In my latest at @nytopinion, I argue that the truculent response to @BetoORourke's mandatory assault weapon buyback proposal betrays a disturbing hostility to democracy on the right.
Way too much right-wing discourse is about why it's OK to immunize minority policy preferences from the scrutiny and authority of democratic majorities. It's a rejection of the republican ideal of popular sovereignty, the idea that political authority needs public affirmation.
Date: September 18th, 2019 4:38 PM Author: Up-to-no-good church building
In which he argues we can disagree about rights such as the right to abortion peacefully, and not try to pack the courts to get your way
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Dogmatic claims about inviolable rights are implicitly claims about the conditions for legitimate political authority and the proper scope of democratic decision-making. But people disagree about rights, and there needs to be space to peacefully negotiate those disagreements.