January 6 is Democracy Day
January 6 will go down in history as the day that democracy prevailed. We should celebrate this victory as a national holiday—an annual reminder that democracy is fragile and should not be taken for granted.
January 6 has nothing in common with two other days that our nation was attacked. Our enemies won on December 7 and September 11, and America went to war. On January 6, our attackers lost. Democracy triumphed.
January 6 should be a day on which all Americans take time to reflect on how we can preserve our nation’s democracy and make it stronger. This is especially true in an election year, when primaries are right around the corner. Sit down today and make your do-list
Most of your January 6 pro-democracy action items should be obvious. Register to vote. Vote in the primary. Encourage friends and family members to register. Help them. Volunteer to work at a polling place. Vote in the general election. Provide rides to other voters.
These actions aren’t enough. The electoral college has weakened democracy as an unintended consequence. An anti-democracy minority is purposefully weakening it further by gerrymandering districts and putting restrictions on voting rights. Tactical voting is required.
Tactical voting isn’t for everyone, but we don’t need everyone. Elections are won at the margins.
Cross-primary voting. If your reason for voting Democratic in 2024 is to keep Donald Trump out of the White House, why not vote in your state’s GOP primary so you get to vote against him twice? If you live in a red congressional district, vote for (or run as) an anti-Trump Republican.
Tactical registration. If your residence is in a non-competitive state but you have a second home in a swing state, why throw away your vote? This is true of congressional districts as well. If Lauren Boebert can change districts to run, you can change districts to vote against her.
Elect-tourisim. If you are a pro-democracy voter in a noncompetitive state (red or blue), and are retired or can work remotely, and have the means, why not take a long autumn vacation in Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, or Michigan?
Before you dismiss tactical voting as something few people will be willing or able to do, remember this: elections are won at the margins. Biden won Arizona by 10,457, and Georgia by 11,779. A dollar spent on a vacation to the Grand Canyon state is far more valuable (and fun) than a campaign donation.
Today is January 6. The best thing you can do to honor the Capitol Police and other heroes who saved our democracy three years ago is to make a list of the things you will do this year to prevent the leader of that insurrection from having another chance.
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