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Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
(Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)
We Still Have Not Learned the Lessons of January 6
And why we need a roadmap for more safe and secure elections in 2024 and beyond.
Jan 05, 2024
This Saturday marks three years since an armed mob stormed the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. We now know this was not just a crazed crowd egged on by a defeated candidate, but a part of an earnest if ham-fisted plot to overthrow American democracy.
How has our country responded? Reform often follows scandal — but not always. When National Guard troops still were bivouacking under the dome, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called Donald Trump “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection. The bipartisan January 6 congressional committee did extraordinary work to expose the facts. But Trump’s grip over his party has only strengthened. He now describes January 6 as a “beautiful day” and calls the criminals who participated in the attack “hostages.” Republicans chose the legal architect of the election denier movement to be speaker of the House.
So this upcoming election year requires us not only to ensure free and fair elections but to guarantee nothing like January 6 can happen again.
That demands legal accountability, of course. Fitfully that has started to happen, with the former president finally facing federal and state charges. We must strengthen guardrails, too. In 2022, Congress enacted a worthwhile update of the creaky Electoral Count Act, but there is much more to do. And we must confidently advance a compelling plan for how to fortify American democracy.
There’s much, much more to be done to protect and strengthen our democracy in 2024.
On this page here, you’ll find links to some of the Brennan Center’s most important work identifying the biggest threats to a safe and secure election, followed by clear-eyed and specific proposals to avert them. We offer guidance to state legislators, prosecutors, and members of Congress, who all have a major role to play in confronting election denial and election sabotage.
It’s not enough to “wave the bloody shirt,” as was said after the Civil War. In 2020, we didn’t see January 6 coming. Now if election deniers succeed in destroying the world’s oldest democracy, we will have nobody to blame but ourselves.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
© 2023 Brennan Center for Justice
Michael Waldman
Michael Waldman is President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, a nonpartisan law and policy institute that focuses on improving the systems of democracy and justice.
This Saturday marks three years since an armed mob stormed the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. We now know this was not just a crazed crowd egged on by a defeated candidate, but a part of an earnest if ham-fisted plot to overthrow American democracy.
How has our country responded? Reform often follows scandal — but not always. When National Guard troops still were bivouacking under the dome, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called Donald Trump “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection. The bipartisan January 6 congressional committee did extraordinary work to expose the facts. But Trump’s grip over his party has only strengthened. He now describes January 6 as a “beautiful day” and calls the criminals who participated in the attack “hostages.” Republicans chose the legal architect of the election denier movement to be speaker of the House.
So this upcoming election year requires us not only to ensure free and fair elections but to guarantee nothing like January 6 can happen again.
That demands legal accountability, of course. Fitfully that has started to happen, with the former president finally facing federal and state charges. We must strengthen guardrails, too. In 2022, Congress enacted a worthwhile update of the creaky Electoral Count Act, but there is much more to do. And we must confidently advance a compelling plan for how to fortify American democracy.
There’s much, much more to be done to protect and strengthen our democracy in 2024.
On this page here, you’ll find links to some of the Brennan Center’s most important work identifying the biggest threats to a safe and secure election, followed by clear-eyed and specific proposals to avert them. We offer guidance to state legislators, prosecutors, and members of Congress, who all have a major role to play in confronting election denial and election sabotage.
It’s not enough to “wave the bloody shirt,” as was said after the Civil War. In 2020, we didn’t see January 6 coming. Now if election deniers succeed in destroying the world’s oldest democracy, we will have nobody to blame but ourselves.
Michael Waldman
Michael Waldman is President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, a nonpartisan law and policy institute that focuses on improving the systems of democracy and justice.
This Saturday marks three years since an armed mob stormed the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. We now know this was not just a crazed crowd egged on by a defeated candidate, but a part of an earnest if ham-fisted plot to overthrow American democracy.
How has our country responded? Reform often follows scandal — but not always. When National Guard troops still were bivouacking under the dome, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called Donald Trump “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection. The bipartisan January 6 congressional committee did extraordinary work to expose the facts. But Trump’s grip over his party has only strengthened. He now describes January 6 as a “beautiful day” and calls the criminals who participated in the attack “hostages.” Republicans chose the legal architect of the election denier movement to be speaker of the House.
So this upcoming election year requires us not only to ensure free and fair elections but to guarantee nothing like January 6 can happen again.
That demands legal accountability, of course. Fitfully that has started to happen, with the former president finally facing federal and state charges. We must strengthen guardrails, too. In 2022, Congress enacted a worthwhile update of the creaky Electoral Count Act, but there is much more to do. And we must confidently advance a compelling plan for how to fortify American democracy.
There’s much, much more to be done to protect and strengthen our democracy in 2024.
On this page here, you’ll find links to some of the Brennan Center’s most important work identifying the biggest threats to a safe and secure election, followed by clear-eyed and specific proposals to avert them. We offer guidance to state legislators, prosecutors, and members of Congress, who all have a major role to play in confronting election denial and election sabotage.
It’s not enough to “wave the bloody shirt,” as was said after the Civil War. In 2020, we didn’t see January 6 coming. Now if election deniers succeed in destroying the world’s oldest democracy, we will have nobody to blame but ourselves.
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