Democracy Countdown
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Donald Trump and the Republican Party represent an unprecedented threat to U.S. democracy. If the Democrat unified control government doesn’t pass voting and voting process protections before the 118th Congress convenes on January 3, 2023, democracy in the United States may be lost for a generation or longer.
The Threat We Face
The story of January 6 has three main strands, @bartongellman says: It was part of a systematic campaign to overturn the election; it was the debut of a political movement prepared for violence; and it was the first step in paving the way for another coup attempt in 2024. pic.twitter.com/GO3tOlGwdw
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) December 13, 2021
Midterm Election
Democrats face an uphill battle in the 2022 midterms. Already an underdog historically coming off a Presidential election controlling the House and Senate, gerrymandering and bad underlying polling numbers indicates looming disaster. This means there is almost no chance to pass meaningful legislation from 2023 on.
Weak Points of American Democracy
Combine a hyper polarized polity, a winner take all electoral system, and declining institutional trust (among other trends) and you have a recipe for a democratic crisis.
The Time to Act is Now
Democrats face almost insurmountable odds to keep control of the House and Senate in the upcoming 2022 midterms. Given the intractability of the swing Senate votes, Democrats should prioritize fixing the weaknesses of our electoral system where Republicans might try to tip the electoral college in Donald Trump’s favor in 2024.