Is democracy sacred?

With millions of votes yet to be counted and the election far from being decided , President Trump falsely claimed victory and called for a halt to vote-counting .
His rival , Joe Biden , meanwhile , vowed that every ballot would be counted .
Such moments of political drama could have some of us grasping for religious imagery and language .
Indeed , one protester at a post-election rally in Missouri was quoted putting the fight over votes in explicitly sacred terms : “ Votes are the host , they are a holy item right . ''
It echoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month before the Nov. 4 election , a Democratic congressman called Trump “ a threat to our sacred democracy . ''
And Vice President Mike Pence used explicitly religious language in his speech at the Republican National Convention in August .
This election is “ a time of testing , '' he said .
Blending images of the flag over Fort Henry with a biblical passage from Saint Paul 's Epistle to the Hebrews , Pence continued : “ So let 's run the race marked out for us .
Let 's fix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she represents… And let 's fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith and our freedom . ''
At one level , the use of such religious language makes sense .
Nations are , like religions , institutions .
Also like religions , they are held together by rituals .
A nation coming together to vote may feel a bit like a faith community gathering for worship , especially given that many places of worship double as voting stations .
However , in my research in Christian theology , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and religious activity has important limits .
To understand why , it is worth looking to one of the most influential Christian thinkers on the boundary between the political and the sacred , the 13th-century theologian Thomas Aquinas .
Politics , in Aquinas ' reading , is defined as the way humans organize their common pursuit of a good life , a life formed by virtues like courage .
If we could all be courageous together , we would be well on our way to being good citizens .
Putting these virtues into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aquinas says it will involve “ some kind of training . ''
Eventually , individuals might live courageously because they want to live in a society where courage is a commonly held to be good .
In the meantime , though , a society needs “ training '' through laws , proper enforcement and appropriate judicial intervention , so that it can regulate at least a minimal measure of virtue .
Aquinas suspected that some blend of monarchy , aristocracy and democracy was the best path to this common good : Such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a counsel of trusted sages and the voice of the people to hold both accountable .
However , political virtue will always involve the possibility of coercion for those who fail to practice it .
Most recently , we see this in the activation of the National Guard to help ensure safe and fair voting procedures throughout the states .
This is appropriate , on Aquinas ' terms .
When the common good is under threat , “ civic virtue comes armed , '' as American theologian Stanley Hauerwas puts it in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on virtue , this does not make it religious .
To be religious is , according to an ancient definition Aquinas first finds in the Roman Statesman Cicero , to give special attention , or to “ read again '' : re-legere in Latin .
This suggests to Aquinas that religious understanding is acquired through rereading the world , taking in how situations exist “ in relation to God . ''
The virtues and teachings that surround this reorientation are ones that Aquinas calls “ sacred teaching . ''
They are “ learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith . ''
This does not mean that religion should reject reason , since for Aquinas religious thought uses reason to explore sacred revelations .
The religious learner needs some distance from what theologian Stanley Hauerwas calls the “ armed '' practices of the political institutions , so that they turn to the world again to see it in sacred ways .
In other words , a state needs a police force so it can protect vulnerable people from failures of virtue .
But sacred practices like worship and prayer require the opposite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that people can practice religion without that religion being legally enforced .
My research into Reformation-era England offers an example of this .
An edict by the queen gave her the authority to prosecute people for not attending Sunday worship .
Many found this coercive measure to cast a shadow over the authenticity of that worship itself .
This is not to suggest that the religious and the political ought to be completely isolated realms of life .
Aquinas argues that a just society , ordered by laws which ensure that everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , will also allow for the “ special honor '' that “ is due to God as the first principle of all things . ''
Aquinas thinks then that this second reading – religion – is a necessary component of the common good .
A good government will allow for people to pursue the sacred .
It it will not , though , confuse its own potentially coercive virtues with those sacred practices .
When seeking his own high-stakes language to describe the rights that the American colonies were willing to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ we hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable . ''
It was Benjamin Franklin 's pen that gave the phrase its more economic and agnostic tilt : not sacred , but “ self-evident . ''
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
Franklin , Aquinas would have said , hit closer to home , though perhaps for reasons outside the founder 's purview .
Neither political rituals nor the values they instill are sacred , even if they can hold the space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of votes is a cornerstone of modern democracy and hearing a president call for a halt to the count is a disorienting moment that could leave many scrambling for the right adjective .
According to Aquinas , however , “ sacred '' is not the right one .
Anthony D. Baker , Professor of Systematic Theology , Seminary of the Southwest This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

With millions of votes yet to be counted and the election far from being decided, President Trump falsely claimed victory and called for a halt to vote-counting. His rival, Joe Biden, meanwhile, vowed that every ballot would be counted.
Such moments of political drama could have some of us grasping for religious imagery and language. Indeed, one protester at a post-election rally in Missouri was quoted putting the fight over votes in explicitly sacred terms: “Votes are the host, they are a holy item right."
It echoes the language of politicians themselves. A month before the Nov. 4 election, a Democratic congressman called Trump “a threat to our sacred democracy." And Vice President Mike Pence used explicitly religious language in his speech at the Republican National Convention in August.
This election is “a time of testing," he said. Blending images of the flag over Fort Henry with a biblical passage from Saint Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, Pence continued: “So let's run the race marked out for us. Let's fix our eyes on Old Glory and all she represents… And let's fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith and our freedom."
At one level, the use of such religious language makes sense. Nations are, like religions, institutions. Also like religions, they are held together by rituals. A nation coming together to vote may feel a bit like a faith community gathering for worship, especially given that many places of worship double as voting stations.
However, in my research in Christian theology, I have found that the analogy between political and religious activity has important limits.
To understand why, it is worth looking to one of the most influential Christian thinkers on the boundary between the political and the sacred, the 13th-century theologian Thomas Aquinas.
Political virtues
A stained glass window of Thomas Aquinas in St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Central City, Kentucky.
Nheyob via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-SA
Politics, in Aquinas' reading, is defined as the way humans organize their common pursuit of a good life, a life formed by virtues like courage. If we could all be courageous together, we would be well on our way to being good citizens.
Putting these virtues into practice is challenging, though, and Aquinas says it will involve “some kind of training." Eventually, individuals might live courageously because they want to live in a society where courage is a commonly held to be good.
In the meantime, though, a society needs “training" through laws, proper enforcement and appropriate judicial intervention, so that it can regulate at least a minimal measure of virtue.
Aquinas suspected that some blend of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy was the best path to this common good: Such a state could have a unified voice, a counsel of trusted sages and the voice of the people to hold both accountable.
However, political virtue will always involve the possibility of coercion for those who fail to practice it. Most recently, we see this in the activation of the National Guard to help ensure safe and fair voting procedures throughout the states.
This is appropriate, on Aquinas' terms. When the common good is under threat, “civic virtue comes armed," as American theologian Stanley Hauerwasputs it in his interpretation of Aquinas.
Religious virtues
Though politics relies on virtue, this does not make it religious.
To be religious is, according to an ancient definition Aquinas first finds in the Roman Statesman Cicero, to give special attention, or to “read again": re-legere in Latin. This suggests to Aquinas that religious understanding is acquired through rereading the world, taking in how situations exist “in relation to God."
The virtues and teachings that surround this reorientation are ones that Aquinas calls “sacred teaching." They are “learned through revelation" and “accepted by faith." This does not mean that religion should reject reason, since for Aquinas religious thought uses reason to explore sacred revelations.
The religious learner needs some distance from what theologian Stanley Hauerwas calls the “armed" practices of the political institutions, so that they turn to the world again to see it in sacred ways.
In other words, a state needs a police force so it can protect vulnerable people from failures of virtue. But sacred practices like worship and prayer require the opposite: a freedom from state coercion, so that people can practice religion without that religion being legally enforced.
My research into Reformation-era England offers an example of this. An edict by the queen gave her the authority to prosecute people for not attending Sunday worship. Many found this coercive measure to cast a shadow over the authenticity of that worship itself.
This is not to suggest that the religious and the political ought to be completely isolated realms of life. Aquinas argues that a just society, ordered by laws which ensure that everyone can be given what is due to them, will also allow for the “special honor" that “is due to God as the first principle of all things."
Aquinas thinks then that this second reading – religion – is a necessary component of the common good. A good government will allow for people to pursue the sacred. It it will not, though, confuse its own potentially coercive virtues with those sacred practices.
Sacred truths
Portrait of Thomas Jefferson.
Rembrandt Peale via Wikimedia Commons
When seeking his own high-stakes language to describe the rights that the American colonies were willing to fight for, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson wrote, “we hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable." It was Benjamin Franklin's pen that gave the phrase its more economic and agnostic tilt: not sacred, but “self-evident."
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
Franklin, Aquinas would have said, hit closer to home, though perhaps for reasons outside the founder's purview. Neither political rituals nor the values they instill are sacred, even if they can hold the space for practices that are.
The counting of votes is a cornerstone of modern democracy and hearing a president call for a halt to the count is a disorienting moment that could leave many scrambling for the right adjective. According to Aquinas, however, “sacred" is not the right one.
Seminary of the Southwest is a member of the Association of Theological Schools. The ATS is a funding partner of The Conversation US. The ATS is a funding partner of The Conversation US.
Anthony D. Baker, Professor of Systematic Theology, Seminary of the Southwest
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-07--Only the richest ancient Athenians paid taxes – and they bragged about it

In ancient Athens , only the very wealthiest people paid direct taxes , and these went to fund the city-state 's most important national expenses – the navy and honors for the gods .
While today it might sound astonishing , most of these top taxpayers not only paid happily , but boasted about how much they paid .
Money was just as important to the ancient Athenians as it is to most people today , so what accounts for this enthusiastic reaction to a large tax bill ?
The Athenian financial elite felt this way because they earned an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other citizens of their democracy .
Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C .
had a population of free and enslaved people topping 300,000 individuals .
The economy mostly focused on international trade , and Athens needed to spend large sums of money to keep things humming – from supporting national defense to the countless public fountains constantly pouring out drinking water all over the city .
Much of this income came from publicly owned farmland and silver mines that were leased to the highest bidders , but Athens also taxed imports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and prostitutes as well as fines imposed on losers in many court cases .
In general , there were no direct taxes on income or wealth .
As Athens grew into an international power , it developed a large and expensive navy of several hundred state-of-the-art wooden warships called triremes – literally meaning three-rowers .
Triremes cost huge amounts of money to build , equip and crew , and the Athenian financial elites were the ones that paid to make it happen .
Triremes were the most advanced and expensive military technology of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funded them out of their own pockets .
The top 1 % of male property owners supported the saving or salvation of Athens –called “ soteria '' – by performing a special kind of public service called “ leitourgia , '' or liturgy .
They served as a trireme commander , or “ trierarch , '' who personally funded the operating costs of a trireme for an entire year and even led the crew on missions .
This public service was not cheap .
To fund their liturgy as a trierarch , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earned in 10 to 20 years of steady pay , but instead of dodging this responsibility , most embraced it .
Running warships was not the only responsibility the rich had to national defense .
When Athens was at war – which was most of the time – the wealthy had to pay contributions in cash called “ eisphorai '' to finance the citizen militia .
These contributions were based on the value of their property , not their income , which made them in a sense a direct tax on wealth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold thousands of spectators for shows subsidized by liturgists .
To please the gods To the ancient Athenians , physical military might was only part of the equation .
They also believed that the salvation of the state from outside threats depended on a less tangible but equally crucial and costly source of defense : the favor of the gods .
To keep these powerful but fickle divine protectors on their side , the Athenians built elaborate temples , performed large sacrifices and organized lively public religious festivals .
These massive spectacles featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended by tens of thousands of people and were hugely expensive to throw .
Just as with trieremes , the richest Athenians paid for these festivals by fulfilling festival liturgies .
Serving as a chorus leader , for example , meant paying for the training , costumes and living expenses for large groups of performers for months at a time .
In the U.S. today , an estimated one out of every six tax dollars is unpaid .
Large corporations and rich citizens do everything they can to minimize their tax bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
None of the financial elite of ancient Athens prided themselves on scamming the Athenian equivalent of the IRS .
Just the opposite was true : They paid , and even boasted in public – truthfully – that they often had paid more than required when serving as a trierarch or chorus leader .
Of course , not every member of the superrich at Athens behaved like a patriotic champion .
Some Athenian shirkers tried to escape their liturgies by claiming other people with more property ought to shoulder the cost instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public service never became the norm .
[ The Conversation 's science , health and technology editors pick their favorite stories .
Weekly on Wednesdays . ]
So what was the reasoning behind this civic , taxpaying pride ?
Ancient Athenians were n't only opening their wallets to promote the common good .
They were counting on earning a high return in public esteem from the investments in their community that their taxes represented .
This social capital was so valuable because Athenian culture held civic duty in high regard .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was mocked and labeled a “ greedy man '' who “ borrows from guests staying his house '' and “ when he sells wine to a friend , he sells it watered ! ''
The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates was erected in 335 B.C .
by the liturgist Lysicrates after his play won first prize , and it still stands today .
The social rewards that tax payments earned the rich had long lives .
A liturgist who financed the chorus of a prize-winning drama could build himself a spectacular monument in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excellence to all comers for all time .
Above all , the Athenian rich paid their taxes because they craved the social success that came from their compatriots publicly identifying them as citizens who are good because they are useful .
Earning the honorable title of a useful citizen might sound tame today – it did n't boost Pete Buttigieg 's presidential campaign even though he describes his political role as “ trying to make myself useful '' – but in a letter to a Hebrew congregation in Rhode Island written in 1790 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ useful '' was an invaluable part of the divine plan for the United States .
So , too , the Athenians infused that designation with immense power .
To be a rich taxpayer who was good and useful to his fellow citizens counted even more than money in the bank .
And this invaluable public service profited all Athenians by keeping their democracy alive century after century .
Thomas Martin , Professor of Classics , College of the Holy Cross This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
@ @ @ @ @

In ancient Athens, only the very wealthiest people paid direct taxes, and these went to fund the city-state's most important national expenses – the navy and honors for the gods. While today it might sound astonishing, most of these top taxpayers not only paid happily, but boasted about how much they paid.
Money was just as important to the ancient Athenians as it is to most people today, so what accounts for this enthusiastic reaction to a large tax bill? The Athenian financial elite felt this way because they earned an invaluable payback: public respect from the other citizens of their democracy.
Modern needs, modern finances
Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. had a population of free and enslaved people topping 300,000 individuals. The economy mostly focused on international trade, and Athens needed to spend large sums of money to keep things humming – from supporting national defense to the countless public fountains constantly pouring out drinking water all over the city.
Much of this income came from publicly owned farmland and silver mines that were leased to the highest bidders, but Athens also taxed imports and exports and collected fees from immigrants and prostitutes as well as fines imposed on losers in many court cases. In general, there were no direct taxes on income or wealth.
As Athens grew into an international power, it developed a large and expensive navy of several hundred state-of-the-art wooden warships called triremes – literally meaning three-rowers. Triremes cost huge amounts of money to build, equip and crew, and the Athenian financial elites were the ones that paid to make it happen.
Triremes were the most advanced and expensive military technology of the ancient Mediterranean, and rich Athenians funded them out of their own pockets.
Marsyas via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
The top 1% of male property owners supported the saving or salvation of Athens –called “soteria" – by performing a special kind of public service called “leitourgia," or liturgy. They served as a trireme commander, or “trierarch," who personally funded the operating costs of a trireme for an entire year and even led the crew on missions. This public service was not cheap. To fund their liturgy as a trierarch, a rich taxpayer spent what a skilled worker earned in 10 to 20 years of steady pay, but instead of dodging this responsibility, most embraced it.
Running warships was not the only responsibility the rich had to national defense. When Athens was at war – which was most of the time – the wealthy had to pay contributions in cash called “eisphorai" to finance the citizen militia. These contributions were based on the value of their property, not their income, which made them in a sense a direct tax on wealth.
The Theater of Dionysus in Athens could hold thousands of spectators for shows subsidized by liturgists.
dronepicr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
To please the gods
To the ancient Athenians, physical military might was only part of the equation. They also believed that the salvation of the state from outside threats depended on a less tangible but equally crucial and costly source of defense: the favor of the gods.
To keep these powerful but fickle divine protectors on their side, the Athenians built elaborate temples, performed large sacrifices and organized lively public religious festivals. These massive spectacles featured musical extravaganzas and theater performances that were attended by tens of thousands of people and were hugely expensive to throw.
Just as with trieremes, the richest Athenians paid for these festivals by fulfilling festival liturgies. Serving as a chorus leader, for example, meant paying for the training, costumes and living expenses for large groups of performers for months at a time.
Proud to be paying
In the U.S. today, an estimated one out of every six tax dollars is unpaid. Large corporations and rich citizens do everything they can to minimize their tax bill. The Athenians would have ridiculed such behavior.
None of the financial elite of ancient Athens prided themselves on scamming the Athenian equivalent of the IRS. Just the opposite was true: They paid, and even boasted in public – truthfully – that they often had paid more than required when serving as a trierarch or chorus leader.
Of course, not every member of the superrich at Athens behaved like a patriotic champion. Some Athenian shirkers tried to escape their liturgies by claiming other people with more property ought to shoulder the cost instead of themselves, but this attempted weaseling out of public service never became the norm.
[The Conversation's science, health and technology editors pick their favorite stories.Weekly on Wednesdays.]
So what was the reasoning behind this civic, taxpaying pride? Ancient Athenians weren't only opening their wallets to promote the common good. They were counting on earning a high return in public esteem from the investments in their community that their taxes represented.
This social capital was so valuable because Athenian culture held civic duty in high regard. If a rich Athenian hoarded his wealth, he was mocked and labeled a “greedy man" who “borrows from guests staying his house" and “when he sells wine to a friend, he sells it watered!"
The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates was erected in 335 B.C. by the liturgist Lysicrates after his play won first prize, and it still stands today.
C messier via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Social wealth, not monetary riches
The social rewards that tax payments earned the rich had long lives. A liturgist who financed the chorus of a prize-winning drama could build himself a spectacular monument in a conspicuous downtown location to announce his excellence to all comers for all time.
Above all, the Athenian rich paid their taxes because they craved the social success that came from their compatriots publicly identifying them as citizens who are good because they are useful. Earning the honorable title of a useful citizen might sound tame today – it didn't boost Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign even though he describes his political role as “trying to make myself useful" – but in a letter to a Hebrew congregation in Rhode Island written in 1790, George Washington proclaimed that being “useful" was an invaluable part of the divine plan for the United States.
So, too, the Athenians infused that designation with immense power. To be a rich taxpayer who was good and useful to his fellow citizens counted even more than money in the bank. And this invaluable public service profited all Athenians by keeping their democracy alive century after century.
Thomas Martin, Professor of Classics, College of the Holy Cross
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-07--Feeling disoriented by the election, pandemic and everything else? It’s called ‘zozobra’ -- and Mexi

Feeling disoriented by the election, pandemic and everything else? It’s called ‘zozobra’ -- and Mexican philosophers have some advice

Ever had the feeling that you ca n't make sense of what 's happening ?
One moment everything seems normal , then suddenly the frame shifts to reveal a world on fire climate change and political upheaval That 's “ zozobra , '' the peculiar form of anxiety that comes from being unable to settle into a single point of view , leaving you with questions like : Is it a lovely autumn day , or an alarming moment of converging historical catastrophes ?
On the eve of a general election in which the outcome – and aftermath – is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many Americans may be experiencing .
As scholars of this phenomenon , we have noted how zozobra has spread in U.S. society in recent years , and we believe the insight of Mexican philosophers can be helpful to Americans during these tumultuous times .
Ever since the conquest and colonization of the valley of Mexico by Hernán Cortés , Mexicans have had to cope with wave after wave of profound social and spiritual disruption – wars , rebellions , revolution , corruption , dictatorship and now the threat of becoming a narco-state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of uncertainty to reflect on , and they have important lessons to share .
Zozobra and the wobbling of the world The word “ zozobra '' is an ordinary Spanish term for “ anxiety '' but with connotations that call to mind the wobbling of a ship about to capsize .
The term emerged as a key concept among Mexican intellectuals in the early 20th century to describe the sense of having no stable ground and feeling out of place in the world .
This feeling of zozobra is commonly experienced by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign country : the rhythms of life , the way people interact , everything just seems “ off '' – unfamiliar , disorienting and vaguely alienating .
According to the philosopher Emilio Uranga ( 1921-1988 ) , the telltale sign of zozobra is wobbling and toggling between perspectives , being unable to relax into a single framework to make sense of things .
As Uranga describes it in his 1952 book “ Analysis of Mexican Being '' : What makes zozobra so difficult to address is that its source is intangible .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal failing , nor by any of the particular events that we can point to .
Instead , it comes from cracks in the frameworks of meaning that we rely on to make sense of our world – the shared understanding of what is real and who is trustworthy , what risks we face and how to meet them , what basic decency requires of us and what ideals our nation aspires to .
In the past , many people in the U.S. took these frameworks for granted – but no longer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many Americans are feeling is a sign that at some level , they now recognize just how necessary and fragile these structures are .
The need for community Another Mexican philosopher , Jorge Portilla ( 1918-1963 ) , reminds us that these frameworks of meaning that hold our world together can not be maintained by individuals alone .
While each of us may find our own meaning in life , we do so against the backdrop of what Portilla described as a “ horizon of understanding '' that is maintained by our community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making small talk to making big life choices , we depend on others to share a basic set of assumptions about the world .
It 's a fact that becomes painfully obvious when we suddenly find ourselves among people with very different assumptions .
In our book on the contemporary relevance of Portilla 's philosophy , we point out that in the U.S. , people increasingly have the sense that their neighbors and countrymen inhabit a different world .
As social circles become smaller and more restricted , zozobra deepens .
In his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Misery in Mexican Life , '' Portilla identifies four signs that indicate when the feedback loop between zozobra and social disintegration has reached critical levels .
First , people in a disintegrating society become prone to self-doubt and reluctance to take action , despite how urgently action may be needed .
Second , they become prone to cynicism and even corruption – not because they are immoral but because they genuinely do not experience a common good for which to sacrifice their personal interests .
Third , they become prone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when things made sense .
In the case of America , this applies not only to those given to wearing MAGA caps ; everyone can fall into this sense of longing for a previous age .
And finally , people become prone to a sense of profound vulnerability that gives rise to apocalyptic thinking .
Portilla puts it this way : In other words , when a society is disintegrating , fires , floods and tornadoes seem like harbingers of apocalypse .
Naming the present crisis is a first step toward dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be done ?
Portilla suggests that national leaders can exacerbate or alleviate zozobra .
When there is a coherent horizon of understanding at the national level – that is to say , when there is a shared sense of what is real and what matters – individuals have a stronger feeling of connection to the people around them and a sense that their society is in a better position to deal with the most pressing issues .
With this solace , it is easier to return attention to one 's own small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
Uranga , for his part , suggests that zozobra actually unifies people in a common human condition .
Many prefer to hide their suffering behind a happy facade or channel it into anger and blame .
But Uranga insists that honest conversation about shared suffering is an opportunity to come together .
Talking about zozobra provides something to commune over , something on which to base a love for one another , or at least sympathy .
Francisco Gallegos , Assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Carlos Alberto Sánchez , Professor of Philosophy , San José State University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Ever had the feeling that you can't make sense of what's happening? One moment everything seems normal, then suddenly the frame shifts to reveal a world on fire climate change and political upheaval
That's “zozobra," the peculiar form of anxiety that comes from being unable to settle into a single point of view, leaving you with questions like: Is it a lovely autumn day, or an alarming moment of converging historical catastrophes?
On the eve of a general election in which the outcome – and aftermath – is unknown, it is a condition that many Americans may be experiencing.
As scholars ofthis phenomenon, we have noted how zozobra has spread in U.S. society in recent years, and we believe the insight of Mexican philosophers can be helpful to Americans during these tumultuous times.
Ever since the conquest and colonization of the valley of Mexico by Hernán Cortés, Mexicans have had to cope with wave after wave of profound social and spiritual disruption – wars, rebellions, revolution, corruption, dictatorship and now the threat of becoming a narco-state. Mexican philosophers have had more than 500 years of uncertainty to reflect on, and they have important lessons to share.
Zozobra and the wobbling of the world
The word “zozobra" is an ordinary Spanish term for “anxiety" but with connotations that call to mind the wobbling of a ship about to capsize. The term emerged as a key concept among Mexican intellectuals in the early 20th century to describe the sense of having no stable ground and feeling out of place in the world.
This feeling of zozobra is commonly experienced by people who visit or immigrate to a foreign country: the rhythms of life, the way people interact, everything just seems “off" – unfamiliar, disorienting and vaguely alienating.
According to the philosopher Emilio Uranga (1921-1988), the telltale sign of zozobra is wobbling and toggling between perspectives, being unable to relax into a single framework to make sense of things. As Uranga describes it in his 1952 book “Analysis of Mexican Being":
“Zozobra refers to a mode of being that incessantly oscillates between two possibilities, between two affects, without knowing which one of those to depend on … indiscriminately dismissing one extreme in favor of the other. In this to and fro the soul suffers, it feels torn and wounded."
What makes zozobra so difficult to address is that its source is intangible. It is a soul-sickness not caused by any personal failing, nor by any of the particular events that we can point to.
Instead, it comes from cracks in the frameworks of meaning that we rely on to make sense of our world – the shared understanding of what is real and who is trustworthy, what risks we face and how to meet them, what basic decency requires of us and what ideals our nation aspires to.
In the past, many people in the U.S. took these frameworks for granted – but no longer.
The gnawing sense of distress and disorientation many Americans are feeling is a sign that at some level, they now recognize just how necessary and fragile these structures are.
The need for community
Another Mexican philosopher, Jorge Portilla (1918-1963), reminds us that these frameworks of meaning that hold our world together cannot be maintained by individuals alone. While each of us may find our own meaning in life, we do so against the backdrop of what Portilla described as a “horizon of understanding" that is maintained by our community. In everything we do, from making small talk to making big life choices, we depend on others to share a basic set of assumptions about the world. It's a fact that becomes painfully obvious when we suddenly find ourselves among people with very different assumptions.
In our book on the contemporary relevance of Portilla's philosophy, we point out that in the U.S., people increasingly have the sense that their neighbors and countrymen inhabit a different world. As social circles become smaller and more restricted, zozobra deepens.
In his 1949 essay, “Community, Greatness, and Misery in Mexican Life," Portilla identifies four signs that indicate when the feedback loop between zozobra and social disintegration has reached critical levels.
First, people in a disintegrating society become prone to self-doubt and reluctance to take action, despite how urgently action may be needed. Second, they become prone to cynicism and even corruption – not because they are immoral but because they genuinely do not experience a common good for which to sacrifice their personal interests. Third, they become prone to nostalgia, fantasizing about returning to a time when things made sense. In the case of America, this applies not only to those given to wearing MAGA caps; everyone can fall into this sense of longing for a previous age.
And finally, people become prone to a sense of profound vulnerability that gives rise to apocalyptic thinking. Portilla puts it this way:
“We live always simultaneously entrenched in a human world and in a natural world, and if the human world denies us its accommodations to any extent, the natural world emerges with a force equal to the level of insecurity that textures our human connections."
In other words, when a society is disintegrating, fires, floods and tornadoes seem like harbingers of apocalypse.
Coping with the crisis
Naming the present crisis is a first step toward dealing with it. But then what is to be done?
Portilla suggests that national leaders can exacerbate or alleviate zozobra. When there is a coherent horizon of understanding at the national level – that is to say, when there is a shared sense of what is real and what matters – individuals have a stronger feeling of connection to the people around them and a sense that their society is in a better position to deal with the most pressing issues. With this solace, it is easier to return attention to one's own small circle of influence.
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Uranga, for his part, suggests that zozobra actually unifies people in a common human condition. Many prefer to hide their suffering behind a happy facade or channel it into anger and blame. But Uranga insists that honest conversation about shared suffering is an opportunity to come together. Talking about zozobra provides something to commune over, something on which to base a love for one another, or at least sympathy.
Francisco Gallegos, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Wake Forest University and Carlos Alberto Sánchez, Professor of Philosophy, San José State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-07--What Day of the Dead tells us about the Aztec philosophy of happiness

Growing up in the United States , I remember on Halloween my mother used to say , “ Honey , this is not just a day for costumes and candy .
You must also remember your relatives .
Know their names . ''
She would show me pictures of great-aunts , uncles and other deceased relatives .
Meanwhile , my family members in Mexico observed Day of the Dead , a national holiday that is celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 .
They would build small altars at home to honor their loved ones , and put food , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on them .
They similarly decorated their ancestors ' graves .
These days , I am part of a small group of researchers who are working to recover Aztec philosophy .
My focus is on Aztec ethics , which the Aztecs thought of as the art of living well , but we call the pursuit of happiness .
I 've learned that Day of the Dead rituals , which date back to Mexico 's pre-Columbian peoples and are observed all over the Americas , are deeply rooted in Aztec ethics .
Shortly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1492 , Spanish people colonized the region .
In 1521 the Aztec empire fell in a two-year war led by the Spaniard Hernán Cortés .
Afterwards , Spanish priests wanted to understand the native population in order to convert them to Christianity .
They painstakingly detailed the Aztecs ' beliefs in volumes of material written in Nahuatl , the Aztec language .
The most important of these sources is the “ Florentine Codex , '' written between 1547 and 1577 .
The basic problem of life for the Aztecs , according to these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect – they make mistakes .
“ The earth is slippery , slick , '' the Aztecs would say .
And to avoid falling into error , people need to live a balanced life on three different levels : in their psyches , their bodies and their society .
The top individual goal in Aztec ethics , then , is for people to balance their psyche .
It is done by aligning the heart , or yollotl , and face , or ixtli .
By “ heart , '' the Aztecs meant thoughts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' they meant the rational organization of those desires .
Where Day of the Dead fits in For the Aztecs , then , a happy life is achieved through balance .
Individually , this means balancing one 's “ face '' and “ heart , '' but socially this involves friends , family and ancestors .
Day of the Dead rituals help with this social balance .
It 's important to note that the “ heart '' is a metaphor for all of the body 's desires .
Also , the Aztecs did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed each region of the body had its own “ mind . ''
For example , our eyes think one way , our ears another , and our skin another way still .
As the scholar Alfredo Lopéz Austin argues , the Aztecs thought of consciousness as the result of this ecosystem of minds , with each mind competing for attention and expressing its own desires .
Within this ecosystem of minds , the Aztecs believed that three regions held the highest concentration of the cosmic forces that make humans living , moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart , in this case ) , the head and the liver .
The heart houses the “ yolia , '' which expresses one 's conscious and remembered personality .
The head houses the “ tonalli , '' which expresses the strength of one 's character and destiny .
And the liver houses the “ ihiyotl , '' which is responsible for our breathing and health .
When we die , the Aztecs believed these three powers separate from our bodies .
The ihiyotl , or breath , immediately rejoins nature .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as energy to be called on in need .
One 's yolia .
or personality , however , travels to the land of the dead , called Mictlán .
There , it endures a series of trials , including hunger and cold winds .
To help in the journey , each person 's yolia is accompanied by a little yellow dog and whatever offerings one 's loved ones make .
That 's why on various days of the year – not only during Day of the Dead – family members are supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by offering them food , drink and other gifts at their home shrines .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
But after four years , the yolia finishes its journey and rejoins the fundamental energy of the universe – “ ometeotl , '' or god .
All that remains of the deceased , then , is their force of personality as tonalli , which , the Aztecs believed , could be called on by remembering their name .
By remembering our ancestors , Aztecs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while we 're here on Earth and also support our loves ones in their afterlife .
This , in essence , is the purpose of the Day of the Dead that many observe today .
Lynn Sebastian Purcell , Associate Professor of Philosophy , State University of New York College at Cortland This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Growing up in the United States, I remember on Halloween my mother used to say, “Honey, this is not just a day for costumes and candy. You must also remember your relatives. Know their names." She would show me pictures of great-aunts, uncles and other deceased relatives.
Meanwhile, my family members in Mexico observed Day of the Dead, a national holiday that is celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. They would build small altars at home to honor their loved ones, and put food, drinks, photos and other personal items on them. They similarly decorated their ancestors' graves.
These days, I am part of a small group of researchers who are working to recover Aztec philosophy. My focus is on Aztec ethics, which the Aztecs thought of as the art of living well, but we call the pursuit of happiness.
I've learned that Day of the Dead rituals, which date back to Mexico's pre-Columbian peoples and are observed all over the Americas, are deeply rooted in Aztec ethics.
A brief introduction to Aztec philosophy
Shortly after Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, Spanish people colonized the region. In 1521 the Aztec empire fell in a two-year war led by the Spaniard Hernán Cortés.
Afterwards, Spanish priests wanted to understand the native population in order to convert them to Christianity. They painstakingly detailed the Aztecs' beliefs in volumes of material written in Nahuatl, the Aztec language. The most important of these sources is the “Florentine Codex," written between 1547 and 1577.
The basic problem of life for the Aztecs, according to these sources, is that humans aren't perfect – they make mistakes. “The earth is slippery, slick," the Aztecs would say. And to avoid falling into error, people need to live a balanced life on three different levels: in their psyches, their bodies and their society.
The top individual goal in Aztec ethics, then, is for people to balance their psyche. It is done by aligning the heart, or yollotl, and face, or ixtli. By “heart," the Aztecs meant thoughts and desires. By “face," they meant the rational organization of those desires.
Where Day of the Dead fits in
For the Aztecs, then, a happy life is achieved through balance. Individually, this means balancing one's “face" and “heart," but socially this involves friends, family and ancestors. Day of the Dead rituals help with this social balance.
It's important to note that the “heart" is a metaphor for all of the body's desires. Also, the Aztecs did not distinguish minds from bodies. They believed each region of the body had its own “mind." For example, our eyes think one way, our ears another, and our skin another way still. As the scholar Alfredo Lopéz Austinargues, the Aztecs thought of consciousness as the result of this ecosystem of minds, with each mind competing for attention and expressing its own desires.
Within this ecosystem of minds, the Aztecs believed that three regions held the highest concentration of the cosmic forces that make humans living, moving beings: the heart (the physical heart, in this case), the head and the liver.
The heart houses the “yolia," which expresses one's conscious and remembered personality. The head houses the “tonalli," which expresses the strength of one's character and destiny. And the liver houses the “ihiyotl," which is responsible for our breathing and health.
When we die, the Aztecs believed these three powers separate from our bodies. The ihiyotl, or breath, immediately rejoins nature. The tonalli, or vital strength, returns as energy to be called on in need. One's yolia. or personality, however, travels to the land of the dead, called Mictlán. There, it endures a series of trials, including hunger and cold winds.
To help in the journey, each person's yolia is accompanied by a little yellow dog and whatever offerings one's loved ones make. That's why on various days of the year – not only during Day of the Dead – family members are supposed to help the yolia of recently deceased relatives by offering them food, drink and other gifts at their home shrines.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
But after four years, the yolia finishes its journey and rejoins the fundamental energy of the universe – “ometeotl," or god. All that remains of the deceased, then, is their force of personality as tonalli, which, the Aztecs believed, could be called on by remembering their name.
By remembering our ancestors, Aztecs thought, we help balance our lives while we're here on Earth and also support our loves ones in their afterlife. This, in essence, is the purpose of the Day of the Dead that many observe today.
Lynn Sebastian Purcell, Associate Professor of Philosophy, State University of New York College at Cortland
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-07--#StopTheSteal is Trump supporters' viral offensive to discredit the election

New York ( AFP ) - All it took was a Facebook page and a hashtag : As election tallies @ @ @ @ @ were busy going viral , accelerating the unsubstantiated claim that Democrats were `` stealing '' @ @ @ @ @ cry # StopTheSteal.It lived just 48 hours but the page quickly racked up 350,000 members @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory the Republican president too has been touting to his 88 million Twitter followers.Trump @ @ @ @ @ '' -- his son Donald Trump Jr , or the spokesperson of the Republican party @ @ @ @ @ ...

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alternet--2020-11-07--From hanging chads to deadlocks, presidential elections that took weeks and months to decide

PHILADELPHIA — For the nation ’ s overwrought nervous system , the 2020 presidential campaign was akin to a punitive @ @ @ @ @ finish line has been moved back.In most presidential elections , the results become clear within @ @ @ @ @ , the losers graciously concede , the winners thank everyone and then celebrate , and @ @ @ @ @ long before the Electoral College formalizes them in December.That obviously hasn ’ t been the @ @ @ @ @ in question , legal challenges are underway , and it ’ s not clear yet @ @ @ @ @ race between ...


alternet--2020-11-07--Trump knows he can't win -- so why is he refusing to concede while fundraising to 'defend the electi

Trump knows he can't win -- so why is he refusing to concede while fundraising to 'defend the election'?

President Donald Trump can not win re-election .
He 's not really even trying .
His `` legal team '' are D-list Fox News TV hosts and far right wing extremists .
And in a class of his own , Rudy Giuliani , who reportedly was under DOJ investigation and has been palling around with an actual Russian agent .
Experts say the Trump legal team 's court filings are n't designed to help him win re-election or keep him in office , and even if they were successful – which the vast majority have not been – would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election .
So what is he doing ?
Why is Donald Trump refusing to concede ?
Why is he spewing vile and dangerous lies about `` election fraud '' by Democrats , while offering up no proof ?
Even in court , Trump 's legal filings are being throw out because they 're filled with rumors and accusations but they have n't poneyed up enough proof .
And yet many times a day the Trump re-election campaign team continues to send out mass email blasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy .
`` We need YOU to step up . ''
`` We have to stop this madness . ''
`` I need you to FIGHT BACK '' '' President Trump is relying on YOU '' '' Democrats will try to STEAL this ELECTION '' '' The Left wants to undermine this Election '' '' They will try to undermine the Election '' If you 're assuming those are the titles of some of Trump 's fundraising emails from this week you 'd be right .
What 's crazy is those are all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on here ?
Trump wo n't concede , he 's dragging this out as long as possible , and has totally abdicated the presidency .
Trump has barely done the job of `` presidenting '' for months , but over the past weeks he 's done practically nothing except run for re-election .
And now he 's just occupying the White House – every day his official schedule is empty .
This was what Trump had on his agenda for today – three days after Election Day : So what 's going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails above from today , to help Trump `` defend '' the election and `` STOP THE FRAUD '' ?
Trump 's working overtime to whittle down his campaign debt .
Other emails link to fine print that reads `` 60 % to DJTP for deposit in DJTP 's 2020 General Election Account for the retirement of general election debt . ''
Apparently it 's all been a grift , a scam , since the day he walked down the Trump Tower escalator and announced he was running for president because Mexico was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They 're not sending you .
They 're sending people that have lots of problems , and they 're bringing those problems with us .
They 're bringing drugs .
They 're bringing crime .
They 're rapists .
And some , I assume , are good people . ''
Is there any reason hard-working Americans should spend their hard-earned cash to clear up Trump 's campaign debt ?
UPDATE : More from Rick Hasen –Trump was told Thursday he had no other legal options .
Thursday .
UPDATE II : Remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no legal options left .
So why is he doing this ?
See above .

President Donald Trump cannot win re-election. He's not really even trying. His "legal team" are D-list Fox News TV hosts and far right wing extremists. And in a class of his own, Rudy Giuliani, who reportedly was under DOJ investigation and has been palling around with an actual Russian agent.
Experts say the Trump legal team's court filings aren't designed to help him win re-election or keep him in office, and even if they were successful – which the vast majority have not been – would not change the fact that Joe Biden will be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
So what is he doing?
Why is Donald Trump refusing to concede?
Why is he spewing vile and dangerous lies about "election fraud" by Democrats, while offering up no proof? Even in court, Trump's legal filings are being throw out because they're filled with rumors and accusations but they haven't poneyed up enough proof.
And yet many times a day the Trump re-election campaign team continues to send out mass email blasts insisting you have to help them defend democracy.
"Trump Election Defense Fund"
"STOP THE FRAUD"
"We need YOU to step up."
"Join us & DEFEND the Election"
"We have to stop this madness."
"I need you to FIGHT BACK"
"President Trump is relying on YOU"
"Democrats will try to STEAL this ELECTION"
"The Left wants to undermine this Election"
"They will try to undermine the Election"
"CRUSH the Radical Left"
"Time to DEFEND our Election"
"DEFEND THE RESULTS"
"Mail-in ballots are causing CHAOS"
If you're assuming those are the titles of some of Trump's fundraising emails from this week you'd be right.
What's crazy is those are all from today.
So what's going on here?
Trump won't concede, he's dragging this out as long as possible, and has totally abdicated the presidency.
Trump has barely done the job of "presidenting" for months, but over the past weeks he's done practically nothing except run for re-election.
And now he's just occupying the White House – every day his official schedule is empty.
This was what Trump had on his agenda for today – three days after Election Day:
Here's Trump's public schedule for tomorrow. (Public schedules don't include all of a president's activities.) pic.twitter.com/24VrdSVQtq
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 6, 2020
So what's going on here?
Trump is grifting.
He's scamming.
Here's what election law expert Rick Hasen realized earlier today.
Remember that tsunami of fundraising emails above from today, to help Trump "defend" the election and "STOP THE FRAUD"?
Trump's working overtime to whittle down his campaign debt.
If you give money to Trump's recount/postelection litigation efforts, half of that money will go towards retiring his campaign debt instead, per the fine print. pic.twitter.com/JnryvupS67
— Rick Hasen (@rickhasen) November 6, 2020
Other emails link to fine print that reads "60% to DJTP for deposit in DJTP's 2020 General Election Account for the retirement of general election debt."
Apparently it's all been a grift, a scam, since the day he walked down the Trump Tower escalator and announced he was running for president because Mexico was "not sending their best."
Remember?
"They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
It's a scam.
Is there any reason hard-working Americans should spend their hard-earned cash to clear up Trump's campaign debt?
UPDATE:
More from Rick Hasen –Trump was told Thursday he had no other legal options. Thursday.
UPDATE II:
Remember, he was told Thursday he had no legal options left. So why is he doing this? See above.
I had such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by. Perhaps these leads will return as our legal proceedings move forward!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2020


alternet--2020-11-07--On the island, Cubans are watching the US election as if it were their own

MIAMI — Even with a potential hurricane on Cuba ’ s doorstep , the dominant issue on the island is @ @ @ @ @ With increasingly broader access to the internet , Cubans are staying informed on what ’ @ @ @ @ @ country , which they say may largely determine their own future.Cuban economists and others have @ @ @ @ @ by minute , reflecting the importance of relations with the United States , which have @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump.Pedro Monreal , an economist who favors changes in the island ’ s Soviet-styled @ @ @ @


alternet--2020-11-07--The GOP has a decision to make: It's either Trump or America

President-elect Joe Biden has been declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election as President Donald Trump and his campaign prepare to wage war on multiple states over the election results .
Now , the leaders of the Republican Party have a critical decision to make : either fight to save Trump or fight to save America and uphold its democracy .
Despite the election being called , Trump is still posting dangerous tweets to undermine the results of the election .
In fact , as the Associated Press and major television networks announced Biden 's victory , Trump tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot . ''
Instead of correcting the president and distancing from his dangerous rhetoric , many current Republican lawmakers have failed to push back .
In fact , some have even continued to enable the president while enabling his efforts .
On the other side of the spectrum , many former Republican lawmakers have pushed back .
Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) , former Wisconsin Gov .
Scott Walker ( R ) , and veteran GOP lawyer Ben Ginsberg have all condemned the president 's post-election behavior and rhetoric .
Ginsberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post where he deeply criticized the president for his actions .
According to Ginsberg , the Trump-led Republican Party has `` engaged in more than 40 voting and ballot court cases around the country this year .
In exactly none — zero — are they trying to make it easier for citizens to vote .
In many , they are seeking to erect barriers . ''
He went on to explain the real problem Republicans have with mail-in voting which centers on `` demographic changes '' which threaten to make their party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not about finding fraud and irregularities , '' Ginsberg wrote .
`` It 's about suppressing the number of votes not cast for Trump . ''
He also warned that Republicans ' strategy of embracing voter suppression places the political party `` on the wrong side of demographic changes in this country that threaten to make the GOP a permanent minority . ''
At this point , many have urged the Republican Party to view the 2020 presidential election as a guide to repairing the political party .
However , if they choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them what is left of their party .

President-elect Joe Biden has been declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election as President Donald Trump and his campaign prepare to wage war on multiple states over the election results. Now, the leaders of the Republican Party have a critical decision to make: either fight to save Trump or fight to save America and uphold its democracy.
Despite the election being called, Trump is still posting dangerous tweets to undermine the results of the election. In fact, as the Associated Press and major television networks announced Biden's victory, Trump tweeted that he "won this election by a lot."
Instead of correcting the president and distancing from his dangerous rhetoric, many current Republican lawmakers have failed to push back. In fact, some have even continued to enable the president while enabling his efforts.
On the other side of the spectrum, many former Republican lawmakers have pushed back. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), and veteran GOP lawyer Ben Ginsberg have all condemned the president's post-election behavior and rhetoric. Ginsberg also wrote a scathing op-ed for the Washington Post where he deeply criticized the president for his actions.
According to Ginsberg, the Trump-led Republican Party has "engaged in more than 40 voting and ballot court cases around the country this year. In exactly none — zero — are they trying to make it easier for citizens to vote. In many, they are seeking to erect barriers."
He went on to explain the real problem Republicans have with mail-in voting which centers on "demographic changes" which threaten to make their party a fading minority.
"This is not about finding fraud and irregularities," Ginsberg wrote. "It's about suppressing the number of votes not cast for Trump." He also warned that Republicans' strategy of embracing voter suppression places the political party "on the wrong side of demographic changes in this country that threaten to make the GOP a permanent minority."
At this point, many have urged the Republican Party to view the 2020 presidential election as a guide to repairing the political party. However, if they choose to save Trump, it could cost them what is left of their party.


alternet--2020-11-07--Georgia turning blue is proof that these activists are chipping away at the Republican South

Stacey Abrams is at the center of the blue wave sweeping the South and many have praised the former gubernatorial candidate for her involvement in turning Georgia blue .
On Friday morning , Americans awoke to a bit of a surprise when it was confirmed that then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden So what influenced the massive Democratic voter turnout ?
Abrams ' organization Fair Fight registered more than 800,000 voters in the state of Georgia sparking a blue movement comprised of an array of voters , including many first-time voters .
Many have also weighed in with their reaction to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't think it mattered , '' said first time voter , Ryan Lynch .
The 41-year-old admitted that Trump 's handling of the coronavirus motivated him to cast his vote in this critical presidential election .
`` For me to get out here and vote , you know it 's serious .
We need some kind of change .
Not even change but somebody that cares , '' said Lynch , who is Black and voted Democrat straight down the ticket .
`` I do n't even know if my vote is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know what , I 'm going to go see . ''
This election is the first time Georgia has voted in favor of a Democratic president since 1992 when former President Bill Clinton was elected for his first term .
Although Georgia is headed for a recount , the 2020 election shift also signals a bigger change in the political landscape of the country .
For several elections , the Republican Party has viewed the state of Georgia as a reliable component for their political support system .
But this type of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sweep that could move further into the southern region of the United States .
`` The south for a generation has been the base on which the Republican party builds .
If Democrats can start chipping away at Republican hegemony in the south then they make their path to the White House and controlling Congress much easier , '' said Charles Bullock , a political science professor at the University of Georgia .
`` For years , Florida has been the beauty queen of toss-up states .
We do n't have as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our suitor but it seems like we are more competitive . ''

Stacey Abrams is at the center of the blue wave sweeping the South and many have praised the former gubernatorial candidate for her involvement in turning Georgia blue.
On Friday morning, Americans awoke to a bit of a surprise when it was confirmed that then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden
So what influenced the massive Democratic voter turnout? Abrams' organization Fair Fight registered more than 800,000 voters in the state of Georgia sparking a blue movement comprised of an array of voters, including many first-time voters. Many have also weighed in with their reaction to voting for the first time.
I didn't think it mattered," said first time voter, Ryan Lynch. The 41-year-old admitted that Trump's handling of the coronavirus motivated him to cast his vote in this critical presidential election.
"For me to get out here and vote, you know it's serious. We need some kind of change. Not even change but somebody that cares," said Lynch, who is Black and voted Democrat straight down the ticket. "I don't even know if my vote is going to make a difference, but you know what, I'm going to go see."
This election is the first time Georgia has voted in favor of a Democratic president since 1992 when former President Bill Clinton was elected for his first term. Although Georgia is headed for a recount, the 2020 election shift also signals a bigger change in the political landscape of the country.
For several elections, the Republican Party has viewed the state of Georgia as a reliable component for their political support system. But this type of pivotal change could be the beginning of a sweep that could move further into the southern region of the United States.
"The south for a generation has been the base on which the Republican party builds. If Democrats can start chipping away at Republican hegemony in the south then they make their path to the White House and controlling Congress much easier," said Charles Bullock, a political science professor at the University of Georgia. "For years, Florida has been the beauty queen of toss-up states. We don't have as many electoral college votes to bestow upon our suitor but it seems like we are more competitive."


alternet--2020-11-07--Joe Biden projected to win the 2020 presidential race after pulling ahead of Trump in crucial states

Joe Biden is now projected to win the 2020 presidential race after surging ahead in key swing states .
MSNBC and CNN have both called the race for the Democratic candidate .
The Rust Belt states of Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania proved to be crucial in the 2020 election , after Biden flipped Arizona and Trump was projected to win the states of Florida and Texas .
Biden also picked up an Electoral College vote in a Nebraska congressional district .
In 2016 , Trump won all five of Nebraska 's electoral votes .
Fueling fears of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early Wednesday morning and threatened to demand the intervention of the Supreme Court to stop vote-counting but it continued nonetheless .
`` We did win this election , '' the 74-year-old president told cheering supporters in the East Room of the White House before the final vote tallies were complete .
`` This is a fraud on the American public . ''
The Biden campaign slammed Trump 's victory claim as `` outrageous , unprecedented , and incorrect '' and a `` naked effort to take away the democratic rights of American citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop .
It will continue until every duly cast vote is counted , '' it said .
`` If the president makes good on his threat to go to court to try to prevent the proper tabulation of votes , we have legal teams standing by ready to deploy to resist that effort . ''
The tight White House race and recriminations evoked memories of the 2000 election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore .
The Bush vs Gore race , which rested on a handful of votes in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court , which halted a recount while Bush was ahead .
A deluge of mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic has slowed down the vote count in some states this year , several of which only began counting mail-in ballots on Tuesday .
The US Elections Project estimated total turnout at a record 160 million voters including more than 101.1 early voters , 65.2 million of whom voted by mail .
In an election that took cast under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 230,000 lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have avoided a Democratic wave predicted by some polls .
But it remained unclear early Wednesday morning which candidate would capture the 270 votes needed for victory in the Electoral College that determines the winner of the presidential race .
Trump took the podium at the White House after 2:00 am and declared that he would go to the Supreme Court because `` we want all voting to stop . ''
Voting had already ended by the time Trump began speaking and he appeared to be calling for the nation 's highest court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ railed for months against mail-in ballots , charging without evidence they could be fraudulent .
Biden had earlier warned that vote counting would take a while as he greeted his own backers at a socially distanced rally in his home state of Delaware .
`` We believe we 're on track to win this election , '' the 77-year-old former vice president and senator from Delaware said .
`` Keep the faith , guys , we 're going to win this . ''
Trump for the past four years has often been quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but even a few of his fellow Republicans voiced unease at his dramatic intervention .
`` Stop .
Full stop .
The votes will be counted and you will either win or lose .
And America will accept that .
Patience is a virtue , '' tweeted Adam Kinzinger , a Republican congressman who won reelection .
`` I disagree with what he did tonight , '' said former New Jersey governor Chris Christie , who helped Trump prepare for his first debate against Biden .
`` There 's just no basis to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told ABC News .
`` There just is n't . ''
Foreign countries also sounded the alarm , with German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer warning Trump could create a `` constitutional crisis . ''
Biden is the first Democrat in 24 years to win Arizona , seizing on the southwestern state 's changing demographics and the popularity of astronaut Mark Kelly , who won a Senate seat held by a Republican .
But no other states immediately flipped and Trump won an early prize in Florida , where his hard line against Latin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuban Americans .
Democratic hopes fizzled of turning around Texas , a Republican bastion indispensable for Trump , and Ohio .
Biden , as expected , comfortably won the biggest prize of all , California , as well as New York and easily kept Minnesota and New Hampshire , two states where Hillary Clinton in 2016 had only eked out victories over Trump .
Attention again turned to three states that elected Trump four years ago -- Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
Biden said he was feeling `` real good '' about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania , where he was born .
Biden said he was also competitive in Georgia -- a state that until recently had not appeared to be in play -- as election workers in its largest city Atlanta halted counting for the night after a pipe burst .
Pundits had been warning for weeks that this year 's election results would take time -- and voiced fears Trump would cause chaos or even violence by questioning the process .

Joe Biden is now projected to win the 2020 presidential race after surging ahead in key swing states. MSNBC and CNN have both called the race for the Democratic candidate.
The Rust Belt states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania proved to be crucial in the 2020 election, after Biden flipped Arizona and Trump was projected to win the states of Florida and Texas.
Biden also picked up an Electoral College vote in a Nebraska congressional district. In 2016, Trump won all five of Nebraska's electoral votes.
Fueling fears of a constitutional crisis, Trump prematurely declared victory early Wednesday morning and threatened to demand the intervention of the Supreme Court to stop vote-counting but it continued nonetheless.
"We did win this election," the 74-year-old president told cheering supporters in the East Room of the White House before the final vote tallies were complete. "This is a fraud on the American public."
The Biden campaign slammed Trump's victory claim as "outrageous, unprecedented, and incorrect" and a "naked effort to take away the democratic rights of American citizens."
"The counting will not stop. It will continue until every duly cast vote is counted," it said. "If the president makes good on his threat to go to court to try to prevent the proper tabulation of votes, we have legal teams standing by ready to deploy to resist that effort."
The tight White House race and recriminations evoked memories of the 2000 election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore.
The Bush vs Gore race, which rested on a handful of votes in Florida, eventually ended up in the Supreme Court, which halted a recount while Bush was ahead.
A deluge of mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic has slowed down the vote count in some states this year, several of which only began counting mail-in ballots on Tuesday.
Record turnout
The US Elections Project estimated total turnout at a record 160 million voters including more than 101.1 early voters, 65.2 million of whom voted by mail.
In an election that took cast under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 230,000 lives in the United States, Trump appeared to have avoided a Democratic wave predicted by some polls.
But it remained unclear early Wednesday morning which candidate would capture the 270 votes needed for victory in the Electoral College that determines the winner of the presidential race.
Trump took the podium at the White House after 2:00 am and declared that he would go to the Supreme Court because "we want all voting to stop."
Voting had already ended by the time Trump began speaking and he appeared to be calling for the nation's highest court to stop vote counting.
Trump has railed for months against mail-in ballots, charging without evidence they could be fraudulent.
Biden had earlier warned that vote counting would take a while as he greeted his own backers at a socially distanced rally in his home state of Delaware.
"We believe we're on track to win this election," the 77-year-old former vice president and senator from Delaware said. "Keep the faith, guys, we're going to win this."
Trump for the past four years has often been quick to say he is being treated unfairly but even a few of his fellow Republicans voiced unease at his dramatic intervention.
"Stop. Full stop. The votes will be counted and you will either win or lose. And America will accept that. Patience is a virtue," tweeted Adam Kinzinger, a Republican congressman who won reelection.
"I disagree with what he did tonight," said former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who helped Trump prepare for his first debate against Biden.
"There's just no basis to make that argument tonight," Christie told ABC News. "There just isn't."
'Constitutional crisis'?
Foreign countries also sounded the alarm, with German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer warning Trump could create a "constitutional crisis."
Biden is the first Democrat in 24 years to win Arizona, seizing on the southwestern state's changing demographics and the popularity of astronaut Mark Kelly, who won a Senate seat held by a Republican.
But no other states immediately flipped and Trump won an early prize in Florida, where his hard line against Latin American leftists helped him make inroads among Cuban Americans.
Democratic hopes fizzled of turning around Texas, a Republican bastion indispensable for Trump, and Ohio.
Biden, as expected, comfortably won the biggest prize of all, California, as well as New York and easily kept Minnesota and New Hampshire, two states where Hillary Clinton in 2016 had only eked out victories over Trump.
Attention again turned to three states that elected Trump four years ago -- Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Biden said he was feeling "real good" about Michigan and Wisconsin and voiced confidence about Pennsylvania, where he was born.
Biden said he was also competitive in Georgia -- a state that until recently had not appeared to be in play -- as election workers in its largest city Atlanta halted counting for the night after a pipe burst.
Pundits had been warning for weeks that this year's election results would take time -- and voiced fears Trump would cause chaos or even violence by questioning the process.
With AFP


alternet--2020-11-07--How long will the election results take? Here's the answer to the question everyone has been asking

Election Day was four days ago and the Decision Desks have yet to declare a winner despite Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden leading in all of the key swing states still counting mail-in ballots .
Now , after an exhausting post-election period , most Americans are asking the same questions : when will a winner be declared ?
By Friday evening , the Associated Press and multiple television networks were criticized for failing to declare a winner despite obvious indications of who the winner is .
In the final states where ballot-counting is taking place , Biden is winning by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's narrow lead has expanded which also signals that Trump will likely lose the state despite his demand for a recount .
Jon Ralston , editor of The Nevada Independent and a veteran of Nevada politics , surveyed his state 's results and took to Twitter with his own analysis .
According to Ralston , the answer is simple .
He tweeted , `` It is over '' as Biden 's lead continued to expand in Nevada .
FiveThirtyEight 's Nate Silver also weighed in as he expressed concern about the failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the decision appears to be a form of `` misinformation '' in itself .
`` I do n't know , but it sure seems to me like not calling the race when the outcome is obvious in states like PA and NV gives the president more time to spout misinformation , '' Silver said .
So why is the final call taking so long ?
According to Politico , the next call would likely send Biden over the 270 threshold and declare him the President-elect of the United States .
Although the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it appears to be highly favorable for Biden , no network wants to fathom the possible nightmare of having to retract their predictions .
Not only would it be harmful for the reputation of a news outlet or state , it would also give President Donald Trump ammunition to sow more seeds of doubt regarding the United States ' election systems .

Election Day was four days ago and the Decision Desks have yet to declare a winner despite Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden leading in all of the key swing states still counting mail-in ballots. Now, after an exhausting post-election period, most Americans are asking the same questions: when will a winner be declared?
By Friday evening, the Associated Press and multiple television networks were criticized for failing to declare a winner despite obvious indications of who the winner is. In the final states where ballot-counting is taking place, Biden is winning by substantial margins.
Even in Georgia, Biden's narrow lead has expanded which also signals that Trump will likely lose the state despite his demand for a recount.
Jon Ralston, editor of The Nevada Independent and a veteran of Nevada politics, surveyed his state's results and took to Twitter with his own analysis. According to Ralston, the answer is simple. He tweeted, "It is over" as Biden's lead continued to expand in Nevada.
FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver also weighed in as he expressed concern about the failure to declare a winner. Silver argued that the decision appears to be a form of "misinformation" in itself.
"I don't know, but it sure seems to me like not calling the race when the outcome is obvious in states like PA and NV gives the president more time to spout misinformation," Silver said.
So why is the final call taking so long? According to Politico, the next call would likely send Biden over the 270 threshold and declare him the President-elect of the United States. Although the vast majority of votes have been tabulated and it appears to be highly favorable for Biden, no network wants to fathom the possible nightmare of having to retract their predictions.
Not only would it be harmful for the reputation of a news outlet or state, it would also give President Donald Trump ammunition to sow more seeds of doubt regarding the United States' election systems.


alternet--2020-11-07--Health agencies push back against Trump's flawed civil service executive order

Heightened concerns and uncertainty loom within the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) due to President Donald Trump 's recent executive order which would make it easier for the White House to fire federal employees .
For weeks , there has been speculation about the possibility of the White House planning a `` purge '' to sever its ties with senior officials seen as disloyal or not in agreement with Trump 's governing .
The order , issued by the Trump administration on October 21 , aimed to dismantle long-established `` civil service and due process policies that protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Politico , FDA officials view Trump 's effort as `` laying the groundwork for an across-the-board effort to replace longtime career scientists with political allies in a second Trump term . ''
Over the last several months , FDA officials and White House aides have been at odds due to differences in opinion regarding how the coronavirus pandemic should be handled .
Many of the federal agency 's top officials , including includes Patrizia Cavazzoni , the acting head of the FDA 's drug center , have even voiced their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There 's a legitimately palpable fear this could be wielded as a weapon to nix everyone , '' the FDA official said of the executive order .
`` They see this as an opportunity to round up all the scientists who have been perceived to have been causing an obstruction . ''
Hahn , however , has reportedly indicated that `` if the agency is forced to comply with the order , he 'll rely solely on his six center directors to determine which career civil servants are covered by it — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tacit endorsement of keeping the agency 's list as short as possible . ''
With the executive order , there have been regarding who all would be impacted by the order .
Since Dr. Anthony Fauci has been on Trump 's firing radar for quite sometime , there have been concerns regarding how the order could affect him .
However , Jacqueline Simon , policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees , confirmed Fauci would not be targeted under the order—for now .
`` The targeted population is n't the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's the people who provide him with information , who write the reports , who analyze the studies and conduct the studies and who keep people like him informed and political appointees informed , '' said Simon .
However , if Trump were to be re-elected for a second term , he would have time to reshape federal policy and create executive orders favorable to his agenda .

Heightened concerns and uncertainty loom within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to President Donald Trump's recent executive order which would make it easier for the White House to fire federal employees.
For weeks, there has been speculation about the possibility of the White House planning a "purge" to sever its ties with senior officials seen as disloyal or not in agreement with Trump's governing. The order, issued by the Trump administration on October 21, aimed to dismantle long-established "civil service and due process policies that protest career federal employees who create government policies.
According to Politico, FDA officials view Trump's effort as "laying the groundwork for an across-the-board effort to replace longtime career scientists with political allies in a second Trump term."
Over the last several months, FDA officials and White House aides have been at odds due to differences in opinion regarding how the coronavirus pandemic should be handled. Many of the federal agency's top officials, including includes Patrizia Cavazzoni, the acting head of the FDA's drug center, have even voiced their concerns to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn.
"There's a legitimately palpable fear this could be wielded as a weapon to nix everyone," the FDA official said of the executive order. "They see this as an opportunity to round up all the scientists who have been perceived to have been causing an obstruction."
Hahn, however, has reportedly indicated that "if the agency is forced to comply with the order, he'll rely solely on his six center directors to determine which career civil servants are covered by it — a move seen within the FDA as a tacit endorsement of keeping the agency's list as short as possible."
With the executive order, there have been regarding who all would be impacted by the order. Since Dr. Anthony Fauci has been on Trump's firing radar for quite sometime, there have been concerns regarding how the order could affect him. However, Jacqueline Simon, policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, confirmed Fauci would not be targeted under the order—for now.
"The targeted population isn't the Dr. Faucis of the world, it's the people who provide him with information, who write the reports, who analyze the studies and conduct the studies and who keep people like him informed and political appointees informed," said Simon.
However, if Trump were to be re-elected for a second term, he would have time to reshape federal policy and create executive orders favorable to his agenda.


alternet--2020-11-07--Trump's advisers are urging him to prepare for defeat: report

President Donald Trump claims he still has a pathway to victory but the Electoral Map says otherwise .
Now many of his advisers are reportedly urging him to accept the strong possibility of a defeat to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , according to the Washington Post .
Publicly , Trump may be waging war on the Democratic Party with hopes of launching legal battles to contest election results in multiple states .
In fact , many of his allies and White House advisors are also defending his stance publicly .
But , behind closed doors , advisors have attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , on Friday , advisors close to the president `` are advocating that , if Biden is declared the winner of the presidential election , Trump will ultimately offer public remarks in which he commits to a peaceful transition of power , according to allies and Republican officials , who like others on Friday spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions . ''
Despite the presidency slipping away , one senior campaign aide made it clear that Trump has no intention of conceding .
The latest developments come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political leaders on both sides of the aisle for his attempts to discredit the election outcome .
After his angry White House press conference on Thursday evening , Trump repeatedly spewed misinformation about mail-in ballots , vote counting , and the election results in multiple key swing states .
Shortly after , the president 's aides `` persuaded the president on Friday to release a more measured statement about the unfolding vote counting and to refrain from any public appearances . ''
It has also been reported that the president 's allies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward given the recent developments .
In fact , it has also been revealed that Trump 's adult children are more upset about the outcome than he appears to be .
One ally who spoke to the president on Thursday said that Trump 's adult children seemed angrier at the prospect of a loss than Trump himself .
That same day , Trump 's two oldest sons , Donald Trump Jr. and Eric , took to Twitter to excoriate Republicans for not doing more to publicly defend and fight for their father .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ action , the campaign set up a hotline for people to call to report allegations of voter fraud .
Voters are still being counted in Pennsylvania , Arizona , and Nevada .
As of Saturday , November 11 , Trump is trailing Biden in all remaining states .
According to the Associated Press , the Electoral College vote stands at 264-214 .

President Donald Trump claims he still has a pathway to victory but the Electoral Map says otherwise. Now many of his advisers are reportedly urging him to accept the strong possibility of a defeat to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, according to the Washington Post.
Publicly, Trump may be waging war on the Democratic Party with hopes of launching legal battles to contest election results in multiple states. In fact, many of his allies and White House advisors are also defending his stance publicly. But, behind closed doors, advisors have attempted to discuss the possibility of defeat.
In fact, on Friday, advisors close to the president "are advocating that, if Biden is declared the winner of the presidential election, Trump will ultimately offer public remarks in which he commits to a peaceful transition of power, according to allies and Republican officials, who like others on Friday spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions."
Despite the presidency slipping away, one senior campaign aide made it clear that Trump has no intention of conceding. The latest developments come just days after Trump was condemned by political leaders on both sides of the aisle for his attempts to discredit the election outcome.
After his angry White House press conference on Thursday evening, Trump repeatedly spewed misinformation about mail-in ballots, vote counting, and the election results in multiple key swing states. Shortly after, the president's aides "persuaded the president on Friday to release a more measured statement about the unfolding vote counting and to refrain from any public appearances."
It has also been reported that the president's allies and aides remain divided on how to move forward given the recent developments. In fact, it has also been revealed that Trump's adult children are more upset about the outcome than he appears to be.
The publication reports:
One ally who spoke to the president on Thursday said that Trump's adult children seemed angrier at the prospect of a loss than Trump himself. That same day, Trump's two oldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric, took to Twitter to excoriate Republicans for not doing more to publicly defend and fight for their father. And after the president's family demanded action, the campaign set up a hotline for people to call to report allegations of voter fraud.
Voters are still being counted in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada. As of Saturday, November 11, Trump is trailing Biden in all remaining states. According to the Associated Press, the Electoral College vote stands at 264-214.


alternet--2020-11-07--The future of Murdoch's Fox News hangs in the balance as Trump's chances fade -- and viewers revolt

As election results are updated , President Donald Trump nears a day of reckoning he still can not fathom : the reality that there is a strong possibility he will lose the presidency .
Now , Fox News mogul Rupert Murdoch may also be facing an uphill battle having to report factual information that may not align with the network 's conservative audience .
Since Trump 's election in 2016 , Fox News has become a conservative haven for the Republican Party within a deeply polarized America .
However , many viewers were not pleased when the network became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden had won Arizona .
In fact , a frustrated Jared Kushner , Trump 's son-in-law who also serves as a White House Senior Advisor , reportedly called Murdoch to express his disapproval of the network 's decision , according to NPR .
He even asked Murdoch to retract the projection , but to no avail .
The network appears to have stood behind its decision .
However , that occurrence may serve as a foreboding indication of viewers ' reaction when Fox News may have to report an election victory for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , many of Trump 's allies have appeared on Fox News echoing the president 's conspiracies of rife voter fraud without providing any substantial information to support their arguments .
Due to mass misinformation and conflicting reports that undermine America 's democracy and election systems , the network 's journalists are also fighting an uphill battle .
Fox News ' journalists are , by and large , attempting to navigate a gentle landing for their audiences so that , should Biden defeat Trump , they will recognize the result .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Trump advocates who make baseless but incendiary accusations to ensure that viewers never accept Biden as legitimate .
Despite the network 's efforts to carefully navigate through the difficult outcome that may lie ahead , others have stressed the importance of Fox helping its viewers to accept the election results instead of giving Trump allies a platform to spew harmful misinformation that could potentially lead to civil unrest .
CNN anchor Jake Tapper said , `` The Murdochs and the people at Fox have an obligation to put their country above their @ @ @

As election results are updated, President Donald Trump nears a day of reckoning he still cannot fathom: the reality that there is a strong possibility he will lose the presidency. Now, Fox News mogul Rupert Murdoch may also be facing an uphill battle having to report factual information that may not align with the network's conservative audience.
Since Trump's election in 2016, Fox News has become a conservative haven for the Republican Party within a deeply polarized America. However, many viewers were not pleased when the network became the first to declare that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden had won Arizona.
In fact, a frustrated Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who also serves as a White House Senior Advisor, reportedly called Murdoch to express his disapproval of the network's decision, according to NPR. He even asked Murdoch to retract the projection, but to no avail. The network appears to have stood behind its decision.
However, that occurrence may serve as a foreboding indication of viewers' reaction when Fox News may have to report an election victory for Biden. Over the course of the week, many of Trump's allies have appeared on Fox News echoing the president's conspiracies of rife voter fraud without providing any substantial information to support their arguments. Due to mass misinformation and conflicting reports that undermine America's democracy and election systems, the network's journalists are also fighting an uphill battle.
Fox News' journalists are, by and large, attempting to navigate a gentle landing for their audiences so that, should Biden defeat Trump, they will recognize the result. But the network's stars are larding their shows with Trump advocates who make baseless but incendiary accusations to ensure that viewers never accept Biden as legitimate.
Despite the network's efforts to carefully navigate through the difficult outcome that may lie ahead, others have stressed the importance of Fox helping its viewers to accept the election results instead of giving Trump allies a platform to spew harmful misinformation that could potentially lead to civil unrest.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper said, "The Murdochs and the people at Fox have an obligation to put their country above their profits."