The Four Ideas That Explain America’s Democratic Crisis
These concepts provide a framework for understanding how ignorance, hierarchy, and anti-democratic politics converged in the Trump era.
Authoritarianism
America’s Polycrisis Has Arrived
Democracies do not fall from a single blow, but from cascading failures that overwhelm public attention. The U.S. is now in the midst of deliberate, converging assaults on American life and political structure to the benefit of no one but Trump.
How Trump Turned the Presidency Into a Profit Engine
‘State capture’ systematically rewires government so public power feeds private wealth, and it’s an authoritarian framework undoing American democracy.
We Aren’t Headed Toward Authoritarianism. We’re Here
The U.S. has a long, dark history of deploying troops to attack protestors that dates back to the 19th century. What can we learn from it to counter Trump’s latest attacks?
America’s Right-Wing Propaganda Problem Might Be Terminal
Our media landscape has been overrun with clickbait and disinformation, which is largely responsible for Trump’s return to the Oval Office. And when lies replace real news, this authoritarian administration might be able to hold onto power for a very long time.
Trump’s Extremism Isn’t a Footnote—It’s the Story
The media has normalized Trump’s extreme, outrageous statements, which has made them appear mundane—and now that coverage has the potential to help the wannabe autocrat at the voting booths this November.
Florida is the Testing Ground for Extreme Conservatism
Governor Ron DeSantis’ plot to reshape education in Florida is a blueprint for other states to follow—or avoid.
The Present Is Our History Now
Many of us screamed into the wind about the importance of voting, the cold danger of apathy, the sheer cruelty that would be unleashed, the searing reality that too late is too soon. But we can still reassemble our past and break our present—we have to.
We Have a Lot to Learn From the War in Ukraine
Putin may be losing the war militarily, but he very well might be winning in his battle against democracy here in the U.S. Here are some crucial takeaways.
The Price We Pay for the GOP’s Delusions of Grandeur
Conservatives like to present themselves as clear-eyed realists, but when mistakes are made, who holds them accountable?