On June 27, 2019, Mette Frederiksen became Prime Minister of Denmark. A Social Democrat, she replaced the rightish Lars Rasmussen - who had, in his turn, replaced the Social Democrat Helle Thorning-Schmidt. 1/x

I don't follow Danish politics closely or consume much Danish TV. But I'll place a big bet denominated in Danish kroner that at each of these turns in office, nobody congratulated Danes on their "peaceful transfer of power." 2/x

A "peaceful transfer of power" is something that is just *expected* in developed countries, like electricity that works. What else do you expect? We are civilized people! 3/x

Yet here in the United States, at regular intervals, Americans do lavishly compliment themselves on the amazing accomplishment of their "peaceful transfer of power." Partly, this is driven by the cable networks' need to fill the boring morning of inauguration day with chatter 4/x

But it's also real. As Donald Trump's speculations about voiding ballots are showing ... the United States lingers closer than any other comparably advanced society to political violence. 5/x

In Denmark, Portugal, New Zealand, it goes without saying that a transfer of power will be peaceful. Here in the US - it's always a question. In no comparable society do millions of citizens carry arms - and threaten to fire them if they get a political result they dislike. 6/x

Should we all make it alive and intact to a Biden inaugural in January, you'll hear even more network chatter than usual about the so-called miracle of the unique American tradition of the peaceful presidential transfer of power. 7/x

But understand: what you will be hearing is not a celebration of a way in which the United States leads the democratic world. What you are hearing is a sorry indictment of a way the United States *lags* the democratic world. 8/x

And of course under Donald Trump - the US now lags further behind than ever: the only advanced democracy in which citizens must worry whether they will be allowed to vote, whether their vote will count - and whether the loser will use violence to hold power. - END-