# USA - a culture of historic, bipartisan disrespect towards fair elections **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 7, 2021, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-a-culture-of-historic-bipartisan-disrespect-towards-fair-elections/929890 "2021-01-07T09:48:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-a-culture-of-historic-bipartisan-disrespect-towards-fair-elections/929890/1 "2021-01-07T09:48:57Z")
Americans are very cranky about [white supremacists allowing other white supremacists to storm their government building](https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/vision-emerges-of-police-moving-barricades-to-allow-rioters-into-us-capitol-taking-selfies/news-story/45a9be3adf9b447b53d23cf5536c5d02) but is this just chickens coming out to roost, like brave new racist chickens? The USA is the biggest meddler in elections and both parties gleefully indulge. Is it perhaps a good idea for the USA to set an example for democracy now? It might not be too late to save their reputation and do the right thing. > **[Brooks Brothers riot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Brothers_riot)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > The Brooks Brothers riot was a demonstration led by Republican staffers at a meeting of election canvassers in Miami-Dade County, Florida, on November 22, 2000, during a recount of votes made during the 2000 United States presidential election, with the goal of shutting down the recount. After demonstrations and acts of violence, local officials shut down the recount early. This had the effect of ensuring that the December 12 "safe harbor" deadl... > **[The U.S. is the biggest election meddler of them all, new book claims](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/09/04/u-s-interferes-more-elections-than-russia-meddling-author-says/5700657002/)** > > "Meddling in the Ballot Box" says the U.S. has meddled in 81 foreign elections since WWII, while Russia/Soviet Union has in 36 (including America's). > **[Foreign electoral intervention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_electoral_intervention)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Foreign electoral interventions are attempts by governments, covertly or overtly, to influence elections in another country. > Theoretical and empirical research on the effect of foreign electoral intervention had been characterized as weak overall as late as 2011; however, since then a number of such studies have been conducted. > According to Dov H. Levin's 2020 book Meddling in the Ballot Box: The Causes and Effects of Partisan Electoral Interve... Or should the USA continue to meddle where they believe democracy has failed their best interests? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2021, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-a-culture-of-historic-bipartisan-disrespect-towards-fair-elections/929890/2 "2021-01-07T10:57:15Z")
> [@Manwich](#): > > It might not be too late to save their reputation and do the right thing. The reputation for meddling is quite secure, the quality of the meddling needs to lift, it’s pretty ham fisted especially domestically. > [@](#): > > Or should the USA continue to meddle where they believe democracy has failed their best interests? The US will continue to act in whatever is perceived as the current administrations best interests, but as usual that influence is best expressed via trade and diplomacy rather than electoral interference. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-a-culture-of-historic-bipartisan-disrespect-towards-fair-elections/929890/3 "2021-01-08T08:16:14Z")
The Republicans successfully stopped a vote count and thus won a presidential election, that was very successful. And those responsible are doing well now. My question is whether it is really in the best interests of the USA to spurn democracy. Are you agreeing it isn’t? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-a-culture-of-historic-bipartisan-disrespect-towards-fair-elections/929890/4 "2021-01-08T08:57:55Z")
The US needs happy, aspirational customers and prosperous bankers. The sociopolitical environment they operate within is not particularly relevant except that the track record of democratic countries is better for longer than the alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-a-culture-of-historic-bipartisan-disrespect-towards-fair-elections/929890/5 "2021-01-08T20:14:44Z")
Biden saying talking about Trump refusing to concede, saying, “These kinds of things happen in tin-horn dictatorships." Happen, they just happen. Pelosi saying “The sacred right to vote and to have a voice in our government is a core pillar of our freedom” But not a pillar or core for people in other countries?