Interesting articles
Our nation was founded by uniting a diverse and often contentious people under a single flag. For our Republic to survive, it is essential to understand the the challenges our democracy faces and how we can overcome them.
Why the battle over Ukraine is so important
Every day the world is bombarded with news about the growing atrocities committed by Russia in its brutal, unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Many people are warning against a more forceful response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, arguing that we cannot risk going to war with Russia.
Yet what most Americans do not realize is that Putin has been waging a brazen and successful war against the United States and liberal democracies for over a decade. We simply have not responded.
1 in 3 Americans say violence against government can be justified, citing fears of political schism
The Post-UMD poll, coming a year after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, marks the largest share of Americans to hold that view since the question was first asked more than two decades ago.
The urgency to defeat authoritarianism to save freedom and justice
The central cultural and political struggles of this century are now between those who promote dialogue, deliberation and rational problem-solving to resolve our differences and those who demand allegiance to exclusive certainties fueled by nihilism, racism, nationalism, hatred of adversaries, violence, wokeness and cancel culture. The latter group ridicules and denigrates the unifying skills of collaboration, consensus and compromise with political adversaries.
U.S. Named A ‘Backsliding Democracy’ For The First Time On European Think Tank’s Annual List
The United States has been described as a democracy in decline for the first time in an annual list by a Stockholm-based think tank after a year marked by disputed election results and the passage of restrictive voting laws.
The U.S. was listed alongside European Union member states like Poland, Hungary and Slovenia as countries that are experiencing “concerning democratic declines,” though not to the degree of nations like India and Brazil.
The Difficult Step We All Must Take To End Divisiveness
Our political dialogue has been replaced with continual demonization. Our country is being torn apart and we have to act now to walk our political system back from the brink.
The Business Case for Civic Responsibility
Over the past few years, companies have been allocating significant resources towards their ESG and D&I initiatives. Companies must now consider how they can help counter the dangerous polarization of our society. By demonstrating civic responsibility, companies can generate positive media coverage, build market share, attract talent, and increase employee loyalty
Cheney: Our Freedom Only Survives If We Protect It
More than 60 state & federal courts have rejected the former president’s claims. Those who refuse to accept the rulings of our courts are at war with the Constitution. Every one of us must act to prevent the unraveling of our democracy. Remaining silent, and ignoring the lie, emboldens the liar.
How we got to this point and the common beliefs that still bind us
Our common goals as Americans were best summarized in the preamble to our Constitution. But shared beliefs alone are not enough. We urgently need to build a retaining wall to prevent further erosion, and then thoughtfully restore and strengthen our system to once again bring out the best in our citizens.
Three Reasons To Be Optimistic About Our Democracy
Despite what one might hear on cable news or read online, here are three reasons we should be optimistic about our democracy.
Video: Rep. Liz Cheney on Jan. 6 and the ‘Big Lie’
“I think it's very important for people to realize that a fundamental part of the Constitution and of who we are as Americans is the rule of law. It's the judicial process. The election wasn't stolen. There was a judicial process in place. If you attack the judicial process and you attack the rule of law, you aren't defending the Constitution. You're at war with the Constitution.”
From Crisis to Reform: A Call to Strengthen America’s Battered Democracy
After experiencing a gradual decline in respect for political rights and civil liberties over the past decade, the United States is now facing an acute crisis for democracy.
The “Big Lie”
The biggest danger to our system of government is currently the propagation of the “Big Lie”.
Freedom in the World — United States Country Report
The United States is a federal republic whose people benefit from a vibrant political system, a strong rule-of-law tradition, robust freedoms of expression and religious belief, and a wide array of other civil liberties. However, in recent years its democratic institutions have suffered erosion, as reflected in partisan manipulation of the electoral process, bias and dysfunction in the criminal justice system, flawed new policies on immigration and asylum seekers, and growing disparities in wealth, economic opportunity, and political influence.
Democracy Index 2020 - US ranks 25th
US democracy is under pressure from rising polarization and declining social cohesion The US’s performance across several indicators changed in 2020, both for better and worse. However, the negatives outweighed the positives, and the US retained its “flawed democracy” status.
Video: The consequences of destructive rhetoric
This video shows the direct line between the destructive rhetoric used by elected officials and the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Video: Political Decency
Political decency doesn't have to be a relic of the past. It's up to us to make sure it isn't.
How Federalism protects democracy
Federalism provides the flexibility and varied avenues for political engagement necessary to continue our nation’s experiment in liberty. It is a core protection against the dysfunction, corruption, and even authoritarianism at the national level.
Notable Quotes
“While men inhabiting different parts of this vast continent cannot be expected to hold the same opinions, they can unite in a common objective and sustain common principles.”
“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.”
“There was always just enough virtue in this republic to save it; sometimes none to spare, but still enough to meet the emergency.”
“The fierceness of the political struggles has often been misleading... However much at odds on specific issues, the major political [parties] have shared a belief in the rights of property, ...economic individualism, [and] the value of competition; they have accepted the economic virtues of capitalist culture as necessary qualities of man.”