Political System in the United States: Deepened Distrust
Published in Frankfurter Rundschau
(Germany) on 20 September 2024
by Daniel Roßbach (link to
original)
Trump's attempts to undermine elections harm American democracy, especially because distrust is growing.
The United States considers itself the oldest democracy in the world. And indeed, one can tell by the country’s institutions that its framework is creaking: from the problematic role of the Supreme Court to the anti-majority elements in the Senate and the Electoral College system to the actual election process and the certification of results.
The fact that the latter has become a political issue can be blamed less on inadequate rules and more on Donald Trump’s democracy-subverting movement that evolved from the rightward-shifting Republican Party and has directed this party ever since. It is pressuring nonpartisan and elected public servants to act against the will of voters in the event of an undesired election result.
US: Election Access Not Completely Free and Fair
It failed in this attempt after the 2020 election, but it will or would most likely try again after the upcoming election in November. However, attempts to undermine elections are already harming democracy because they gnaw at the general trust in its institutions and create deeper distrust between the already highly polarized camps.
In past decades, progressive activists have been able to achieve certain successes in removing barriers to election access for as many eligible people as possible, but they have also had to muster political strength for what should be a given. Other obstacles persist, such as registering to vote, proof of identity and availability of polling places, demonstrating that election access in the country that considers itself to be the greatest democracy in the world is not completely free and fair.
The United States considers itself the oldest democracy in the world. And indeed, one can tell by the country’s institutions that its framework is creaking: from the problematic role of the Supreme Court to the anti-majority elements in the Senate and the Electoral College system to the actual election process and the certification of results.
The fact that the latter has become a political issue can be blamed less on inadequate rules and more on Donald Trump’s democracy-subverting movement that evolved from the rightward-shifting Republican Party and has directed this party ever since. It is pressuring nonpartisan and elected public servants to act against the will of voters in the event of an undesired election result.
US: Election Access Not Completely Free and Fair
It failed in this attempt after the 2020 election, but it will or would most likely try again after the upcoming election in November. However, attempts to undermine elections are already harming democracy because they gnaw at the general trust in its institutions and create deeper distrust between the already highly polarized camps.
In past decades, progressive activists have been able to achieve certain successes in removing barriers to election access for as many eligible people as possible, but they have also had to muster political strength for what should be a given. Other obstacles persist, such as registering to vote, proof of identity and availability of polling places, demonstrating that election access in the country that considers itself to be the greatest democracy in the world is not completely free and fair.
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