But I am certain that you are- in this case- overly optimistic.

That democratic tradition has been steadily eroded by the right over the course of decades. That erosion has been accelerating unchecked since the 90s when Newt Gingrich gained control.

A very LARGE fraction of the populace wishes to do away with democracy largely for reasons of race… out of fear of becoming the minority. This fear has been professionally mass marketed to them by propaganda experts on the right, pumped into their homes by Fox News and the internet…100′s of billions were spent to do this over decades.

Trump’s big lie, all the insane racist and bigoted conspiracy theories, could not have taken hold were it not for the erosion of democratic principles.

The bulk of the American right would be gleeful at the idea of an autocracy, because they mistakenly believe a right wing autocracy would elevate them. They have been convinced that any election that doesn’t put the right in complete control is rigged, and any government not under the control of the right is socialist tyranny.

We might be willing to die for our democracy, but the right is willing to kill to do away with democracy. Worse yet, those in power on the left are only coming out and recognizing the threat to our democracy when it was clear since the 90′s.

If the right seizes control of house and senate this election, it is all over. They have lost the popular vote regularly, they know democracy will soon be a death sentence for their prospects for power.

They could have tried to fight against the bigotry and racism in their party and tried to appeal to a larger portion of Americans, but that was too much work… so a coup was the route they went.

If they do well this election, they will cripple the government and sabotage it and create immense hardship so that in 2024 they can say “see, government doesn’t work!”

And that will be the end of the American experiment…. and we will have a very ugly country for a while… before it all goes to hell.

Hopefully, I won the Powerball and can run off to New Zealand…

Their thesis, and rally cry, is that only three percent of the population during the Revolutionary War was needed to oust the Crown from the Colonies.

The fact that that is bullshit doesn’t matter. But it is an important point. It does not take a majority to change a country in radical ways. A motivated minority can, and has, changed history, numerous times.

“But what can a poor boy do,
‘cept to sing for a rock n’ roll band…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUt0dZXPFoU

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

The Communists did the the same thing in Russia, except they based their guiding principle on a bogus scientific theory of history and economics. Germany used nationalism and racial hatred,
Apparently, the American Right is using the German model.

Some call it the “Seven Mountains.” And it is a plan. Folks like me ain’t going to like it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandate

Once they’ve consolidated their hold on the bureaucracy, THEN they’ll be able to put anyone they want in power. It won’t be Trump, he’s too old and crooked and stupid. It will probably be DeSantis, or whoever survives the internecine fighting that will follow Trump’s demise.

Keep in mind, I am not saying all Republicans are criminals and traitors, just the ones in office or likely to get elected.

This really is the root of the problem. Republican politicians know they can get away with almost any amount of bullshit and not be held accountable. FuxNews and the rest of the hermetically sealed rightwing media bubble will simply not tell their viewers what is really happening. Whatever outrages occur (e.g., the attack on the capitol, the absconding of classified materials, the massive Trump org tax and banking fraud, the Georgia election pressure campaign, the sexual assault civil suits, extorting Ukraine for personal political gain, welcoming and encouraging the Ruskie attack on the 2016 election, breaking the emoluments clause by catering to foreign nationals while president, calling white supremacists very fine people, wishing Ghislaine Maxwell well in her sex trafficking trial, etc etc etc…) are simply ignored or twisted into Democratic conspiracies and/or lies.

No accountability to their voters gives these assholes a free hand to say one thing and do another. I recently tried to convince my mother that it was republicans who opposed the prescription drug law that recently passed. She didn’t believe me because she didn’t hear it on “the news.” I spoke to a friend and mentioned that the America Rescue Plan Act included massive funding for states and localities’ first responders, including billions for police depts around the country. His response was that the government lies. I pointed out it was a matter of public record, the law was voted on and passed by Congress. He said the public record is a lie. This is what 25 years of FuxNews does to people’s brains.