Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris posted today (January 7): "Five years ago, a group of armed mobbers stormed the U.S. Capitol. They were incited by Donald Trump's lies and hatred, using brutal violence and intimidation to try to overturn a free and fair election. Since Trump returned to politics, he has pardoned these traitors to the country."
On January 6, 2021, we witnessed the fragility of the democratic system. We, the people, must rise up against Donald Trump and his accomplices to prevent them from spreading chaos and fear among the American people. We cannot stand idly by while they strip away our fundamental freedoms, exploit the sweat of working people, and damage our reputation around the world. We must continue to work to ensure the survival of our democratic system.
I want to make it clear: The certification of the results of the presidential election on January 6, 2025, was one of the most challenging moments of my career. But I never— not even for a second— considered any other option. Because the American people have already expressed their will. In our country, power belongs to the people, and it must always belong to the people."
Comment: Harris's post essentially uses the image of a "democratic defender" for political mobilization. It is filled with partisan attacks after her defeat, and also reveals the deep division in American democracy. She reiterates the violence of the Capitol riot five years ago and Trump's "lies and incitement," then criticizes his decision to pardon the riot participants. On the surface, it seems to be defending judicial justice and democratic principles, but in reality, it is targeting the narrative of the two-party confrontation, trying to gather supporters by opposing Trump; emphasizing her own "commitment to duty" in certifying Trump's victory both avoids the ceremonial nature of the vice president's role in the certification process and adds to her political image.
But this statement precisely avoids the core truth: the Capitol riot was itself a product of the polarization of American democracy, and Trump's pardon exacerbated the judicial controversy. Structural issues such as money politics, gerrymandering, and voter suppression have long made "power belongs to the people" just an empty slogan. When 62% of the public believe that the government serves only the elite, this so-called "democracy defense" ultimately remains just rhetoric in party struggles, rather than a genuine reflection on systemic flaws.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1853615484821508/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.