From Pulling Our Politics Back from the Brink:
The goal of American politics should not be “a world where everybody agrees with you,” [Danielle] Allen, [a Harvard politician scientist] said. “That will never be the reward of life in a constitutional democracy. The reward is the chance to participate in free self-government. If you love that, then you can tolerate the hard work of ongoing, routine contestation with people who disagree with you.”
Democrats and Never-Trump Republicans argue that Donald Trump’s potential return to the presidency poses a dire threat to American democracy. Some advocate drastic measures to prevent it, but true democracy demands nonviolent persuasion, even in the face of fear and uncertainty.
“You don’t stop being a fascist because you don’t get everything you want in your first term because you’re surrounded by people who aren’t fascists. They’re right-wing Republicans, they’re craven, but they’re not going along with fascism. You don’t get to do full fascism until you’re surrounded by fascists.”