The health of American democracy, as measured by those who study it most closely, has settled into a diminished state – stabilizing after a sharp decline last year, but still well below the levels recorded at any point before the start of Donald Trump’s second term, according to a new survey released on Tuesday.
The findings, by the nonpartisan democracy-tracking project Bright Line Watch, which surveys hundreds of US scholars at American colleges and universities, suggest that the erosion of norms detected after Trump’s return to the White House last year has hardened into a new baseline. The public also holds a dim view of American democracy, the most recent survey found, but are sharply divided along partisan lines over how well the system is functioning.
This is why it’s extremely important for us to keep pressure up on whomever takes over next to dismantle the grip that the executive branch has over the governing body as a whole.
Regardless of party, the next group (particularly the president and exec branch) will not be incentivized to relinquish power even in the name of maintaining the balance originally held unless we the people demand it, and hold them to account.
How do we do that though? If the people wanted to push this change now there’d be way more action then we’ve all seen so far (no, I’m not even sure what action is left to take beyond THAT kind of action). If it isn’t happening now during the worst of it (so far!) then why would anything be pushed harder if the next administration even attempts to show they’re reigning things in a little? People will feel less pressure to act and nothing changes. Again.
Sorry, I’ve been in a doom mode for a few years now about all this and like all of us…I’m just tired man.
I hear you, I absolutely do. I wish I had the answer, and I’m tired too.
All I know is that we need to work really hard, and for a really long time.