I. The Statement
During the third and final 2016 presidential debate, Republican nominee Donald J. Trump stated that he will accept or reject the results of the election when the time comes, adding that he will “keep you in suspense.” After public outcry, Trump said the following day to a rally in Ohio that he will “totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election — if [he wins].”
II. The Issue
Whether someone is a Democrat or Republican, white or black, young or old, wealthy or poor, this statement, as well as the mindset, should absolutely terrify all of us-- even the most fervent Donald Trump supporters. Rather than addressing a difference in political ideologies or challenging his opponent on her controversial past, Trump did something far more detrimental to the American public: he attempted to delegitimize the democratic system as a whole. The statement challenges a stable system that has held firm and overcome over 200 years of adversity, including tumultuous civil rights movements throughout the 20th century. His words challenge a governmental structure that has been modeled countless times by developing countries worldwide.
To clarify the paramount impact of such a statement, the issue needs to be distinguished from any other former Trump statement. Trump did not state that he will simply dislike the outcome of a Clinton victory, nor did he scapegoat biased media or partisan division; he challenged the very foundation that encapsulates every aspect of our democratic system. The distinguishing factor? We may not like decisions made by the President, the Supreme Court or Congress, but we do accept the decisions and the legitimacy of their power. For example, some may not like that President Obama reopened diplomatic relations with Cuba, but the vast majority of the policy’s opponents do not flat out deny that the president can generally chart our nation’s foreign policy as chief diplomat.
It is important to note, though, that Trump’s comments may even be worse than fringe attempts to delegitimize a government office. Trump is advocating for a belief that because the outcome is not in his favor, the entire system needs to be rebuilt. So indeed, arguing that a certain branch of government is illegitimate is often horrifying-- but arguing that our system of transferring power is broken, when it isn’t, is even more disastrous. At its core, a democratic system can only exist when the results of free and fair elections are accepted by both parties. To attack that principle is to attack the foundations of peace and coexistence in the modern era. (This is not new for him; when his reality television show did not receive an Emmy nomination, he challenged the integrity of that system too.) Trump is arguing that the institutions which facilitate these decisions are irredeemable.
The frightening, most monumental outcome of this behavior is that it does not go away after November 8, 2016. Trump will return to the Trump Tower, running his hotels and making Trump steaks, while his idea that our democracy isn’t in fact fair and free lives vicariously through his following base, now estimated around 43 percent of the electorate. Even with Republican leaders contesting his rhetoric, Trump is now the current leader of the Republican Party, and people are following and acting by his words.
Lack of trust in government - not just select political leaders, which we see currently - harms our country, and will make the country’s democratic institutions unstable like those in many Eastern European and Latin American nations. As Republican President Reagan stated, we are “a city upon a hill.” This ideal doesn’t fit in Trump’s vision of a rigged election system.
III. Conclusion
Trump is inciting mass, radical hysteria -- without evidence or proof, just rhetoric -- which in turn delegitimizes our current democratic system. Trump’s rhetoric can and likely will make government less effective. Without a legitimate government, effectiveness is lost. That means our elected officials may not able to work to improve the lives of everyday Americans. The worst, I believe, is that Trump does this willingly, knowing it won’t affect him. He’s a greedy businessman who cares about only about himself and his interests. We cannot allow this to continue. Trump needs to publicly state that he will accept the election results whether he is the loser or winner. Period.