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Does it matter what folks believe about the 2020 election?

Does it matter what folks believe about the 2020 election?

With most issues that impact most people – inflation, shortages, crime, border security – working against Democrats, they have relied on a strategy of hyperbolic fearmongering.  Their central theme – and you hear it constantly – is that any Republican election victory is a threat to democracy – to the very existence of the 270-year-old American Republic.

Democrats advance that ridiculous hypothesis as the sole basis for voting.  “Democracy is in the balance,” they say.  The only way to save the Republic is to “crush the GOP” according to Eugene Robinson, Washington Post writer and MSNBC “Morning Joe” regular.  Another “Morning Joe” regular — so-called “branding expert” Donny Deutsch — says that Democrats should call out Republicans as “nutcases,” “crazies.” and “evil.”  He openly says the Democrats have to scare the hell out of the voters.

The Democrat strategy claims that saving democracy from future coup attempts – or at least imaginary scary coup attempts — Is the most important issue in the history of the nation – given hyperbole a whole new definition.  

They identify this Legion of the Devils as anyone who believes that the 2020 election was stolen – or at least will say they believe.  Also condemned are those who take an agnostic view – refusing to be dragged into the controversy.

Democrats and their media lackies go on to say that candidates who express an opinion about the validity of the 2020 election – even a doubt— are part of an ongoing insurrection, an attempt to carry out a future coup against the American government.  Ergo, they are unfit to serve in any public office.  

Democrat media hacks have even come up with a list of more than 200 of what they brand “election deniers.”  The list grows each day.  The last count was 300.

They more than imply that these “election deniers” are a front for an unspecified number of armed insurrectionists lurking in every corner of America – poised to take to the streets at the call of President Trump.  According to the Democrats, all Republicans represent an existential threat to the Republic.

There is no better example of political cynicism than the fact that Democrats spent hundreds of millions of dollars to support the campaigns of those they deemed dangerous.  Some of those they support will soon be elected to office legitimately – and they can claim bipartisan support.  How funny is that?

The Democrat narrative of impending insurrection is a fantasy worthy of a Hollywood thriller, but unworthy of serious political dialogue and honest journalism.

So, what if people believe the 2020 election was not legit?  There are some folks who still believe that President Kennedy beat Vice President Nixon in 1960 through political skullduggery in Illinois and Texas.  Many still believe that President George W. Bush stole the 2000 election.  Some historians still argue that President Hayes won the 1876 presidential election by a corrupt deal – the Compromise of 1877.

Some folks put me inappropriately into the category of “election denier” because I have never expressed a definitive opinion on the subject of the 2020 election – and I do not intend to do so.  I avoided doing so because I see no value in getting into a highly emotional political debate that is purely academic.  

Joe Biden is the legitimate and constitutional President of the United States — not because of the vote count,  but because he won in the Electoral College.  That is the determinant – never the popular vote.  If you are confused, read the constitution.

The opinion of people will not change the 2020 outcome.  Nor will that opinion have undue influence on the work of “deniers” who get elected to various offices – and indications are that the majority will.  For the most part – maybe totally – they will be elected to office in honest local elections at the will of the voters.  That IS small-r republican democracy.

In an attempt to pump a level of credibility into their specious narrative of a future coup attempt, Democrats suggest that future elections will be rigged by these “election deniers.”  In other words, individuals who are deeply concerned and committed to election integrity – correctly or wrongly in terms of 2020 – are going to be a leading force to take over America by force. That scenario Is not only not real, but also not even possible.

One of the strengths of the American democratic process is the protected freedom to have opinions – even unpopular or offensive opinions.  Even wrong ones.  Attempting to shun, cancel or demonize people with bogus speculative narratives is a far greater danger to personal freedom than a few souls with opinions with which others might disagree.

Since the opinions of those so-called “election deniers” are retrospective, they have little meaning to the present or the future.  If we were debating whether to bomb Moscow or not, THAT would have real ramifications in the coming election.  But making opinions about the 2020 election is beating the proverbial dead horse.

The 2020 election is over — settled. Opinions about it are like a barroom fight.  It can be chaotic – and needlessly heated — but it has no productive value.   Fortunately, the voters get it – and the Democrat’s scary Halloween narrative is falling flat.

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

20 Comments

  1. Frank stetson

    The core of the republican party is election denial. It runs throughout the party and is espoused, in spades, but your party’s leader. You may say you do not believe in election denial, but that puts you outside of the main stream of the Republican Party. Keep it up and they may Cheney you.

    Yes, you are free to have an opinion. But the truth should matter, lies should matter. Election denial in the 2020 election is a lie. It should matter.

    Your party is making decisions based on this lie. it has passed hundreds of laws that restrict access to voting. This is because of believes, not in voting integrity, but that less votes improve their chances.

    Election denial is the only thing that the 1.6.2021 insurrection at the Capitol was about. Your leader invited them there, fired them up, and then sent them to the Capitol. Election denial matters. Lies matter.

    Today, election deniers are flocking to drop boxes across the country photographing all comers as a form of documentation and intimidation. Sometimes they follow them home. Sometimes they do other things to add to the intimidation. Election denial matters. Lies matter.

    Yes, now you have close to 300 candidates that are full blooded election deniers. A number of these folks have been quite candid how they would’ve overturned the 2020 election. Election denial matters. Lies matter.

    Soon, a number of these people will win the election and take their seats in Congress. I can see Larry after the midterms saying “well I don’t agree with their position on election denial, I do like the rest of their policies…“ And the beat goes on. And the voting restrictions will go on as the people who would’ve overturned the 2020 election become the powerbrokers in our government. They said they would do it before, odds on chance they will do it again. That’s the effect of believing a lie is OK.

    • larry Horist

      Frank Stetson … I see you are not writing direct quotes for the mouth of the imaginary Larry Horist you have invented in you obsessed mind. It would be much more productive if you would evacuate him and deal with reality.

      • Frank stetson

        It was rhetorical As in “I can see Larry…”

        But you knew that. It was clearly stated as that.

        You just can’t talk issues for love nor money. More personal attacks. More name-calling. It’s all you got.

        BUSTED

    • MSGLeo

      Well Frank, tell me how is it that a county can have more votes than there are registered if not for fraud?

      • Frank stetson

        MSG; Usually, the way this works is that you offer proof to your allegation. You did not. That’s sort of like tossing a burger at the wall. It just doesn’t stick.

        JF G.I..

        There is no proof that there were more votes cast then there were voters in the 2020 election. Most fact checkers have already debunked this one, many times over.

        However, there were more Trump court cases thrown out of court than there were massive voter fraud‘s. And you donors paid for it. There were more Trump recounts, by Trumplicants themselves, , then there were instances of massive voter fraud. And we all paid for it. And the lack of massive voter fraud did result in a giant insurrection at the capital with over 150 injuries. One lady died. And we are still paying for it.

        Millions of dollars in wasted efforts over fictitious voter fraud I never could be proven in significant numbers enough to overturn or even threaten the 2020 election.

        That’s what this disinformation about voter fraud resulted in.

        Keep up the good work!

  2. Tom

    Larry and Frank, you both have good points. The Independent/unaffiliated point of view: As I said earlier (I believe yesterday’s post), I generally would not vote for an election denier because believing a lie is evidence that a person can delude themselves willfully. But again, if given the choice between sound policy with some election denying, OR unsound policy in the areas of relations with China and Russia, international policy in general, economy, LGBTQ agenda, border security, crime, woke agenda, inflation, war against oil energy, expensive and unrealistic green policy, etc. I will vote for the sound policy with a dash of election denial. Currently, Independents are often moderates, and we view the Democratic agenda as more harmful than election denial – but we are wary of these deniers. We also feel that if Trump is not on the ticket, much of the denialism will reach a low ebb that we can live with in order to restore the values we hold dear and are not in line with much of the Democratic party line. However, if Trump partners with Greene, that will be a non-starter for many of us which will cause us to vote Democratic for the top ticket then vote GOP for the lower tickets in order to contain and limit the Democratic agenda. If Trump is not on the ticket and Greene is just in Georgia, then we will most likely vote GOP to restore the country to something we recognize and admire. Independent will mostly agree with Larry that the 2020 election is a closed issue, and that Joe Biden is the fairly elected president because he won the electoral college which most Independents who know why the electoral college was created do believe in. Independents know that if we discontinue the electoral college, then the will of about 13 states will dominate the will of the other 37 states – and this will end the democracy we believe in. We also believe Mr. Barr that there was not sufficient fraud to change the results of the 2020 election – so 2020 is a closed issue for us. We see the Democrats as wasting time and money playing the 2020 election denial card and we do not like waste. We also see a scheme that the Democrats have been deploying to use the immigration system as a way of establishing long term dominance of the Democratic party and this is repulsive to us and viewed as another attempt to destroy the integrity of our election system.

    • Frank stetson

      Tom, I hear what you’re saying but recommend that you review the hundreds of laws that have been passed by election deniers, based on denial of the 2020 election, that restrict voters.

      Also, keep watching the effect of the election deniers like the active intimidation going on at the drop boxes. They will be more of this, not less. For example, I am arranging to have a fleet of people to document and photograph those people who are documenting and photographing at the drop boxes. After all, fair is fair, even though this is a escalation that could result in some excitement. Especially when I start following them home taking photographs all the way. May you be born in interesting times.. Time will tell.

      • Tom

        Yes Frank, I have read several of the laws passed. To this Independent voter that votes at the polls on election day, I found nothing wrong with better control of drop boxes, no distributing food or beverages with campaign slogans on them, better controls on mail in voting (except I did think for instance in my NC it is ridiculous to have to have a witness and voter both present for a notary seal, limiting the time to include mail in ballots received post election, limiting the mail in and early voting periods, absolutely no changes to state election laws within a six month period prior to the election (PA example), no voter harvesting, limiting or restrictions to felons voting, etc. I saw these as sensible policy that I would rather have to live with as opposed to the willy nilly system that will result under the guise of less restricting of voters. None of these changes restrict my vote, nor do they impinge on or deny my right to vote. My right to vote which is the key phrase Democrats use to inflame the issue has actually never been an issue. We all have the right to vote. I also do not buy into GOP key points that they are wanting to ensure voting integrity because I already believe there is voting integrity. And as with any system, we must have sound rules so that the system will work well and be fair. In my own area, I have not seen any voter intimidation at all, none, zippo. So if a state wants to have better control of their voting process, that state is sovereign over its processes and has the right to do so, even if it offends people in other states or their own state – as long as the rules were passed by its constitutional body is what matters.

        • Frank stetson

          Good points.

          Voter intimidation has already been seen in Arizona.

          You note the number of restrictions that you were OK with. Each has the word limitation on it. Interesting.

          Look I have no problem with voter identification, vote integrity, not passing any laws within six months of a vote, etc. I just don’t like to see laws that result in less people voting, valid voters, but less people voting that have said laws did not exist. Especially if said laws do not add value to the voting process except through limitation and restriction. For example, you do not need a law or restricting food and water in a voting line because you are afraid of campaign sayings printed on the cup. That law already exists. No one is allowed to camping with the next number if you’d have any polling booth which would include that situation. However the law presumes all food and drink is a political campaign statement. That’s a limitation and restriction.

          You can’t seem to find any laws I’ve been passed recently that you do not like in this regard. That seems strange. Let me see if I can find some for illumination. Perhaps you are right. But I do not think so.

          If voting laws restrict or limit, that is not inflammatory, that is just wrong and while I doubt that it will restrict your vote in any way, I have very little doubt that it does restrict voting. When people stop going to the drop boxes because they will be followed home by some guy in a Maga hat taking a picture, I call that a restriction. But it’s a restriction that you will never see. Try Arizona.

          • Tom

            I certainly do agree with you on the issue of voter intimidation Frank. I did have one experience with intimidation and it was as I accompanied my sister in Philly to her respective poll place in 2012. Several black youths were outside the poll station within 15 feet of the entrance carrying baseball bats, and the Phillies were long gone for the year. Here in NC in my small community I have not seen any intimidation but admittedly I do not go out looking for it. Nobody has ever followed me home but if they do I surely hope they are visiting with a six pack! And if it is free beer, they can put any slogan on it they like! LOL As far as AZ, I have an old grade school friend who relocated out there from CA. He is big into MAGA and the lie, and is on their MAGA committee to overturn the AZ election. While we still remain friends, I have on several occasions expressed my sentiments that all of these legal challenges they were throwing up were nothing but bluster and waste. Even after several resounding defeats in the courts, they still try. I view this as a HUUUUUUGE (Trump MAGA word) waste of resources and court time. I believe the Dems won the POTUS election fair and square, and if there was any fraud it was most likely negligible. And if there was any cheating/fraud, the unspoken root of the GOP complaint is really that they could not do it better! And that is their main bitch, they were outsmarted and out organized by the Dems and they know it. The reaction to tighten rules is a response to being outsmarted.

      • Frank stetson

        Ps; I never thought I’d see a sentence with the words “Larry and Frank” in it. Pretty funny. Clearly you are an independent… 🙂

        • Tom

          I am glad I made your day Frank! LMAO 🙂

          • Hank

            The election was stolen. Just don’t try it again

    • Mike

      Tom, Your comments on the electoral college are back-asswards. Because of the electoral college, we do rely on the states to elect the President. Assuming that a voter in California has one vote, then due to the disparity of the electoral college, the vote in Wyoming is worth more than 3 times the California Vote in the Presidential election. When you say that you don’t want blue states (the 13 states that you mention) to control the election, what you are really saying is that you don’t want all votes to be counted equally. But, it does get worse from there-if you happen to be a Republican voter in California (or New York, or a number of other states), you might as well stay home for the Presidential election, because your vote doesn’t count. There are a few states that do control the election, but those are not the 13 states that you mention, those are the so-called battleground states-and those are the only states where it really makes a lot of difference if both Republicans and Democrats vote. All voters should be able to vote with the knowledge that their vote counts as much as anyone else’s-end of story…As soon as we have a close election, and the Republicans win the popular vote, but lose the electoral college (it could happen), you will notice a dramatic shift among Republicans regarding the electoral college-but so far, their policies have not been popular with the majority (at least in 7 of the last 8 Presidential elections)…

  3. Ben is back

    We will do exactly what we did before..

    We will vote again. In great numbers. With mail in. With drop boxes. And if you photograph us, we will photograph you. Whatever.

    Yank on that, Hank.

    • Hank

      Watch out for the red wave and take your lives you pathetic losers

      • Tom

        Hank for God sakes please take your prozak!

        • Hank

          Ok

          • Ben is back

            Take your meds and your most kind advice.

            Why any American would wish his fellow citizens dead is beyond me.

  4. Mike

    Larry, Since I rarely agree with you, I will start off with one thing that you wrote that I do agree with-it was foolish for Democrats to attempt to elect candidates (for the most part ultra-Maga) in the primaries because they thought they would be easier to beat in the general election. Some of those candidates will end up winning, and whoever had that bright idea to support those unqualified candidates should be fired from their position in the Democrat Party. However, that is about all I agree with you on. Democrats do not believe that “all Republicans represent an existential threat to the Republic”, however there is a substantial proportion of the folks running as Republicans for public office who are a threat to the Republic. Many are campaigning on changing laws that would allow them to change the will of the voters (or have you been sleeping through that portion of the news?) Due to the inherent unfairness of the electoral college system, it would not take the election of very many of these people to change the outcome of a Presidential election. And that is something that voters need to be aware of, but in many instances I believe that you are correct, and that message is falling flat. Never in our history have we faced a situation like this, and the reason that we are facing it now is due to the baby that we had in the WH from 2017-2021 who could not accept that he was disliked by a majority of the population of the United States….

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