The 'sore loser effect': Rejecting election results can destabilize democracy and drive terrorism

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

An attendee at an October 2021 political rally hosted by right-wing activist Charlie Kirk asked: “How many elections are they going to steal before we kill these people?”

The attendee was referring to the baseless allegation that Joe Biden stole the 2020 U.S. presidential election and that he unfairly denied Donald Trump reelection.

Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA, condemned the question. But one year after the Capitol insurrection that was fueled by Trump’s claims of a rigged election, Kirk, other commentators and politicians – and, of course, Trump himself – continue to fuel false beliefs of widespread election fraud. Embrace of the “Big Lie” that Trump really won the election has become an article of faith for many Republican politicians. It is also widely believed by conservative Americans; in an October, 2021 poll, 60% of Republicans said the 2020 presidential election results should definitely or probably be overturned.

This creates a potentially dangerous situation for the United States. Acceptance of electoral defeat, something political scientists call “loser’s consent,” is essential for stability and order in democracies.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sore-loser-effect-rejecting-election-145052745.html

[OldBaldy1701E]

1. Interesting.

An attendee at an October 2021 political rally hosted by right-wing activist Charlie Kirk asked: “How many elections are they going to steal before we kill these people?”

I was thinking the same thing, except that the line is "How many elections are they going to claim are fraudulent before we kill the rethug party". As I said, interesting.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Strong governments put down uprisings by force

Don't want us to go there, but sooner or later rule of law must prevail or there will be no more rule of law.

[The Mouth]

3. There was plenty of trashing the Electoral College here.

No sympathy for either side: these are the rules, we all know them. They lost this time.

Once the states select their electors, anyone who has a problem with that needs to leave.

Anyone using the phrase "Not my president" needs to turn in their passport and go somewhere else.

[Slammer]

5. Not my president

I've talked to a lot of Europeans over the years who blame me for US foreign policies and because of whoever is president at the time.

I've told them either:

"I campaigned for and voted for the guy." Then went on to talk about what I did or didn't like about his policies.

or

I've told them, "I campaigned vigorously against him and voted against him." Then went on to talk about what I did or didn't like about his policies.


Bottom line:

The person who is in office is the President. Whether I personally consider him to be my president depends on whether I campaigned for him or not.

I don't use the phrase "Not my president" because it's open to interpretation and doesn't, alone, adequately convey my feelings.


And I've always taken in personally when someone blames me for a president's policies because "he's your president" regardless of how hard might have I campaigned against him during the election and later against his policies.

[Farmer-Rick]

4. It didn't seem to hurt W any. Did anyone complain about the sore loser effect then?

TPTB refused to count all the votes in Florida, thanks to the cheats on the Supreme Court, which would have shown he lost. But let's not quibble over reality.

There were many a W voter who called Dems "sore losers" for calling out the Supremes' willfull failure to uphold Democracy.

I just can't help but think if we had done something bigger, badder, about that cheat W, maybe we would never have seen a Trump.