Dangerous Threats to Democracy and Political Dysfunction

How Democracy Dies - Introduction + Chapters 1-2 - Typically think of democracy dying through a coup (Chile 1973) but American democracy is under threat from less violent force - heightened partisanship, attacking the press, etc. - Road to democratic failure is deceptive - facade of democracy but hidden forces present - A legal/democratic route to authoritarianism exists - America took first step with Trump - Consistent theme of political outsiders capitalizing on anti-establishment sentiments --> winning from the inside either through alliances with the powerful or through elections - - Establishment figures tempted to co-opt these charismatic, successful outsiders Cause for concern: rejection of democratic rules, denial of political opponents’ legitimacy, toleration of violence, readiness to curtail civil liberties of opponents - - Political parties must actively reject, root out, and isolate internal threats to democracy - Must also be willing to join with political rivals against a common enemy - Parties are the reason America didn’t backslide into authoritarianism in 1930s Primary conventions offered an effective gatekeeping solution but weren’t also representative of the popular vote - consistent tension throughout all democracies - Democratic primary elections initially were successful in both regards because circumventing the party establishment was more difficult than it appeared on paper It’s Even Worse than it Looks - Chapter 1 - 2011 debt ceiling crisis started a modern period of putting political expediency above the nation’s interests --> led to a dangerous precedent that has brought us to the present day - Change was brought upon partially by a new generation of conservatives taking over the Republican Party --> Tea Party movement + Cantor/McCarthy/Ryan - Created unprecedented blockage of legislative agenda through refusal to compromise - Tea Party/Obama negotiations featured Republican more concerned with avoiding ownership of a poor economy than avoiding one if it meant giving up spending cuts - Obama presidency was characterized by brinkmanship + dysfunction driven by tribalism