WASHINGTON –
In Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, there is a giant sign with a blunt message: “Vote – everything is at stake.”
As Americans vote for the midterm elections in the United States, with Democrats in danger of losing control of Congress, CTV National News spoke to a number of voters who said the “stakes” could hardly be higher.
“Everything [is at stake],” said Tom, who asked CTV National News to protect his identity. “The domestic constitution, the rights, are not only for women but also for men. It’s just everything.”
He said he voted early because he was worried about how the electoral process might play out at the polling stations.
“I don’t want to deal with any screams, any screams, any people at the polls carrying guns.”
In what is to be seen as a keynote speech this week, US President Joe Biden called the midterm elections an important test of American democracy.
He condemned political violence, including the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at their home in San Francisco.
Biden also criticized the so-called election deniers, who go on to say that the current US President has failed to win the 2020 presidency compared to Donald Trump. Biden blamed Trump.
“America’s democracy is under attack because the former president of the United States refuses to accept the results of the 2020 election,” the president said.
Biden warns Americans that political violence and intimidation at the polls are eroding US democracy.
“We do not settle our differences in America with a riot or a mob or a bullet or a hammer. We address them peacefully at the ballot box.”
The concern of many is that so-called voter deniers have not ruled out erroneously overturning an election result in the future, for example, if they don’t like the outcome or the outcome. It is a fear that casts doubt on the integrity of future US elections, says one US political sociologist.
Larry Diamond told CTV National News: “I think it’s a hugely important moment for American democracy. “It’s being tested in a way it hasn’t been tested since the 1860s and the Civil War. “
Bill Kristol, a lifelong Republican until the rise of Trump, is part of a conservative movement that pumps millions of dollars into political advertising aimed at defeating candidates who refuse to vote.
“What is the future of this country if we follow the path we are going down?” he told CTV National News. “I was a bit shocked and heartbroken that there was no stronger rejection for them. “
Some polls show it’s the economy, inflation, grocery and gas costs that will drive voter turnout, possibly giving Republicans an electoral advantage in some battleground states. importance.
North of the border, even Canadians worry US democracy may be on the brink.
Toronto author and political analyst Stephen Marche, who wrote The Next Civil War: Dispatches From The American Future, argues that political polarization in the US has poisoned the country’s political system.
“There may be a group of people who basically won’t accept the election results,” March told CTV National News. “It’s a truly toxic stew that will have terrible consequences for not only America but the world.”
All of this is a sobering reminder that these midterm elections are an important moment for America, with the President of the United States asking voters to think about it when they go to the polls. on 8/11.
With files from the Associated Press.
