76% of Americans See U.S. Democracy Under Serious Threat

Concerns over the current state of American democracy are widespread, with a recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll indicating that 76% of Americans believe democracy is under serious threat. This sentiment is echoed by individuals who have experienced political upheaval in other nations, drawing stark comparisons to past authoritarian regimes. The growing unease highlights deep divisions and challenges to foundational democratic principles.

One such voice is Mario, who emigrated to the United States "chasing real democracy" and to "forget the horrors of communism" in his native Poland. However, he now observes a troubling parallel: "But now I’m seeing the same chaos I saw in Poland. Except this time it’s reversed. Back then we were crawling out of communism. Here it feels like America is slipping into something even darker."

Experts and international organizations have increasingly flagged the United States for democratic backsliding. The V-Dem Institute, for instance, has noted significant declines in U.S. democracy scores since 2016, and the International IDEA listed the U.S. as a "backsliding democracy" for the first first time in 2021. These assessments often cite issues such as challenges to election integrity, erosion of the rule of law, and escalating political polarization.

Further exacerbating these concerns are recent developments, including executive actions impacting media and academic freedom, as detailed in reports from International IDEA. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson of the Supreme Court recently stated that the "state of our democracy" keeps her awake at night, expressing concern about actions that "risk undermining our Constitution and the rule of law."

Despite these alarming trends, a call for resilience and collective action persists. Mario, reflecting a broader determination, affirmed, "I am not giving up, I am still fighting but we need to fight together and fiercer for the greatest democracy in the world🇺🇸." This underscores a shared belief in the potential for American democracy to overcome its current challenges through unified effort.