So said a panelist at last night’s News & Observer “Community Voices” forum at the N.C. Museum of History:
“The future of western Democracy is at stake,” said David McLennan, political science professor at Meredith College. He claimed his statement wasn’t partisan in nature.
“We’ve seen what happens without debate … without committee hearings,” McLennan said. “Major pieces of legislation have been passed in the dark of night.”
I’m trying to figure out how Professor McLennan’s statement isn’t partisan in nature. In theory the future of western Democracy could be at stake if no one showed up to vote. But that’s clearly not the case as early voting numbers so far are strong. So one can only conclude that the professor believes the future of western Democracy depends on a certain outcome. Somehow I’d be surprised if the professor believes Democrat takeover of the House would represent such a threat to western Democracy.
Don’t get me wrong–I believe as citizens we should take the future of our republic seriously in every election cycle—federal, state, local. By the same token I believe we will weather this midterm–no matter the outcome–or at least until the “future of western Democracy is at stake” again–in 2020.
