Democracy Warrior: We Must Rebuild from the Ground Up

Democracy Faces Existential Threat, Expert Warns

Democracy in America is facing a critical moment, with institutions previously thought to be safeguards against authoritarianism showing signs of weakness. Cherylyn Eiffel, a prominent “democracy warrior” and director of the 14th Amendment Center for Law and Democracy at Howard University, believes the nation must undertake a fundamental rebuilding process. She argues that the challenges to democracy are not new but have been amplified by figures like Donald Trump, who acted as an “accelerant” to existing vulnerabilities.

Trump as an ‘Accelerant’ to Deep-Seated Issues

Eiffel explained that Donald Trump did not create the issues plaguing American democracy but rather tapped into existing sentiments. “He absolutely tapped into that and he started it, but long before he came down that escalator,” she stated, referring to Trump’s announcement of his presidential campaign.

These sentiments include racism and white supremacy, which Trump exploited from his early questioning of President Obama’s birthplace. “He understood that he could tap into that,” Eiffel said.

The obsession with wealth and status also plays a significant role. Eiffel noted a cultural shift around the 1980s, fueled by media like “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” that prioritized extreme wealth.

This, combined with a focus on crime and public safety, created a “toxic possibility” that Trump effectively leveraged. “It was less a kind of subtle understanding of American history or anything like that and much more of an animal sense of what lies at the core,” she commented.

The Myth of Voter Fraud and its Consequences

A key area of concern for Eiffel is the persistent myth of widespread voter fraud. She highlighted that this narrative has been a political tactic used by the Republican party since the late 1990s.

Despite numerous studies showing no substantial voter fraud, this manufactured crisis has led to the passage of laws making it harder to vote. “Based on the lie of fraud in 2020, we are making it harder to vote today,” Eiffel stated, emphasizing the regression in voting rights.

Eiffel, a voting rights lawyer since 1988, has seen this tactic evolve. “Republicans were successful in passing a whole series of laws designed to address a problem that doesn’t exist,” she explained.

“It was made up. It was a political tactic by the Republican party that was used.” This strategy, she warned, aims to shrink the electorate by imposing measures like voter purges, strict voter ID laws, and increased scrutiny at polling places.

Corporate Culture and the Erosion of Responsibility

Beyond political tactics, Eiffel pointed to the business community’s role in weakening democracy. She criticized the prevailing corporate culture that prioritizes profit maximization above all else, often neglecting responsibilities to the democratic system that enables their success. “We have allowed a corporate community that sees itself as having no responsibility to democracy itself,” Eiffel observed.

She found it particularly troubling that corporations, chartered by states and granted rights under amendments like the 14th, often articulate their sole responsibility as being to shareholders. This is especially concerning when some companies have reportedly ceded ownership stakes to the U.S. government under pressure, a move driven by a calculation to maximize profits by appeasing those in power. “I think it’s such a degradation that these folks believe that’s the price of the ticket, that that’s the price of the game,” she said.

The Supreme Court’s Detachment from Democracy’s Struggles

The Supreme Court also came under sharp criticism from Eiffel, who described it as a “Frankenstein monster” that has engaged in its own power grab. She believes the conservative majority operates from a culture forged in a past era, where presidents were seen as needing maximized power. This perspective, she argued, makes the Court ill-equipped to handle the complexities of 21st-century America.

“They are not up to the job. They can’t solve the problems that are coming before them,” Eiffel asserted.

She cited Chief Justice Roberts’ comments on race-based policies and the Court’s dismissal of partisan gerrymandering cases as examples of their inability to grapple with pressing issues. The Court, she concluded, seems “comfortable on the sidelines of that existential battle” between autocratic and democratic forces, failing to recognize the imperative of a functioning democracy for their own legitimacy and the nation’s well-being.

Media’s Failure to Report Objectively

Eiffel also addressed the media’s role, arguing that a failure to report objectively has further weakened democracy. She criticized news organizations for not calling out blatant racism and for sanitizing the language used by political figures. “When news organizations refuse to do that, refuse to do that work, refuse to assemble the objective facts and come to the conclusion, then they are not being neutral,” she stated forcefully.

This lack of direct reporting, she believes, can “gaslight” those who are trying to address serious issues, making them appear radical. She contrasted this with how offensive language, like specific profanities used by politicians, is often softened or omitted in reporting, thereby failing to convey the full impact of their words. “I think it endangers the people who were sort of standing there saying the emperor is buckass naked,” Eiffel concluded.

Call for a Fundamental Reset

Eiffel’s core message is a call for a deep and fundamental reset across all institutions. “The resetting that we have to do is like it it’s got to come down to the studs,” she urged.

This includes re-evaluating the culture within political parties, corporations, the judiciary, and the media. The goal is to build a stronger, more resilient democracy that can withstand future challenges.

She believes that the fight for democracy is ongoing and requires sustained effort. “We have to be having serious conversations now about what we want to see on the other side,” Eiffel emphasized. The path forward involves confronting the underlying issues and actively working to construct a better, more just, and equitable nation.

Source: “The emperor is buck-ass naked!” Nicolle Wallace on Trump's MELTDOWN in plain sight (YouTube)