When political leaders face a constitutional crisis, like that of Jan. 6, the process of collectively deciding how to respond can be messy, arbitrary, and sometimes change the nature of the system itself.
Tag Archives: Democracy (Theory and Philosophy)
Hence, Mike Pence
Trump set a fire with lies, then doused Mike Pence in gasoline.
Who Is Financing Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ Caucus? Corporations You Know.
The flow of corporate money to politicians who voted to overturn the 2020 election is helping fund a continuing attack on our democracy.
We Don’t Even Have to Look Up From Our Phones to Hate Each Other
Once upon a time social media was going to bring us all together.
How Bolsonaro Is Using the Military to Challenge Brazil’s Election
Despite little evidence of past fraud, President Jair Bolsonaro has long raised doubts about Brazil’s electoral process. Now the military is expressing similar concerns.
Trump, American Monster
A man of pure narcissistic psychopathy feels no guilt and has no sense of the damage he does.
Why Canada Races on Gun Policy When America Crawls
The speed of policymaking in Canada, and its frequent deadlock in the U.S., may come down to the rules of their political systems.
Gun Talks Put Senate’s Tattered Credibility on the Line
After a string of Democratic failures on marquee issues, Senator Chuck Schumer’s decision to give bipartisan gun talks time is a test of the Senate — and of democracy itself.
Why Republicans Love the Land of ‘Illiberal Democracy’
Viktor Orban’s Hungary has a lot to offer them.
America’s Doug Mastriano Problem
The Republican Party’s strategy to contain populist rebellion didn’t work in Pennsylvania.
Anne Applebaum on What Liberals Misunderstand About Authoritarianism
The writer discusses what Hannah Arendt’s “The Origins of Totalitarianism” reveals about the fragility of liberal democracy.
Trump’s Former Aides and Advisers on the Peril He Poses
Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper agreed with an interviewer that President Trump posed “a threat to democracy.” Other former administration officials have expressed similar concerns.
Can We Still Be Optimistic About America?
Our perpetual pessimism can be turned into the source of our renewal.
How Roe Warped the Republic
Why Roe v. Wade may be overturned by the very forces of polarization it unleashed.
Is American Democracy Built to Last?
Yascha Mounk’s new book questions deeply held beliefs about the stability of Western societies.
US Braces for Potential French Election Shockwave
An upset victory by the right-wing nationalist Marine Le Pen in the presidential election on Sunday could scramble President Biden’s foreign policy.
Democrats Fear for Democracy. Why Aren’t They Running on It in 2022?
Republicans are far more energized about the issues of elections and voting, powered by a former president and many base voters who believe the 2020 contest was illegitimate.
Peng Ming-min, Fighter for Democracy in Taiwan, Dies at 98
He endured Japanese imperial rule, a lost limb in World War II, Chinese martial law and decades in exile to become a leading force for Taiwanese self-determination.
The Dangerous Lesson Viktor Orban Taught Republicans
Bret Stephens and Zack Beauchamp debate the biggest challenges threatening liberalism in America and beyond.
Trump Poses a Test Democracy Is Failing
Ordinary voters are supposed to punish authoritarians by removing them from office. Intensifying partisanship is threatening that mechanism.
U.S. Report Describes a Global Retreat on Human Rights
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says repressive governments “are growing more brazen” and reaching across borders to target their critics.
Emmanuel Macron Is Playing a Dangerous Game
How Emmanuel Macron absorbed the poltical views of his opponents
Globalization Is Over. The Global Culture Wars Have Begun.
We’re entering the age of red world versus blue world.
Yes, There Is a Clash of Civilizations
What Samuel Huntington foresaw about the current world order.
Xi, Putin and Trump: The Strongmen Follies
This is what happens when a leader wants to be the president for life.
This Is Why Autocracies Fail
Over the long term, centralized power is a recipe for stagnation.
Timothy Snyder on the Myths That Blinded the West to Putin’s Plans
The renowned historian on Putin’s myths, Ukrainian identity and the West’s “politics of inevitability.”
The War in Ukraine Holds a Warning for the World Order
The multinational response shows that liberalism has some life left. But the challenges posed by waning U.S. power and rising authoritarianism remain formidable.
The Week That Awoke the World
What the Ukrainians have taught us.
Why Ukrainians Believe They Can Win Against Russia
Idealism has been a powerful weapon in the resistance against Russia.
Putin vs. Democracy
Democracy is on the decline worldwide, and Vladimir Putin is a big factor.
As French Elections Loom, Macron Tries to Strike a Balance
The news media calls the French president “Jupiter,” the king of the gods, but he is showing a more human face. Will it soften his image?
The Dark Century: Why Is Liberalism in Decline?
Why our era has grown so ugly.
The Ottawa Trucker Protests Are a Test of Democracy
Peaceful protest is a necessary release valve for pandemic fatigue and frustration.
You — Yes, You! — Can Save Democracy
Amanda Litman makes the case for engaging with politics at the local level.
This Is What Made Covid the ‘Almost Ideal Polarizing Crisis’
The advent of the disease was the “almost ideal polarizing crisis.”
Roberta Metsola Elected as President of European Parliament
Roberta Metsola of Malta will succeed David Sassoli, an Italian politician who died last week, at a critical time for the institution.
Failure on Voting Rights Would Be Historic
Democracy is losing.
Boris Johnson’s Repressive Legislation Reveals Who He Really Is
A raft of repressive legislation shows the prime minister’s true colors.
Will America Descend Into Another Civil War?
It’s hard to imagine. But so is democracy’s salvation.
The Impact of Jan. 6 Is Still Rippling Throughout the World
The attack on Congress marked a significant decline in American global power and influence.
Why So Many People Are Unhappy With Democracy
The most pervasive and perhaps deepest challenge facing virtually all Western democracies is the political fragmentation of democratic politics.
Is Democracy’s Fate the Media’s Fault?
How should political journalists be approaching their work in these polarized times?
Biden Rallies Global Democracies as U.S. Hits a ‘Rough Patch’
The White House’s Summit for Democracy has drawn harsh criticism of domestic issues and questions about the guest list.
Biden’s Democracy Summit Sells Democracy Short
Biden’s democracy summit sells the concept short.
Biden’s Democracy Conference Is About Much More Than Democracy
Democracies can find strength in numbers.
Dear People of 2021: What Can We Learn From Hindsight?
For the first series from the Headway initiative, we followed up on forecasts from decades past to ask what the passage of time has revealed.
In Their 80s, and Living It Up (or Not)
Two octogenarians have different reactions to an essay, “Living My Life Again.” Also: “Illiberal democracy”; housing in the Bronx; rich vs. poor
U.S. Allies Drive Much of World’s Democratic Decline, Data Shows
Washington-aligned countries backslid at nearly double the rate of non-allies, data shows, complicating long-held assumptions about American influence.
Tax Evasion and the Republican Party
By enabling resistance to lawful taxation, Republicans are undermining democracy.