CNN (March 24)
While Prime Minister May “is a focus of anger at home, opinion abroad is also worsening. From a distance, Britain’s long-esteemed political establishment appears to be crumbling, one of the original architects of modern democracy floundering in archaic and arcane process. Much as the British empire eroded publicly with nowhere to hide, the nation’s humiliation over Brexit has staggered center stage.”
Tags: Anger, Brexit, Crumbling, Democracy, Empire, Floundering, Humiliation, Long-esteemed, May, Opinion, UK
New York Times (March 17)
“The United States does not appear at risk of widespread political violence anytime soon. But Trump’s words are still corroding democracy and public safety.” Many people try to make excuses for his abhorrent words, “but they do matter. The president’s continued encouragement of violence—and of white nationalism—is part of the reason that white-nationalist violence is increasing.”
Tags: Corroding, Democracy, Public safety, Trump, U.S., Violence, White nationalism, Words
New York Times (December 6)
“If Emmanuel Macron survives this crisis, something good may come out of it. He, along with French and European elites, could draw the lesson from the revolt of the Yellow Vests and find a way to govern with the people, not against them. That is, after all, what democracy is about.”
Tags: Crisis, Democracy, Elites, Europe, France, Govern, Macron, People, Revolt, Survives, Yellow Vests
Washington Post (December 3)
President George H.W. Bush’s remarkable legacy includes putting together “one of the finest, scandal-free Cabinets in U.S. history.” In contrast, the “current crew” is populated with “liars, braggarts and bullies” who posterity will judge harshly. “None of them will be heralded for leaving American democracy stronger than when they entered office. Neither in their personal dealings nor in their policy choices will they be seen as kind or considerate. They’ve torn up international agreements, frayed relationships (here and abroad) and deformed institutions.”
Tags: Agreements, Braggarts, Bullies, Bush, Cabinets, Democracy, Institutions, Legacy, Liars, Policy, President, Relationships, Scandal-free, U.S.
The Atlantic (October Issue)
“Estrangements are political, not personal…. Given the right conditions, any society can turn against democracy. Indeed, if history is anything to go by, all societies eventually will…. Polarization is normal…. Skepticism about liberal democracy is also normal. And the appeal of authoritarianism is eternal.”
Tags: Appeal, Authoritarianism, Democracy, History, Liberal democracy, Polarization, Skepticism, Society
New York Times (May 7)
“It’s breathtaking and yet, by now, so predictable. Like aspiring authoritarians everywhere, Mr. Trump sees law enforcement in intensely personal terms. When the law investigates you, it’s a witch hunt; when it’s used to punish your enemies, it’s an essential tool…. Americans should remember May 9, 2017,” the day Trump fired FBI director James Comey, “as the beginning of one of the great tests of American democracy.”
Tags: Authoritarians, Breathtaking, Comey, Democracy, Enemies, FBI, Law enforcement, Personal, Predictable, Punish, Trump, U.S.
Washington Post (March 6)
“As the saying goes, you don’t miss the water until the well runs dry: This deeply aberrant presidency threatens to cost the nation much more than even some of President Trump’s harshest critics may realize…. It’s easy to lose the habits and values of democracy, but incredibly hard to get them back. Perhaps most difficult is to recover lost faith in the rule of law.”
Tags: Aberrant, Cost, Critics, Democracy, Habits, Lost faith, Presidency, Recover, Rule of law, Trump, Values
New York Times (February 17)
“The question is whether Mr. Trump will at last accept the fact of Russian interference and take aggressive measures to protect American democracy. For starters, he could impose the sanctions on Russia that Congress overwhelmingly passed, and that he signed into law, last summer. Of course, this would require him to overcome his mysterious resistance to acting against Russia and to focus on protecting his own country.”
Tags: Congress, Democracy, Elections, Interference, Resistance, Russia, Sanctions, Trump, U.S.
Washington Post (November 14)
Donald Trump’s “Asia tour has been at times a disaster, at times a farce.” To pick a “most shameful moment” would be challenging. “There was a time when the world looked to the U.S. president to speak clearly in defense of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. I refer to the entirety of modern U.S. history before January, when Trump assumed the high office he now dishonors.”
Tags: Asia, Democracy, Disaster, Dishonor, Farce, Freedom, Human rights, Rule of law, Shameful, Trump, U.S.
The Economist (November 11)
“For all its flaws, America has long been the greatest force for good in the world, upholding the liberal order and offering an example of how democracy works. All that is imperilled by a president who believes that strong nations look out only for themselves. By putting ‘America First’, he makes it weaker, and the world worse off.”
Tags: Democracy, Flaws, Force for good, Imperilled, Liberal order, U.S., Weaker, Worse off
