“Whatever happens in Washington, in the months and years to come, Americans of all stripes who value their self-government must mobilize at every level — not simply once every four years but today and tomorrow and the next day — to win elections and help protect the basic functions of democracy. If people who believe in conspiracy theories can win, so can those who live in the reality-based world.” [New York Times Editorial Board, Jan. 1, 2022]
Will we yield to autocracy and suppression, or revitalize democracy, the rule of law and working for the common good? Our actions and our votes over the next few years will determine our future.
This website provides useful information to help you better understand authoritarianism and why it is gaining support among certain political leaders, how we got to this point, and what is needed to thwart authoritarianism and help reclaim our democracy. Click on the links below to learn more.
Authoritarianism – What It Is and Why It’s a Problem
- What is authoritarianism?
- What are authoritarianism warning signs?
- Comparing democracy and authoritarianism
- Why are Republicans adopting authoritarian practices?
Major Issues That Got Us to This Point
- Escalating economic inequality
- The impact of big money on our political system
- Why are we so polarized?
- Media’s impact on democracy
Actions – What is Needed to Reclaim Our Democracy
- What is needed for an effective democracy?
- Build a powerful democracy movement
- Elect legislators committed to the needs of “we the people”
- Reform our media to better support democracy
- Repair the election and legislative systems to prevent the corruption of our democratic system
- Amend the Constitution to enable campaign finance limits
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The MAGA faction, led by Donald Trump and his associates Steve Bannon, Tucker Carlson, Roger Stone, Paul Manafort and many others, has been following a playbook used by authoritarian leaders to take over democracies around the globe. They have conspired to take over the Republican Party in the U.S. and have set their sights on taking over the country. (read more)
What we’re doing now is going to determine whether democracy will long endure … This is the struggle we’re now in, a struggle for democracy, a struggle for decency and dignity, a struggle for prosperity and progress, a struggle for the very soul of America itself. – President Joseph Biden, November 2, 2022
We cannot take democracy for granted; those of us living in democracies are enjoying a rare moment of freedom in human history. – Tobias Stone
Today’s invasion of democratic Ukraine by authoritarian Putin is important. It not only has broken a long period of peace in Europe, it has brought into the open that authoritarians are indeed trying to destroy democracy. – Historian Heather Cox Richardson, Feb. 23, 2022