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Opinion | Messy aftermath of Trump’s election defeat shows US democracy is working, not failing

  • The doomsayers fail to grasp that American democracy is not so brittle that the behaviour of one president can break it
  • What Trump is doing is messy but also democracy in its purest form and denying him the right to challenge the result would erode, rather than bolster, democracy

Reading Time:3 minutes
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US President Donald Trump gives two thumbs up to supporters as he departs after playing golf at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. Photo: AP
Prophets of doom are crawling out of the woodwork to declare the death of American democracy. They cite US President Donald Trump’s refusal to admit that Joe Biden won the election as proof the United States has lost its moral authority to preach democracy to others.
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It’s not just US-bashers who are gloating at the messy aftermath of the election. Even respected commentators such as Larry Diamond of Stanford University and David Frum of The Atlantic have used descriptors like “rot” and “broken” to trash the US political system.

I am not in the same league as these experts. They are far more qualified to judge the US political system. All I have as an American is a deep faith in my country’s democracy and a gut feeling that, rather than die, post-election soul-searching will lead to its rejuvenation.

Many who rushed to erect tombstones for American democracy and global leadership have based their case on Trump’s mercurial leadership which has divided the country, alienated allies and fanned racial hatred. They fail to understand that American democracy is not so brittle that the behaviour of one president can break it.

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People on the streets of Beijing react to Biden's US presidential election victory over Trump

People on the streets of Beijing react to Biden's US presidential election victory over Trump

Trump’s refusal to concede has provided ample ammunition for US foes like Iran and Venezuela to mock the American political system. The Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily tweeted a laughing emoji with the words “haha” in response to Trump’s tweet he won the election. Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin said the US is “in degradation”.

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These people can mock Trump all they want, but the real mockery is they don’t have the freedom to mock their own leader in the same way. I would much prefer a president who refuses to admit he lost a free election than someone who makes himself leader for life without any say by the people.
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