After taking it upon myself to research authoritarianism; I then did an AI search and asked, "does America still have a functioning democracy?" and the following was the answer I got:
"No, America is increasingly viewed as having transitioned into a competitive authoritarian system, with significant erosion of democratic practices and institutions. This decline has been marked by election manipulation and executive overreach, leading experts to suggest that the U.S. is no longer a robust democracy."
So, there you have it, folks. I think a lot of people are fooling themselves, thinking we still have a democracy when the truth is, because of MAGA and the Republican Party, we do not. And the ironic thing is, the Republican Party could turn this around in short order if they would put our constitution, our democracy, our citizens, and the rule of law before party. But judging from their actions, elected Republicans appear to care more about keeping their positions of power, dark money compensation, and identifying with a "party" that is pushing an agenda polls say the majority of American do-not-want. Can you imagine the late Senator Thad Cochran putting his morals and integrity aside to appease a corrupt regime? I certainly can't. Judging from recent elections in Louisiana, North Carolina, and Kentucky, Republican voters are willing to oust any Republican still having a shred of respect for our democracy. Thus, one can only assume that the current Republican Party has collectively decided that they choose authoritarianism over democracy.
Republican Congressional representatives have capitulated their legislative authority as sitting members of Congress to the authoritarian. Their actions are shameful and it is shameful that the voters of Mississippi keep electing such people to office for representation. Why these voters vote this way and against their own best interest is a question for sociologists and psychiatrists.
Mississippians are hurting every day in real ways because of the self serving grifting policies of the regime. All the while, the regime could care less about the financial stress that Americans are having to endure because of these very same policies and actions.When asked recently to what extent Americans’ financial situations were affecting decision making, the answer given was, "I don't think about Americans’ financial situation, I don't think about anyone."
I highly implore anyone reading this to do your own research on authoritarianism to see if you too aren't deeply disturbed by what you learn when you compare it to what is currently occurring to our beloved American democracy. And if after what you learn, you still identify as a Republican, I hope and pray you will at least see it for what it has become and that is destroying the democracy you thought you still had. I then challenge you to rise above the shameful behavior of your party by putting your country above party and tell your Republican members of Congress in no uncertain terms, to restrain the authoritarian.
And if you can't get your representative to listen, then may I suggest you join the rest of us in November and evict THEM from office. Because the way I see it, a vote for any Republican on the ticket is a vote for authoritarianism while a vote for a Democrat is a vote to restore our democracy.
Camille Wright is a Northsider.
