U.S. democracy

The article argues that Donald Trump's actions pose a danger to US democracy, but the resistance through checks and balances is preventing his push toward autocracy. It highlights historical challenges to US democracy, such as Jim Crow, the McCarthy era, and the war on terror, emphasizing the system's resilience despite the current threat.

Americans' pride in US history, democracy, and the armed forces has declined since 2017, with 53% of U.S. adults now expressing 'extremely' or 'very' strong national pride, the lowest level since 2001. The drop is driven primarily by Democrats, while Republicans remain more consistently proud of the military and national identity.

The article warns that Elon Musk becoming the world's first trillionaire poses a threat to US democracy, comparing his influence to modern pharaohs. It criticizes SpaceX's public market capitalization as potentially inflated and highlights concerns about self-governing republics.

Four million Americans will turn 18 in 2026, but less than a third are expected to be registered to vote by November. The article argues for automatic voter registration to ensure these young adults participate in democracy, as current systems exclude them from the electoral process.

The recent exodus of people from the US, both voluntary and involuntary, is linked to worsening authoritarian slippage in American democracy. Gerrymandering efforts by Republican-drawn state maps dilute the representation of citizens with opposing views, paralleling the literal departure of some citizens amid policies undermining institutional checks and balances under Donald Trump.

A new AP-NORC poll finds fewer Americans view democracy as central to the U.S.'s identity, with only two-thirds of adults considering it highly important, down from 80% in 2021. The survey also shows declining belief in U.S. exceptionalism, with 30% of Americans now saying other countries are better than the U.S., up from 19% in 2016. Younger adults under 30 are significantly more likely than older adults to question the U.S.'s superiority and the role of democracy in its identity.

The Ronald Reagan Institute does not support claims of 'waste, fraud and abuse' in government spending. The article highlights this issue as critically important to the future of U.S. democracy.