As millions of Americans checked the news for updates on the 2020 U.S. presidential election earlier this month, a familiar face once again claimed the spotlight: Mitt Romney. Practically defying his own party, the Republican Senator publicly accepted that President-elect Joe Biden had won the election. His concession, however, carried a far deeper, far more powerful meaning than his simple acceptance of Biden’s victory—Romney was calling out Republican attempts at voter suppression and what he referred to as “demagogic tactics.”
In a tweet sent out shortly after Biden’s victory was declared, Romney wrote: “The domain of a demagogue is to stoke fear and desperation and spread falsehoods. The complicit follow, afraid to challenge their leader. Ultimately, they become captives to untruths and they, and their leader, fall.” The statement, while not a direct reference to President Trump and his team’s attempts at voter suppression, was certainly a subtle swipe at their deceitful and manipulative tactics.
Romney’s stance that members of the Republican party should accept the results of the presidential election stands in stark contrast to the collective silence from many of his partymates. This silence not only displayed a lackluster attempt at standing up for what is right but it also betrayed the state of American politics today. In a post-truth America, honesty and integrity seem to have taken a back seat to controlling and manipulating the masses. As we have seen, the truth has been sacrificed in favour of headlines that incite anger and frustration amongst certain groups of people. And with each new instance of enticement, America’s democracy is further pulled apart.
By speaking out against these dishonest tactics, Romney has put himself in the line of fire. Despite the backlash that is sure to come, he still stands firm in his belief that Donald Trump and other Republican supporters must recognize the truth: Joe Biden is the duly elected President of the United States. It is our obligation, as American citizens, to honor and respect the results of the election and support the incoming leader. This means putting political affiliations aside and placing our beliefs in the power of our voting process and our democracy.
In the end, Mitt Romney’s words serve as a reminder that dishonesty and manipulation of the truth should never be tolerated and that the power of democracy must be upheld. It’s time for the American people to take a stand against those who seek to undermine our country’s democratic processes and join forces to protect our values.
