China has been celebrating Democrats’ gains in power in America during this week’s midterms … because the communist regime considers it an indication of a decline in democracy.
And that is a concern, according to constitutional expert Jonathan Turley, whose advice on issues regarding America’s founding document at times as guided congressional opinion.
“China's state-run Global Times wrote an article in the wake of the U.S. midterms that celebrated the imminent death of democracy, noting that ‘the myth of Western-style democracy is losing its appeal, even in the West,'” he explained.
“It appears that Americans are ready to embrace the simplicity and tranquility of Mao-like single-party rule. After all, Hasan Piker already has the Mao jacket to go with the rise in support for socialism and the nationalization of industries,” he wrote.
He noted that Iran, too, which already had been encouraging voters to support Democrats in the election, “declared that Americans supported its position on the war. It is like the Legion of Doom throwing victory celebrations for America.”
The Global Times trumpeted its opinion that, “The most fundamental and significant standard for evaluating whether a democracy is good is whether it can consistently provide the populace with stable livelihoods, clear expectations, and hopeful prospects.”
Then it noted, “A poll released by the Pew Research Center this year shows that public satisfaction with how democracy works in their own countries is declining dramatically. Dissatisfaction rate stands at 69 percent in France, 68 percent in Spain, 62 percent in Italy, 47 percent in Poland and 69 percent in the U.S. In fact, sustained tracking by several other prominent Western polling organizations, including Ipsos and Gallup, points to the same trend: Dissatisfaction with the functioning of democracy in Western countries is evolving from isolated discontent into a widespread public sentiment.”
The Chinese propaganda cited the problems of the West, where some countries have frequent leadership changes, some are “mired” in immigration issues, some are “grappling with the painful effects of the energy transition.
“Social divisions” plague still others.
The result, it said, “More and more people no longer believe their governments genuinely represent the interests of ordinary citizens, or that existing political systems are capable of delivering meaningful change.”
“Many once believed that voting was the entirety of democracy: As long as electoral procedures were followed, the outcome was legitimate and the popular will would naturally find its way into policymaking. But a growing number of people in Western countries are now realizing that voting is more like a periodic ritual. Making a choice once every few years does not guarantee that people will continue to have a say in public affairs in their daily lives between elections,” the communists said.
It explained only 31% of those surveyed were confident of having a say in what their government does, and, “When people seeking to have their concerns addressed find that their votes often fail to translate into policy responses, their confidence in democracy naturally erodes in the face of reality.”
“At its core, the dissatisfaction among Western populations is not a denial of democratic values, but rather a profound disappointment with the practice of democracy in the West,” it charged.
Turley noted, “The editorial is obviously meant to show Chinese citizens that they are much better off under authoritarian rule and to deflect recent corruption scandals in China resulting in high-profile arrests and terminations. Instead, it seeks to focus its citizens on ‘what has gone wrong with democracy.'”
They find support in the “rising level of support for socialism and communism in the West. A new poll by The Economist/YouGov is consistent with other polls showing rising support among Democrats for socialism. More Democrats (38%) prefer socialism to capitalism (25%). Other polls show 60% have a favorable view of socialism, while only 32% have a favorable view of capitalism,” Turley explained.
Further, a new survey confirmed nearly 60% of Democrats polled said they would feel "very positive" or "somewhat positive" if the U.S. military removed Trump and seized control of the American government.
Some “Democrats” who fall into the party’s “Socialist” category, like Texas candidate James Talarico, are insisting on following Trotsky, he noted.
As a state representative, Talarico addressed the 2020 climate conference with an attack on capitalism: “I'm so thankful that you asked this question and also thankful that young activists have really drawn the link between climate change and white supremacy and capitalism in our country … And I think only ending the ways that all three of those oppressive systems work together are we gonna be able to begin the process of dismantling them,” he charged
Actually, Turley said, the midterm results “parallels midterm losses experienced by Reagan, Obama, Clinton, and other presidents. It is not the Marxist mandate that the DSA or these countries had hoped for.”
Bob Unruh
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