His accusations alone, experts say, could inflict long-standing damage on the US political system itself by eroding trust in the probity of the electoral process.
Ever since a weary George Washington rode home to Mount Vernon in 1797, American democracy has rested on a cherished principle: the transfer of power from an outgoing president to a successor widely seen as legitimate.
“The most important thing in the system is that the winners win and the losers lose,” said Mark Braden, former chief counsel of the Republican National Committee. “Almost as important as that is that the rational people that support the loser believes that the winner won.”
…Trump’s repeated claims that the election is already being rigged are the electoral equivalent of the nuclear option.
Essentially, he is saying in advance that the election is illegitimate rather than challenging the results after signs of wrongdoing once the votes are counted.
…Meanwhile, pressure is rising on key Republicans to repudiate Trump’s claims.
Election 2016: Why Trump’s talk of a rigged vote is so dangerous – CNNPolitics.com
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