The Death of Democracy – Part 6

If Our Democracy Matters, What Should We Do to Protect It?

Welcome to the Civic Way journal, our quick take on the relevance of current events to America’s future governance. The author, Bob Melville, is the founder of Civic Way, a nonprofit dedicated to good government, and a management consultant with over 45 years of experience improving public agencies. If you like, you can read the prior essays in this series on democracy (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5).

---

Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice. – Arnold J. Toynbee

Maybe the nihilists and cynics are right. Maybe it doesn’t matter if fact and fiction are indistinguishable. Or even if American democracy disappears.

Perhaps we have bigger problems. Stealth asteroids threatening Earth from behind the sun’s glare. A black hole with the gravitational pull to devour stars lurking in our galaxy.

Some certainly act as though it doesn’t matter. Why discern candidates if all elections are invalid? Why vote at all if human existence is short-lived? Why think for ourselves if we can believe someone else?

On the other hand, what if it does matter? What if our children have to live under authoritarian rule? What if our grandchildren have to face tragedies that we bequeathed them?

Prior generations paid dearly to preserve the American Idea. Our graveyards are filled with patriots who believed that democracy and freedom had to be protected. Will that be our legacy?

If we think it matters, there is much we can do as individuals, communities and Americans.

First, in our personal interactions, each of us must become an emissary for the American Idea. What does that entail? To think for ourselves. To listen with humility to different views. To respectfully challenge attitudes that degrade the American Idea (e.g., dishonesty, bias and tyranny). To firmly defend values that sustain democracy (e.g., fairness, compromise and tolerance).

What will this require of us? On the left, less condescension, shunning and moral grandstanding. On the right, less babbling about grooming, critical race theory and socialism. This behavior is not only dishonest and galling, but corrosive to a democracy.

Second, each of us must become better citizens. Register to vote. Study the ballot and cast informed votes at every election. Vote for pro-democracy candidates even if it means ticket-splitting. Volunteer, join a civic group and help solve civic problems. Consider relocating to a locality or state where one vote has more weight in selecting a president or senator (e.g., Alaska or Wyoming).

Third, we can do a lot to help revitalize democracy in our communities. Start a local group promoting competitive elections or good governance. Join a linked network of community organizers. Organize teams to challenge autocratic actions in courts. Support independent media outlets and digital platforms to convey facts, refute propaganda and ensure accountability.

Fourth, we must move aggressively to transform our politics. Here are a few ideas:

• Choose politicians wisely – Ignore diversions like wokeness. Reject demagogues and extremists. Demand more from candidates than shrill rhetoric, fearmongering or empty slogans.

• Offer voters a big idea – Craft a compelling pro-democracy agenda centered around voting rights and other vital freedoms. Sponsor dramatic public events to promise new law ensuring those rights on the steps of every capital (e.g., see 1994 Contract with America event).

• Use referenda to win public opinion – Contest every referendum that threatens personal rights. Draft referenda that will protect or expand personal rights (e.g., women’s rights). Initiate other pro-democracy referenda (e.g., voting rights and campaign finance reform).

• Reform political parties – Urge Democrats to deemphasize identity group issues and oppose election deniers. Urge Republicans to restore conservatism, freedom and democracy as core values. Promote third parties that support democracy (e.g., United Utah Party).

• Win future elections – Recast every election as a referendum on the radical right-wing’s war on democracy. Defeat election denial candidates—and elect pro-democracy candidates—running for federal and state office. Elect legislators who will prevent radical judicial decision-making.

Fifth, we should reform our public laws and rebuild our civic institutions to promote democracy.

• Make elections more democratic – Make elections more competitive, fair, convenient and safe. Enact sweeping voting rights legislation. Make redistricting nonpartisan. Replace closed party primaries with one nonpartisan, open primary for all candidates. Test ranked-choice voting.

• Ensure electoral integrity – Enact the Electoral Count Reform Act (ECRA) to prevent the certification of false electors. Raise the bar for challenging a state’s electoral results. Increase penalties for threatening election officials. Develop national election audit standards.

• Reform the federal courts – Expand the Supreme Court as needed to meet workload demands. Establish staggered 18-year terms for all justices. Develop a streamlined process for removing justices. Subject the Supreme Court’s judicial role to Congressional oversight.

• Reform the US Senate – Restore the Senate’s reputation for civil debate, compromise and problem-solving. Require open primaries, ranked choice voting and full public funding for Senate races. Strengthening bipartisan committees and end the filibuster.

• Embrace constitutional conventions – Develop a framework for planning and managing federal and state constitutional conventions. Craft options for amending anti-democratic federal and state provisions. Draft guidelines for ensuring representative delegations and constructive deliberations.

Finally, we should get serious about accountability. An insurrection was planned. Our Capitol was assaulted. The former president nearly prevented the transfer of power. Even after the Capitol Coup, many federal office holders voted to bar legal slates of state electors.

If we are to remain a nation of laws, we must enforce the laws that protect us from insurrection. We should launch a multi-agency federal strike force to arrest and prosecute violent paramilitary cells (before the next insurgency). We should continue to prosecute extremists who participated in the Capitol Coup. We should punish convicted traitors to the full extent of the law. We should maintain a robust system for disseminating public records and disclosing corruption.

Across the globe, the Ukrainian people are waging a noble fight for their democracy. If the war drags on the deaths mount and allies lose interest, Russia could vanquish Ukraine and its democracy. Putin, after all, is as determined to crush Ukraine as he is American democracy.

In 2018, Senator John McCain’s memorial service was a moving farewell to an admired patriot. It also was an earnest, bipartisan plea to save our democracy. Senator McCain revered Americans who fought totalitarianism abroad. And he would have vehemently opposed Putin’s barbaric war in Ukraine, as well as those who discredit democracy at home.

It is our turn to do the same.