How do we protect our Democracy?

[Mike 03]

3. We have an enormous problem.

It deserves more space than is possible in a post.

i think the country just had a near death experience

I couldn't possibly agree more with that statement.

Europe is facing a similar crisis. We should see how, or even if, they can beat back the proponents of autocratic systems in nations like Hungary, Poland, Moldova, Georgia and Russia. Even in nations that have managed to preserve Democracy, they face the rising popularity of far right parties and factions (Germany is one example). Italy had a crisis with Matteo Salvini.

The Dictator Playbook is ancient, but it still works. How is it even possible that those old tricks still work on modern people? How gullible and uneducated have we become?

For most of us it seems like a no-brainer: Human beings should naturally prefer Democracy to autocratic forms of government, but it's simply no longer the case.

I've learned from reading the book Unholy by Sarah Posner that the Alt Right and the Christian Nationalists have found common ground, and part of that common ground is a growing rejection of Democracy. It's also global, with Christian Nationalism drawing succor (and outrageous financing) from allies in both Eastern and Western Europe. Russia figures into this crisis too.

IMHO, this issue of protecting Democracy and Global Warming are the two issues of our time.