That’s exactly what’s at stake, as American democracy is under unprecedented, existential threats requiring our swift action. As the midterm elections approach, many experts warn that excessive executive power, chronic gerrymandering, endemic violence, and the exploitation of capitalist competition jeopardize the foundations of the nation. With just 400 days remaining for Democrats to regain control of the House of Representatives, they must mobilize to safeguard democratic principles.
Gun violence is a dangerous epidemic in the United States, which has more guns than people. This deeply shocking statistic is representative of an abnormal culture of violence that has intensified over the last few years. As school shootings and violent crime rates rose sharply, concern quickly spread across the nation—all the way up to Congress. Yet the violence has profound ramifications that extend far past questions of personal safety. It also threatens to undermine the very foundation of public trust upon which our democratic processes rely.
The American U.S. Constitution looms large in this debate. As previously noted, it gives the ultimate authority over drawing electoral boundaries to state legislatures. However, with this power comes the ability to gerrymander on a historic and rampant scale, allowing political parties to draw lines that benefit their electoral prospects. That was an outcome made possible by the Supreme Court’s 2019 decision to wash its hands of obvious party-political gerrymandering cases. This ruling opened the floodgates for states to gerrymander electoral outcomes without restraint.
Texas is in the process of redrawing its congressional constituency boundaries. Their mission? To win as many as five new Republican seats in time for the 2022 midterms. In reaction, California has teed up a major strategy using counter-gerrymandering tactics of their own to win those five seats back for Democrats. This tit-for-tat business only confirms the worst fears about the integrity of the electoral process itself. Are these voters truly able to make meaningful change in their representation?
The mob assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, serves as a stark reminder of the lengths to which some individuals will go to undermine democracy. The January 6 insurrection exposed incredible vulnerabilities within American governance while stoking hysteria over the prospect of future efforts to undermine democratic norms. Under Donald Trump, the administration has been repeatedly accused of abusing executive power. Indeed, they frequently did so by walking up to—or directly crossing—legal lines to achieve their objectives.
Beyond these political threats, economic challenges are the major shadow over the American landscape. Our national debt has ballooned to a record-breaking $37 trillion, servicing costs alone exceeding our entire $850 billion defense budget. This means that Trump’s tariffs will probably end up raising prices for consumers. This will only compound the financial squeeze many families are already feeling from the impacts of inflation.
When the key institutions needed to take collective action on these pressing challenges fail to do so, the questions of accountability and responsibility should rightfully be asked. Academic institutions, titans of business, law schools, media companies, technology execs – everyone has conspicuously gone quiet during this public health emergency. Their disengagement deepens the demoralization felt by all who struggle to save what is left of our democratic values.
Democrats have their last, best chance of the cycle to retake the House of Representatives. Getting this goal right is imperative for limiting Trump’s reach and putting checks and balances back into government.
“Give me liberty or give me death.” – Patrick Henry
As the clock ticks down, it is difficult to ignore the reality that inaction will doom America’s democracy. The urgency is palpable: with only 400 days left before the midterms, Democrats must galvanize support and develop a robust strategy to counteract these threats.