When I went to bed last night America was a democracy. When I awoke this morning, America was still a democracy, as it has been for the entirety of my grandparents’ lives, my parents’ lives and my life. Tomorrow when I wake-up, America will probably still be a democracy. But after tomorrow, I do not know whether the country in which I will awake will still be a liberal, multicultural, representative democracy as social and political forces have been unleashed which are actively undermining our society.
In 2011, I was accused of being an alarmist when I wrote “Since the 1980s, our society has become increasingly polarized along cultural and political lines. This polarization has resulted in the paralyzation of many essential institutions, and now threatens the longterm viability of our society.”
Over the last few years, very smart, rational political scientists and politicians have concluded that the future of democracy in America is no longer guaranteed.
Yascha Mounk:
Anne Applebaum:
“almost every democracy in history ended in authoritarianism”
David Frum:
President Biden:
President Obama:
Senator Mitt Romney:
“… preserving liberal democracy is an extraordinary challenge”
“authoritarianism is in ascendency”
Today’s Trumplicans have abandoned any pretense that they will abide by and acknowledge future (or past) electoral losses. They are now implementing the tools and procedures that will enable them to undermine the credibility of the November 2022 election. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, they are actively engaging in ballot box vigilantism, voter suppression, and advocating for the end of elections.
Political scientists have pointed out that the natural state of homo sapiens’ government is authoritarianism and that America’s 2.5-century experiment as a liberal, multicultural, representative democracy is very much an aberration in the history of the world.
If we hope to stem the tide of authoritarianism and continue America’s experiment in democracy, you must actively support America’s democracy or recognize that your inaction may bequeath an illiberal, authoritarian society on your children and grandchildren, which will oppress (or worse) those who are not conservative, Christian, white men. (Recall that the Trumplicans literally kidnapped children from their mothers and then locked-up the children in prison.)
We must assure that the Democrats retain control of the Senate in the election the November 2022 as the House of Representatives will very likely be taken over by the Trumplicans. Should the Republicans and Trumplicans control both the Senate and the House, political machinations will make it likely that Trump will be returned to the White House in November 2024, at which time the Trumplicans will call for an end to subsequent US elections, as some have already done.
I urge you to donate to the
Here are a few Senate races which the Democrats can win if they have adequate funding:
- Arizona: Senator Mark Kelly (leading vs Masters)
- Florida: Val Demings (-2% vs Rubio)
- Georgia: Senator Raphael Warnock (even vs Walker)
- Nevada: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (-4% vs Laxalt)
- New Hampshire: Senator Maggie Hassan (leading vs Buldoc)
- North Carolina: former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley (+1% vs Budd)
- Ohio: Representative Tim Ryan (even vs Vance)
- Pennsylvania: Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman (leading vs Oz)
- Wisconsin: Lieutenant Governor Mandell Barnes (-4% vs Johnson)
If we loose our democracy, it is unlikely to return within my life span.
Do not turn this page or click away. Donate now, for your childrens’ and grandchildrens’ sake.
Inaction is tantamount to complicity.
Hayward Zwerling
24 September 2022