Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 | 2 a.m.
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The Jan. 9 letter “Our democracy is in danger” expressed the danger of abuse of power by a majority political party. Many political theorists have explored this problem. Interestingly, the writers of the Constitution, to get support of smaller states, opened the door to abuse of power by the minority.
Minority abuse of political power has shown itself over the past five years. Sen. Mitch McConnell, while overseeing a Senate in which 30% of the population controls 60% of the votes, abused the power of the minority by negating the right and obligation of President Barack Obama to fill judgeships.
Similarly, because the Electoral College gives excess voting power to a minority, the threat now facing American democracy is a president elected without a plurality of the vote, supported by a Senate controlled by a minority of the populace.
It is unlikely to find fault with the president’s abuse of power — namely that he sought re-election help from a foreign power by withholding congressionally approved aid from that country.
