Perhaps the Rumors of Democracy’s Demise Were Premature
Did the midterm election save it?
The midterms this month marked a significant moment for American democracy, defying predictions of its decline. James Talarico, a Democrat, became the first elected senator in Texas since 1988. Experts had warned in late October that the U.S. was experiencing "the most dramatic decline in American history." Judge David O. Carter blocked the Justice Department from segregating ballots of 20,000 voters suspected of noncitizenship, citing unreliable lists.
He stated that if the executive could discount votes based on unproven allegations, democracy was in danger. The November election proved otherwise, with a turnout second highest for a midterm in over a century. Republicans, including Trump, accepted the results, and there were no challenges or protests in Mississippi, where Democrat Scott Colom won the Senate race.
While Trump's aggressive use of power and family enrichment troubled the country, the election showed that American democracy can heal. Scholars debated whether the U.S. was slipping into a soft authoritarianism, similar to Hungary under Viktor Orban. However, experts like Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way argued that Trump's actions were transgressive but not transforming the U.S. government into an authoritarian regime.
The laws and traditions protecting free expression and civil society blocked his undemocratic initiatives. James Talarico, instead of being in prison, is heading to the Senate, proving that democracy still has resources to recover.
Written by urgent.news from The New York Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
