Our Democratic Breakdown
For this post I want to turn my attention to the disturbing trend of democratic breakdown here in the United States. I recently came across an open letter signed by many professors and scholars of political science and government regarding the wave of laws proposed and passed by several state legislatures restricting voting rules and in some cases, changing electoral institutions and procedures. These scholars do not mince words, stating that “our entire democracy is now at risk.” I’d encourage everyone to read the letter in its entirety, but it notably goes beyond just calling for a new voting rights law. The scholars call for national standards to regulate the equal and fair right to vote as well as other democracy-damaging trends in our politics, such as gerrymandering and the corrupting role that money plays in campaigns.
Unfortunately, former President Trump seriously harmed our country by refusing to accept his loss in 2020 and claiming that the election was stolen, unfair, or rigged. While his words could easily be dismissed, many Republicans believe them and believe that the election was illegitimate. GOP lawmakers are expected to repeat this lie and are censured, removed from leadership, or challenged in primary elections for not doing so. For all the talk about the US’s tradition of democracy and its supposedly strong nature, it is easy to overlook that institutions maintain legitimacy and respect in large part because many people, either in groups or as individuals, agree that they should. Questioning an election’s results damages trust in the system and in the concept of democracy as a whole. If elections do not elect the true winner, there is no reason to participate in the political system and replacing it begins to look enviable.
The US is far from alone in having its democratic credentials damaged. But current and former cases from history show that nothing good will come from this. Our country will suffer economically and socially as well as politically. This does not just require a nightmare scenario of elections being reversed either. The letter states that “several states…no longer meet the minimum conditions for free and fair elections.” The damage has already begun, and only coordinated national action would be enough at this point to stop further decline and work to reverse it. While the letter includes a call to “suspend” the filibuster, it is uncertain whether enough Democrats agree with taking that step and whether they see the larger situation as urgent enough to do so.
Having studied democratization, regime types, and political change broadly and in several historical cases, I have been very concerned about our political system essentially since those studies began in 2016. I wrote an article for a student group around that time proposing a series of constitutional amendments, including banning gerrymandering, overturning the Citizens United decision, abolishing the Electoral College, and congressional term limits. I believe these kinds of reforms are still needed to make our democracy fairer and more responsive to the average person. The 2020 election results actually showed a much larger discrepancy between the popular vote and Electoral College results than four years ago: Biden won the popular vote by 7 million votes, yet he only won the states putting him over the electoral vote threshold by about 40,000. I don’t think most arguments for the Electoral College hold up to reasonable counterpoints, and it simply empowers a small set of swing states to drive campaigns rather than necessarily large ones. It in no way ensures that all states are considered equally by candidates or their policies. It also gives voters in small states more power in their vote, proportionally, thereby degrading the principle of “one person, one vote” that should be at the core of every democracy.
I also am concerned that many have stopped paying much attention to politics now that President Trump is out of office. The damage to our political institutions began before Trump, and while he worsened several trends, his conduct is far from the only issue. Since the prospects for reform now look limited, I am not hopeful for the future of American politics. The causes behind the damage to our democracy come from many sources and will be hard to combat and reverse. Many also have a personal connection, as our lack of trust in those with opposing political beliefs grows and our consumption of media becomes increasingly polarized. What I can hope is that the concerns articulated by our leading political scientists and experts are widely shared, and that a growth in concern will lead to speaking up and incentivizing action. I truly believe reform in our politics will create a healthier and stronger country and society, which is something always worth fighting for.
