As we celebrate American independence, our democracy is at risk

[Liberty Belle]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Emile (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: East County Magazine

July 4, 2024 (San Diego) - Today, we celebrate our nation's declaration of independence from Britain's king in 1776. But ironically, America's democracy is at risk, along with the liberties we cherish. Constitutional experts warn that like several failed democracies, most notably Germany in the 1930s, the United States now faces the very real threat of becoming an autocracy, or dictatorship.

The threat is two-fold: first, a document called Project 2025 is a blueprint for converting our democracy to an autocracy and the guidebook for a second Trump term of office. Second, a Supreme Court ruling this week effectively grants Trump, Biden, or any future president king-like authority to break the law without fear of prosecution for crimes.

Steven Levitsky, coauthor of the award-winning, bestselling book How Democracies Die states, "Democracies may die at the hands not of generals but of elected leaders--presidents or prime ministers who subvert the very process that brought them to power. Some of these leaders dismantle democracy quickly, as Hitler did in the wake of the 1933 Reichstag fire in Germany. More often, though, democracies erode slowly, in barely visible steps." He further warns, "This is how elected autocrats subvert democracy--packing and "weaponizing" the courts and other neutral agencies, buying off the media and the private sector (or bullying them into silence), and rewriting the rules of politics to tilt the playing field against opponents. The tragic paradox of the electoral route to authoritarianism is that democracy's assassins use the very institutions of democracy--gradually, subtly, and even legally--to kill it."

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Read more: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/we-celebrate-american-independence-our-democracy-risk

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Please share widely with those not yet familiar with the dire threats to American democracy.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

1. The Subversive Court was a big win for autocrats; it is eroding the power of our government to govern.

[Eclipsenow]

2. I totally agree

Disclaimer - I'm Australian. But I'm commenting here because we're scared. I sat around with my men's group over pizza and beers - and there was genuine fear about the potential for an actual decline of democracy in your country.

Those of us in western, prosperous economies have had it too good for too long. Only 17% of the world is as developed and rich as we are. We’re entitled. We want our day’s work to end with some decent streaming of the latest series, or just browse our favourite echo-chambers and celebrity influencers. Celebrity culture has captured too many imaginations. We’re soft. We cannot distinguish between superficial personality politics - and vitally important POLICIES.

If I were American, I would vote for Biden because of the policies. But this isn’t about policies .It’s about who is running for President. And sadly, this isn’t a season of “West Wing”. With the way social media has trashed so many minds, this is far darker. This is “The Boys”. The superficial, the sound-byte, the lies, the dog-whistling to the far-right - that’s what will win this year. Sadly - an old man mumbling and stumbling will not win this election. It does not matter how good his daytime speeches are if he’s a poor, tired, confused old guy just because it’s a debate at night!

Biden must immediately retire. He must immediately swear in Kamala as President. Make HER the incumbent. Then who is old, senile, and saying crazy stuff? Let the country compare and contrast Kamala with Trump. The choice will be obvious - and the funding PAC will just roll over to her automatically. It’s the only way in the time you have left. If it does not happen - I dread to fear what the coming years will bring.

“Mein Kampf” was only 720 pages long. “Project 2025” is 920 pages - only 200 pages longer to break a modern democracy. Godspeed America.

[Emile]

3. After an alert and discussion with the hosts locking.

Not Latest Breaking News - belongs in editorials.