the Democratic narrative that democracy is dying in America and tyranny is on the rise. It was the mantra before the last election when Republicans secured control of both houses and the White House. Despite that failure, Democrats are doubling down on rage rhetoric and unhinged claims.
Our constitutional system continues to function as it has through prior
“ages of rage.” The nation is divided, so less work tends to get done in Congress. In the meantime, the courts continue to address many of these controversies. The Trump Administration has won and lost cases in the federal system, including the Supreme Court.
Many of those declaring the death of democracy seem to primarily object to how the democratic process has worked. Past presidents, including Joe Biden, have violated the Constitution. Yet, these same figures did not declare a constitutional crisis or, in this case, a dead constitution.
However, telling supporters that the Constitution is dead and that tyranny is on the rise only serves to fuel the rage and political violence. Recently, the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Abigail Spanberger, told supporters, “Let your rage fuel you.”
Now the woman running to serve as Spanberger’s Lieutenant Governor is telling people that the Constitution is dead and democracy is dying. Some will hear such inflammatory comments as a license to take extreme actions, including violence.