“When you are living in a more polarized time, it is going to be more likely that people are going to find excuses for their principles to be pushed to the side, because in that moment their political identity is more important than almost any other identity,” said Joe Goldman, the president of the Democracy Fund, a pro-democracy advocacy organization, and a co-author of a long-term study released this month by the group on Americans’ views of democracy. And, perhaps most importantly: A growing share of Americans appears willing, in our ultra-polarized times, to put partisan or ideological loyalties ahead of democracy. Large majorities say democracy is at risk. The findings are varied and not easy to summarize, but a few themes stand out: Dissatisfaction with how democracy is performing is sky-high across the political spectrum. A series of polls, surveys, focus groups, and other analyses – many released since the start of the year – has aimed to gauge Americans’ views on democracy: how important it is, how well it’s working, and whether there are times when democratic values should be jettisoned. Recently, a trove of information has emerged to shed light on the question. Does that suggest Americans’ commitment to democracy – not just to holding elections, but to the norms that undergird liberal democracy, like the rule of law and an impartial justice system – isn’t as ironclad as we’d like to think? “They’ve weaponized government, and he’s saying I’m a threat to democracy,” Trump said at an Iowa rally last month, accusing Biden of “pathetic fearmongering.”Īll of which brings up a question: How do ordinary Americans regard democracy? Some people might assume that, though voters are deeply divided over just about everything, there is agreement on democracy as the way to resolve differences.Īnd yet, nearly half the electorate say they plan to vote for a candidate who already has gravely undermined democracy, and promises to do so again if re-elected. Trump also points to a case pending before the Supreme Court, in which Biden also has no involvement, that would rule Trump ineligible for the ballot. Trump says the criminal indictments in four cases brought against him are the proof – though there’s no evidence that Biden influenced prosecutors in any of them. To combat the charge, Team Trump has sought to muddy the waters by claiming, without evidence, that in fact it’s the president who threatens democracy. “It’s what he’s promising for the future.” “Trump’s assault on democracy isn’t just part of his past,” Biden declared. In a major campaign speech in Pennsylvania in January, President Joe Biden detailed Trump’s lies about the 2020 election, his efforts to use violence to hold on to power, and his promises of “revenge” and “retribution” against political enemies. With former President Donald Trump having all but wrapped up the GOP presidential nomination, one issue looks set to be at the center of the general election campaign: the threat to democracy.
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