Article Summary:
The New York Times editorial board has identified 12 markers of democratic erosion in the United States, highlighting how the country has regressed under President Trump’s leadership. While not yet a full autocracy like Russia or China, the United States shows concerning signs of democratic backsliding.
The 12 markers include:
1. Stifling dissent and free speech, with the administration pressuring media and targeting critics.
2. Persecuting political opponents through legal investigations and targeting those who disagree.
3. Bypassing the legislature by violating congressional funding authorizations and undermining legislative powers.
4. Misusing the military for domestic control and political purposes.
5. Defying court orders, particularly at lower court levels.
6. Declaring national emergencies on false pretenses to expand executive power.
7. Vilifying marginalized groups, particularly immigrants and minorities.
8. Controlling information and manipulating media narratives.
9. Attempting to take over and control universities.
10. Creating a cult of personality through self-aggrandizement.
11. Using governmental power for personal and family profit.
12. Manipulating election laws to entrench political power.
While the United States remains a democracy with independent institutions, the editorial warns that these trends could progressively undermine democratic norms. The authors note that once countries begin moving away from democracy, the erosion often continues.
The piece emphasizes that many Americans remain complacent about these changes, and the markers provide a framework for monitoring future democratic regression.
The editorial concludes by stating that the U.S. is not yet an autocracy but has started down a potentially dangerous anti-democratic path.