Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee is being slammed on Twitter after a startlingly un-democratic tweet during Wednesday night's Vice Presidential debate.
"We are not a democracy," the Senator boldly claimed.
We're not a democracy.
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 8, 2020
As if further explanation would improve the statement Lee doubled down tweeting again.
Democracy isn't the objective; liberty, peace, and prospefity are. We want the human condition to flourish. Rank democracy can thwart that.
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 8, 2020
The claim is reflective of a right-wing argument that the United States is not a democracy and personal liberty should override political process.
In an argument of semantics, the claim is made the United States is a:
- Democratic Republic
- Constitutional Republic
- Democratic Confederacy
- Constitutional Confederacy
- Confederation of States
However referring to the United States as a democracy since establishment is a reference to the people voting directly to elect their officials.
Demo = People
Cracy = Rule
Democracy = Rule of the people
I'll give you this, it's ballsy for any elected representative to say they don't think the people should be in charge. The good news is, it's not up to you.
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) October 8, 2020
We are a Constitutional republic established as a representative democracy. If you intend to replace our democracy with some other form of government, you'll have to tear up the Constitution. I should remind you, Senator, that you swore an oath to uphold the Constitution.
— Michael Skotnicki (@MSkotnicki) October 8, 2020
Which is why @MikeLeeforUtah is against democracy. Democracy if true gets in the way of an oppressive system.
— Kevin (@kevin_cracknell) October 8, 2020
It's true that democracy isn't the objective.
It's just the most effective means ever devised for keeping would-be tyrants from crushing liberty.
— Will Saletan (@saletan) October 8, 2020
Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan responded quoting the great American author Maya Angelou saying:
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."
She added:
"Senator, we believe you. We see you undermining our democracy as Trump refuses to agree to peaceful transition of power. We will never let you steal this election."
Twitter continued the mega-dunk on Sen. Lee calling him out as well as the rest of the GOP.
I disagree with his policies, but this man does know conservatives from the inside:
"If conservatives become convinced that they can not win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy." - David Frum
— Jerry Alexandratos (@JNAlexandratos) October 8, 2020
Where did they find this guy, what TF is he talking about "democracy is not the objective," and how soon can he be voted out of office? Asking for several friends, Roman's, and countrymen.
— VOTE & EXILE HIM (@67Firebirdd) October 8, 2020
democracy is the entire point of the american experiment.
— tracy (@tracykumo) October 8, 2020
prospefity (n.) [prä-ˈspeft-ə-tē] -- the state of embodying a faux-professorial quality; a worldview that presents itself as nuanced but is devoid of reason; pontificating without coherency; performative learnedness that simultaneously lacks evidence of knowledge https://t.co/7xtMUuBbc2
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) October 8, 2020
Prospefity?
That moment when you declare you're all-in for authoritarianism under a tyrant threatening dictatorship
— Trinity (@TrinityResists) October 8, 2020
The biggest trend in responses centered around one word: fascism.
You don't know WTF you're talking about. “Rank" democracy isn't an issue in the US because we have a representative democracy.
This is you gaslighting to cover up the fact that you believe we should be a one-party, Fascist nation...with you & your pals as ruling oligarchs.
— Melissa Jo Peltier (@MelissaJPeltier) October 8, 2020
Senator Lee's call for a conversion from a democracy to an authoritarian fascist government was much more engaging when spoken in it's original Italian of Mussolini's speeches of the 1920's.
— Brent O (@OnlineDetective) October 8, 2020
Most Americans like living in this American republic. Democracy is the whole reason for this nation's existence. People of my grandfather's generation knew what to do about fascists. Now a member of Congress is urging us to join them. I wonder what made you hate America so much.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) October 8, 2020
pic.twitter.com/KFUxe4NBxw
— Matt Streckfuss (@StreckfussMatt) October 8, 2020
Well, that doesn't look like "constitutional leadership" to me! Looks like straight-up fascism. And you sound like a traitor to your oath of office and the nation.
— N. K. Jemisin (@nkjemisin) October 8, 2020
Remember to make plans to vote and help others vote—if able—to protect our democracy.
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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images