A Rebuttal to JD Vance’s Lecture of Europe at Munich Security Conference

At the Munich security conference last week, United States Vice President JD Vance gave an almost twenty-minute speech where he lectured the European crowd on democracy and immigration.

You can see the speech here.

He starts off by making a provocative statement.

“...the threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor.

And what I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.”

He then goes on to describe his concern that Romania just annulled their election. In fact, he brought up this annulled election in Romania twice as evidence that Europe was backsliding on democracy.

We have contacts in Romania and the reality is that the election was widely considered to be tainted. C?lin Georgescu, vaulted from obscurity to become one of the first round voting finalists. Georgescu claimed he did this without any fundraising and cash. His viral videos magically turned a nobody, with zero funding, into a Presidential contender.  Intelligence reports indicated that this was not true and that Georgescu was financed by a secretive actor who wished to influence the Romanian elections. These actions run counter to Romanian campaign laws. A full overview of what occurred can be read here.

https://www.ifes.org/publications/romanian-2024-election-annulment-addressing-emerging-threats-electoral-integrity

It’s rich that he chose Munich as the city to criticize European democracy. Munich was a key city in the rise of Adolph Hitler. Hitler came to power democratically, manipulating the levers of the Weimer Republic to gain access to the Chancellorship. What most people don’t realize is that Hitler never won a majority of the vote. He, like many stalking our societies today, was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, using the democratic system to come to power only to destroy that system and launch Europe into its darkest days. Democracy is not a suicide pact. Those that transgress its election laws must be dealt with firmly and without mercy.

How ironic also that JD Vance who still denies the results of the 2000 election, has the cojones to lecture others on the value of democracy. Perhaps if President Trump hadn’t refused to concede the election, hadn’t held a rally on the very day that his loss was supposed to be ratified (a rally that turned into a riot at the Capitol), hadn’t acted with sour grapes by refusing to attend President Biden’s inauguration, then maybe his Vice President would have some legitimacy to stand before others and lecture them on their democratic behaviour.

He then pivoted to freedom of expression.

“So I come here today not just with an observation, but with an offer. Just as the Biden administration seemed desperate to silence people for speaking their minds, so the Trump administration will do precisely the opposite, and I hope that we can work together on that.”

I do wonder how much the Trump Administration will be open to this. We know already that Elon Musk, Trump’s partner in DOGE, has silenced people on his X town square. He has manipulated the algorithms to give himself and the people he favors increased exposure. 

The Youtube video of JD Vances speech posted by the White House does not allow comments. Why not? If the administration is such a proponent of people expressing their opinions, why not open comments? 

Trump’s history with free speech is not one of being open to feedback and criticism.  He is quick to threaten a lawsuit when people say something he doesn’t like. Not exactly a free speech temperament. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/2016/07/11/trump-bill-maher-and-miss-pennsylvania-ll-sue-you-effect/85877342/

Vice President Vance concludes with the following quote:

And if we refuse to listen to that voice, even our most successful fights will secure very little. As Pope John Paul II, in my view, one of the most extraordinary champions of democracy on this continent or any other, once said, “Do not be afraid.” We shouldn’t be afraid of our people, even when they express views that disagree with their leadership. Thank you all.

On this I agree. JD, don’t be afraid when the people say they have had enough of your brand of manipulative politics, of holier-than-thou proselytizing. Don’t be afraid when the mid-terms, pound your party for ignoring the Constitution of the United States (one of the greatest documents created by man), and you and President Trump try to impose your will on a country and a society that doesn’t want to be told what to do, that lives by the words “Liberty or Death.” Don’t be afraid when the waves of democracy and decency push back against the King-like rule you and your boss are trying to lay on us. 

“Don’t be afraid.”