On January 6th Anniversary, Welch Shares Vision for Protecting Democracy, Creating Opportunity
CHICAGO – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch shared a vision for preserving and strengthening our democracy and creating new opportunity at an address to the City Club of Chicago this week.
“Democracy does not collapse all at once. It erodes slowly—when lies go unchallenged, when norms are ignored, when people stop believing that their voice matters. And here is the hard truth we must confront: The greatest threat to democracy is not just violence—it is indifference,” Welch said. “Democracy has always been fragile. But it only survived because ordinary people—public servants, activists, voters, and yes, elected officials—chose to keep playing the infinite game. They chose country over party. They chose principle over power. They chose democracy over demagoguery. And now, five years after January 6th, it is our turn to make that choice.”
Marking the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, Welch called on civic leaders across the political spectrum to reject political violence, to focus on how we collectively endure rather than just how we individually win, and to show through our actions on behalf of regular people that government can be a force for good in our lives.
“When democracy delivers, people defend it,” Welch said. “When people feel like they’re paying a reasonable amount for their homes, healthcare and groceries, people will defend democracy. When they feel like politicians understand their everyday struggles, people will defend democracy. And when people feel as if they’re being rightly represented and the institutions of government are actually protecting them, they will defend democracy.”
View Welch’s full remarks here.
