Adeyemi Oshunrinade
December 1, 2023
Democracy as known is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. The United States, often hailed as the beacon of democracy, is regarded as a nation built upon the principles of freedom, equality, and the right to self-governance. For decades, the U.S. prides itself as a model for democracy and good leadership, while making every attempt to spread the ethos of this political ideology among nations it deemed at risk of slipping down the authoritarian path. However, in recent years, the effectiveness and integrity of the American democratic experiment have come under scrutiny. From allegations of voter suppression to the influence of money in politics, some argue that the very essence of democracy in America is in danger, leading to the question: Is the American democratic experiment at risk?
This question, begs for immediate answers as the American political ideology widely recognized as the bulwark with democratic principles against tyranny, is fast showing dents, damaging the credibility of a system many are now weary to emulate. Since the election of Trump in 2016, One of the primary concerns surrounding the American democratic process is the erosion of voter confidence. From the Carolinas, to California, Montana to Florida, election denialism has spread across the nation perpetrated by Trump’s claims that he won the 2020 Presidential election, despite solid facts to the contrary. Now, there are indications that in 2024, there would be election deniers on the ballot running for Senate, the House, and districts.
Since losing to President Biden in 2020, the Republican party has disintegrated to the use of force and conspiracy theory to achieve political gains. Instances of gerrymandering, voter ID laws, and purges of voter rolls have raised questions about the fairness and accessibility of elections. Critics argue that these practices disproportionately affect minority communities, leading to a skewed representation that does not accurately reflect the diverse population of the nation. In Alabama, Republican state lawmakers defied the state Supreme Court’s landmark decision to uphold section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, by refusing to enact a map that gives Black Alabamians the opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice in two districts, making a mockery of a system built on the rule of law and respect for justice.
A serious dent to democracy is nowhere found than in how candidate Trump’ lies about the 2020 elections, created division among his followers and the rest of the nation. GOP candidates running for office now feel bold to deny election results even when all evidence revealed the candidate lost to the opposition. A recent example was in Arizona where the gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, tried to overturn the election by filing suit asking the court to install her as governor or order a new election, after losing by about 17,000 votes to Katie Hobbs. The rising polarization of American society and the resulting political gridlock have further fueled skepticism about the effectiveness of the democratic system, making it impossible for election officials to find common ground on critical issues, coupled with a rise in partisan politics. It is now unknown if the democratic experiment can survive to address the complex challenges facing the nation.
In Europe, public opinion is beginning to wane about the American declining democracy, caused by how the former president and his followers, damaged public trust in the U.S. electoral system. The spread of misinformation, the rise of echo chambers, and the influence of social media platforms authored by right wing outlets, have raised concerns about the manipulation of public perception, potentially distorting the democratic process and compromising the informed decision-making essential to a healthy democracy.
The declining state of the American democracy since Trump, reveals that when the maintenance of order and the rule of law are challenged by new visions of mass politics where a leader or political party, claims sole power to represent interests of the people through authoritarian leadership, there is a high risk of threat to established order and the rule of law. Looking back to history, one would find that if the warning signs are not heeded, the same factors that led to fascist rule in Europe and communism in the former Soviet Union, may derail democracy in the United States. To think that the democratic history of the United States protects the nation, seems misguided. The current political divide is a clear revelation that just as Europeans saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism or Communism in the twentieth century, America may succumb to authoritarian rule and not even realize.
Trump’ supporters face-off with Capitol Police on J6
To understand the urgency of saving American democracy, it is essential to observe the threats Trump presents as a candidate. Three years since losing to President Biden, Trump remains a front runner of the Republican party. The question many are asking is how possible that an election denier is able to maintain power over a major political party, while members of same party are afraid to speak the truth but instead, have sworn loyalty to Trump and joined him in the war against a democratic state?
It is appalling how a former president who was impeached twice, indicted four times, convicted of sexual assault, and facing more than ninety one counts including felonies, can remain a candidate for a major political party in a nation built on democratic principles and the rule of law. Trump has refused to answer to any allegations of wrongdoing including subpoenas by the courts, while hiding behind a party majority. He called for members of the opposition to be jailed for doing their constitutional duties of oversight and encouraged conspiracies to vote them out of office in order to maintain a one party control. Also, his own party the GOP, continues to engage in voters’ suppression and politics of loyalty by ignoring damaging allegations against the former president.
Trump told his followers “I’m your retribution,” vowing to go after democrats and members of his own party that testified against him or failed to maintain loyalty if he makes it back to the White House. He denigrated his political opponents by calling them “vermin,” echoing dictators Hitler and Mussolini, during a Veterans Day speech, and suggesting that they pose greater threat to the United States than nations that are sworn enemies of America. His message of vengeance and grievance, as he called himself a “very proud election denier,” is reminiscence of authoritarian leaders with no intent of maintaining a democratic state. His words mirror the language of dictators designed to instill fear in voters who disagree with his principles. Also, by dehumanizing his opponent, he intends to deny their constitutional rights to participate in a democracy, while his agenda is to deconstruct the democratic process and replace it with autocratic rule.
There is a clear and present danger as the former president continues to escalate authoritarian rhetoric on campaign trails. His anti-democratic vision is no longer hidden but brazenly in the open and gaining support from his Maga troop. The plan for a wholesale takeover of the country is in the making as Trump and his team are mapping out plans to seize the department of justice and replace it with loyalists in a second term. The former president has indicated his plan to reshape the U.S. government and redefine the power and roles of the executive to mirror his design and purpose for his supporters. When the Nazis gained power in Germany in the 1930s and the communists won in Europe in the 1940s, both governments engaged in a campaign to cripple all opposition parties, many people were imprisoned and others were brainwashed to submission. The election of the communist party to power in Czechoslovakia in 1946, led to the end of democracy in the country. Trump’s actions so far, demonstrate same fate for American democracy if he is not stopped.
Those who voted to put communists in charge in Europe, had no idea they were losing their freedom for decades to come. Likewise, those who voted for the Nazis never envisioned the death of democracy but as it turned out, the Nazis remained in power until their defeat in the Second World War. After the break of the Soviet Union in 1991, there was mass celebration as the people of Russia rejoiced over an end to communism. They became desperate for change, looked the other way and voted for oligarchs. Those who voted had no knowledge they were giving up their freedom and as it turned out, Russia is yet to have a free and fair election till this day. The oligarchy established since the 1990s remains functional and responsible for the disruption of democracies in Europe and the United States.
On January 6, Trump instigated an insurrection, he attempted a coup to overturn the election in order to seize power by force. About 147 Republican members of Congress voted not to certify Biden’s win despite knowing Trump lost. Their decisions to go along with the lies reflect how far they are willing to sacrifice the nation’s democratic principle for party loyalty and personal interests. A reelection of Trump, a candidate with authoritarian tendencies will lead to a collapse of U.S. democracy. It will be a reflection of what America stands for as a nation and destroy the foundation of good governance that took decades to build. Giving power to a party leader who plagiarized the Hitlerian model of campaign, will be a deathblow to American democracy as it is known. The United States will seize as a model for democratic rule and be on the path to authoritarian leadership. The elections of 2016 should be seen much as the Czechs elections of 1946, the German elections of 1932 and the Russian elections of the 90s that put oligarchs in power. The American electorates must avoid a repeat in 2024 to preserve the nation’ long history of democracy. Recently, far right candidates won elections in Italy, Argentina, Poland, and the Netherlands; same can happen in the United States unless the warning signs are heeded.
Adeyemi Oshunrinade is the author of “Medical Malpractice in Health Law.” He also wrote “Wills Law and Contests,” “Constitutional Law-First Amendment” and other publications available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Follow on Twitter @san0670.
Categories: Current Affair, Politics
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