The coup by a thousand cuts is the stuff of nightmares for democracy’s defenders and the dream of authoritarian politicians. Nixon launched a real conspiracy against an imaginary one, plotting real crimes – breaking into the Brookings Institution, leaking grand jury information damaging to Democrats – against those he deemed real criminals, despite a chronic lack of evidence. Georgia’s Republican-controlled legislature revealed who controls the party by stripping Raffensperger of his vote on the state election board, which sets election rules and investigates allegations of fraud. In every race he ran – for House, Senate, vice president and president – Nixon faced an electorate where Democrats held a numerical advantage. Today, Republicans can win not only the White House, but the Congress and gerrymandered state legislatures, without winning a majority.

Source: New York Times January 07, 2022 05:20 UTC