Dick Devens: What must be done in order to restore democracy?

To The Daily Sun,

Will we restore democracy?

Republican George W. Bush lost the popular vote in 2000, but was elected president by the Electoral College. Two wars and a recession followed.

Democrat Barack Obama won the popular vote and the Electoral College vote in 2008 and 2012. He nominated Merrick Garland, politically neutral, to fill the vacancy in the Supreme Court left by the death of Antonin Scalia. The Republicans blocked the nomination by refusing to schedule a hearing for Judge Garland. This unprecedented move bought time until the next election, 10 months away, in hopes that Trump would win.

Republican Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Hilary Clinton in 2016 by 2.8 million votes, but won the Electoral College vote, and filled the empty places on the Supreme Court with conservatives Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. The Democrats wanted to wait until the 2020 presidential election, much less than 10 months away, but Republican Mitch McConnell changed his mind about waiting to fill the vacancy created by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Supreme Court became two-thirds conservative.

Conservatives favor the Electoral College, the filibuster, Citizens United, banning abortions, and freedom to buy guns without background checks, all opposed by the majority of Americans.

Maybe in November 2022 the majority will vote for democracy. I'm sick of the "stench".

Dick Devens

Center Sandwich