General Discussion

DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Tue Jun 26, 2018, 10:02 AM Jun 2018

A poll commissioned by Bush and Biden shows Americans losing confidence in democracy

Emphasis exists in the original article and has been carried forward in the OP -- Don

By James Hohmann
June 26 at 8:42 AM

THE BIG IDEA: Half of Americans think the United States is in “real danger of becoming a nondemocratic, authoritarian country.” A majority, 55 percent, see democracy as “weak” – and 68 percent believe it is “getting weaker.” Eight in 10 Americans say they are either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the condition of democracy here.

These are among the sobering results of a major bipartisan poll published Tuesday that was commissioned by the George W. Bush Institute, the University of Pennsylvania’s Biden Center and Freedom House, which tracks the vitality of democracies around the world. The three groups have partnered to create the Democracy Project, with the goal of monitoring the health of the American system.

“We hope this work can be a step toward restoring faith in democracy and democratic institutions,” Bush said in a statement.

The concern about the condition of democracy inside the United States transcends the tribal divide between Republicans and Democrats, with majorities across races, genders, age groups, levels of education and income brackets expressing fear.

“Americans are deeply worried about the health of their democracy and want to make it stronger,” said Michael Abramowitz, the president of Freedom House. “There appears to be a crisis in confidence in the functioning of our democracy, and it is not a party-line issue.”

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2018/06/26/daily-202-a-poll-commissioned-by-bush-and-biden-shows-americans-losing-confidence-in-democracy/5b318a5030fb046c468e6f48/

10 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

A poll commissioned by Bush and Biden shows Americans losing confidence in democracy (Original Post) DonViejo Jun 2018 OP

What democracy? n/t RKP5637 Jun 2018 #1

Hmmm not sure I would phrase it like that - I have faith in democracy/democratic process, just not Kashkakat v.2.0 Jun 2018 #2

This part explains what the headline means. hedda_foil Jun 2018 #6

... Solly Mack Jun 2018 #3

So what are people going to do about that?? NCDem47 Jun 2018 #4

That's what I'm afraid of NewJeffCT Jun 2018 #8

That's why I want to smack some people around and yell "Get out and Vote MF'ers, Vote!" haele Jun 2018 #5

I would like to see the results of this poll. NCTraveler Jun 2018 #7

Just what Putin ordered uponit7771 Jun 2018 #9

getting rid of the rotten stinkin fish head is the only way to restore faith in democracy riversedge Jun 2018 #10

RKP5637

(67,112 posts)

1. What democracy? n/t

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 26, 2018, 10:03 AM

Jun 2018

Kashkakat v.2.0

(1,752 posts)

2. Hmmm not sure I would phrase it like that - I have faith in democracy/democratic process, just not

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 26, 2018, 10:06 AM

Jun 2018

the drunk-with-power autocrats who want to undo it all.

hedda_foil

(16,375 posts)

6. This part explains what the headline means.

Reply to Kashkakat v.2.0 (Reply #2)

Tue Jun 26, 2018, 11:08 AM

Jun 2018

The good news is that Americans overwhelmingly still support the concept of democracy and believe it’s important to keep the system we’ve inherited. That’s in contrast to the years before World War II, when many people got caught under the spell of communism and fascism. Asked to rank the importance of living in a democracy on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being “absolutely important,” 60 percent picked 10 in the new poll. Overall, 84 percent picked a number between six and 10. Among Democrats, it was 92 percent. Among Republicans, it was 81 percent.

Solly Mack

(90,785 posts)

3. ...

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 26, 2018, 10:10 AM

Jun 2018

- --- .-. - ..- .-. . -.. .. -.. -. --- - .... .. -. --. - --- .... . .-.. .--. --- ..- .-. -.. . -- --- -.-. .-. .- -.-. -.--

.--- ..- ... - ... .- -.-- .. -. --.

...

NCDem47

(2,250 posts)

4. So what are people going to do about that??

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 26, 2018, 10:57 AM

Jun 2018

Hold out hope for a blue wave in November? What if that doesn’t happen (surprise! another “squeaker” for Trump Republicans. Thanks Russia!)? Then what? Preaching to the choir here and I know people are just trying to live day-to-day in their own matrix, but wake up people. YOU have the power. No one can take advantage of you without your permission.

NewJeffCT

(56,829 posts)

8. That's what I'm afraid of

Reply to NCDem47 (Reply #4)

Tue Jun 26, 2018, 11:29 AM

Jun 2018

Russia, the NRA and Republicans turn up the heat in the fall and we end up with Republicans holding on to a 220-215 edge or something like that with Republicans winning half a dozen really squeakers.

That said, I'm usually a pessimist, but think Democrats have a good shot at winning the House because of all the GOP retirements -

Sure Joe Bob Republican was in the House for 20 years and won his last 3 elections by 15-20 points, but now he's retired and Lying Trump Clone Smith is running against Fresh Faced Democrat, and I would expect Democrats to win a decent amount of those races.

haele

(12,676 posts)

5. That's why I want to smack some people around and yell "Get out and Vote MF'ers, Vote!"

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 26, 2018, 11:04 AM

Jun 2018

I don't care if it's "uncomfortable" - it's your life and if you have kids, your children's lives on the line.

Enjoy your big screen TVs, multiple cars, and comfortable, maintained houses while you can. You're going to be paying out the nose or losing pretty much everything you own, dying in poverty, just so your corporate overlords can deal with "the next crisis" pretty damn soon if you don't vote.
Americans don't want to understand politics. They want the comfortable lies about unfulfillable promises of eternal pleasure for being good little slaves on earth.

Haele