Is America’s “beacon of democracy” dimming toward darkness as other-world means of effecting leadership change become more threatening here?Could the established process of quadrennial election be replaced by prompt and permanent elimination of those occupying or seeking the presidency or other high office? Motivation for would-be assassins is stimulated by elevated publicized rhetoric disparaging in-office performance records and the backgrounds and intentions of aspiring candidates. Licensed public news media that should be reputation-conscious have become susceptible to reporting misinformation and propaganda for the sake of competitive immediacy rather than evidential accuracy. The concept of independent journalism is exposed as fraudulent when identical reporting phraseology is evident on multiple networks without source attribution. Subjection of legitimate candidates for office to hysterical accusations of being “threats to democracy” and similar castigation better qualify as incitement to undemocratic insurrection and revolution. Phil Osifer