He is trying to steal it. Stealing is not the same. Let’s stop using the language of winning.

I recently got an email for an academic panel on the election that said, “Ever since the Wisconsin primary, pundits have predicted a contested election, suggesting that the final outcome of the election will most likely be determined by the judiciary — that the courts will be left to decide the will of the people.”

No. This plays right into the GOP strategy. Suppress the vote, and create a messy election that will come down to one or two contested states. Then turn to the courts (which they have been FILLNG for years with conservatives who will do their bidding) who will rule in their favor. This presumes that the people will accept the will of the judiciary. Those of us who lived through the 2020 election can recall how it all felt so “crooked,” and we protested, but eventually we did accept George W. Bush as president. But we have learned a lot in the last twenty years. One thing we have learned is that we do have the power. And if the GOP runs their strategy to steal the election and install a president whom the people clearly do not want, we–the people–will need to take more significant action. As some labor unions are suggesting, we may need to stage a general strike until we have the candidates that the people voted for. Who would be Biden and Harris. These candidates were not my first choice, but if these two flawed humans are what stands between us and fascism, then so be it.

The old school conservative white, wealthy, male monopoly is losing its hold on power in this country. After founding the country in violence, they were able to sit back and rely on more genteel means of maintaining their power. But not anymore. The GOP is using every dirty trick they have, plus violence, the threat of violence and weaponizing this pandemic.

Call them what they are: looters. After having betrayed the public’s trust, they are trying to steal the will of the people. But we have a choice about whether or not we consent to that. I have always said it would be our movements that would save us. And our movements are gearing up. Two that I follow closely, the Sunrise Movement and the Working Families Party are both doing mass trainings for what to do if the GOP attempts to stage a coup. Get involved. The outcome of this election is NOT up to the courts. It’s still a democracy. The outcome us up to US.