The Dangers of Undermining the Results of an Election

Over the course of the past month, the United States has grasped how dangerous one man’s influence over millions of people can become.. Ever since his apparent defeat in the election, President Donald Trump has worked tirelessly to try to undermine its results, complaining about the counting of mail-in ballots after election night and making baseless claims of voter fraud through Twitter. He has even filed lawsuits in key swing states that he lost, such as Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. My hope along with many other Americans, was that we would come together in a bi-partisan effort to condemn these actions, but Trump’s dangerously loyal followers have chosen to believe and support the President’s actions, despite a clear lack of evidence for his claims. Witnessing the entire Republcian party stand silently as Trump attempts to baselessly cast doubt on an election is terrifying, and it makes me fear for the future of our nation.

The extent of Trump’s control over his base is astounding. In the days after the election, Trump has made countless unsubstantiated claims, and many Republicans have flocked to support them, despite the immorality and political risk of that decision.. Through baseless claims of voter fraud and emphatic statements on Twitter that have gone mostly uncontested by Republican lawmakers, Trumphas made nearly the entire party complicit in his attempt to undermine the results of the election.. 

But the persistent cult-like nature of Trump’s following is perhaps even more disquieting. I find it extremely concerning to see how so many people believe the word of one man over reports from multiple news sources, along with the decisions of courts who have cast aside the lawsuits that the Trump Administration has presented due to lack of evidence. Because the President has completely devalued the validity of the press and of all his opponents,, his base now seems to view him as the nation’s sole source of truth.. One would think that the Republican party, which supposedly prides itself on upholding the foundational principles of this country, would be the first to condemn the actions of the President. Sadly, most Republicans have failed to counter Trump’s claims, which amount to an assault on our democratic process.  Many Republican Senators and Representatives have already flocked to the President’s defense without consideration for any apparent evidence. To watch one of the nation’s major political parties toss aside the supposed values it has prized for decades in favor of selfish political gain at the expense of the country is sickening.

None of the many lawsuits that Trump has filed against the states have gained traction, yet he has successfully foisted his baseless accusations of voter fraud upon his base, which is, in my opinion, childishly impressionable and gullible.  In this endeavor, Trump has devalued the principles of democracy that are integral to the foundations of the United States. Additionally, he has led millions of  Americans to doubt the integrity and security of our electoral system.

I implore any of the high-ranking politicians who support these allegations of voter fraud to take a step back and analyze the potential consequences of their actions. Even if Trump’s efforts fail, his claims will stain our electoral system for years to come and cast doubt in many voters in the future. Many young, impressionable voters could end up believing that our elections aren’t fair.. For all these reasons, President Trump’s undermining of the election results represents yet another grave blow to our democracy under his tenure.

By Kailen Hicks