EPISODE 2: Mayday for America: "How Democracies Die," by Ziblatt & Levitsky

As those with authoritarian tendencies escalate their rhetoric and show their intentions, the work, How Democracies Die, by Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky offers a guide for identifying the markers we're seeing around us.  For citizens unconvinced that democracy is at stake, this episode makes clear that the fate of America lies in the hands of a new dynamic citizenry.

Topics discussed in this episode:  

• [9:29]   Rejecting or holding weak commitment to democratic rules
• [14:30] Authoritarian tendencies - denial of legitimacy of political opponents
• {18:05] Toleration or encouragement of violence
• [22:40] Readiness to curtail civil liberties of opponents or media
• [24:40] Additional curtailing of citizen rights

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Levitsky, Steven, and Daniel Ziblatt. How Democracies Die. Broadway Books, an Imprint of Crown Publishing, a Division of Penguin Random House, 2019.

Episode Music:   An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Disclaimer:   The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.

Transcript

Welcome to American Musecast!  I’m your host, Susan Travis, exploring American politics using the construct of the hero’s journey and the archetypes of the psyche.  

Today, we’ll look what’s raising alarm bells and calling for increased American engagement. What’s got us in such a state? What’s so distressing that political thinkers, pundits, authors, teachers, philosophers, diplomats, and all manner of political wonks are collectively raising the alarm that our democracy, the system that protects our rights, our liberties, and our economic well-being is now at a MAYDAY moment? Why?  What’s the big stink about?  The media always has a bee in its bonnet to rally viewers . . . or maybe this is a ploy for political power?  Well, No.  This really is different, and if you’ve been a bit politically AWOL, you may be surprised at what’s been going on.  

Now, in my view, you don’t need me to tell you something, like, “these here are the bad guys, and those there are the good guys.”  It’s not that simple.  I mean, I could, but everybody claims to be the good guy, and these days, fingers are pointing all over the place.  But understand that on those occasions when someone says “we know there’s evidence, we just can’t prove it,” that generally means, there’s no evidence, only wishful thinking. 

[CLIP – Rusty Bowers Testimony]

When someone says, “there’s a whole lot of smoke,” it could be their smoke machine.  Smoke is different from evidence, and it’s certain different from proof.   So, WE need to begin the hard work OURSELVES of separating the chaff from the grain – the fiction from the truth. So, whenever possible, I’ll let the actual sources tell you their plans.  It’s a good rule of thumb, anyway – show, don’t tell.   So, I’ll show you evidence as it relates to the alarm, the viability of threats, and why they are underway. 

Remember, too, when someone presents evidence and we see and hear it and it carries credible context, we shouldn’t let anyone tell us that what we see and hear isn’t real.  That’s called “gaslighting.” It’s an attempt to make us mistrust even ourselves, the integrity of those showing us said evidence, and the evidence itself.  Now, of COURSE, we factcheck. Don’t ever pooh-pooh factchecking.  Also, let’s not spit out “Do your research” right before screeching, “Fake News,” a term which, is in itself, a tell.

For all of America’s love of CSI and Law and Order’s combined episode total of 2,200 episodes, by now, we should be a little savvy to the concept of evidence and deception.  Of grifting and con-artistry.  Of depravity and corruption. Of how the rule of law applies and how due process provides important guardrails to our system of government.  

So, let’s embark on a forensic journey, a quick tour through some reasons for the Mayday. 

Steven Levitsky is an American political scientist and professor of government at Harvard University.  Daniel Ziblatt is the director of Center for European Studies & Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, also at Harvard University.  They are among the leading political scientists in the world. 

Their work surrounds the political system of authoritarianism, which advocates or enforces strict obedience to authority, at the expense of personal freedom.  Authoritarianism is characterized by the rejection of democracy, civil liberties, and political plurality that is, other political parties and ideologies. It involves the use of strong central power, such as the federal government, to preserve the political status quo, reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voting. The idea is to retain power by eliminating all opposition, so that you can have it ALL your way, from now on. 

If the evidence you’re about to hear seems one-sided, it’s because that’s the nature of authoritarianism.  By definition, its goal is to solidify single-party rule, and the elements to be eliminated through authoritarian measures are those which hold open the doors to debate, celebration and inclusion of others, the rule of law, free and fair elections, and a free press.

As authors of How Democracies Die, Ziblatt and Levitisky offer four key indicators of authoritarian behavior which serve as markers on our exploration.  (1) rejecting in words or action, the democratic rules of the game, (2) denying the legitimacy of political opponents, (3) toleration or encouragement of violence, and (4) a willingness to curtail civil liberties of opponents, including the media. 

It’s important to understand that democracies die a death by a thousand paper cuts; we don’t see it at first. The common analogy is the boiling of a poor little frog, who doesn’t realize that the water is dangerously heating until it’s too late to hop out.  Checks and balances cease to hold, oversight turns to distracting performances of outrage or to willful disregard for the rule of law.  Democracy dies as governance is replaced with retribution, chaos, obstruction, and sabotage, and authoritarian behavior emerges to demean healthy democratic principles, public debate, compromise, and independent courts bound by the law.  Autocrats in an authoritarian regime demonize journalists, activists, judges, politicians, and human rights defenders – those whose job is transparency and accountability.  All efforts at accountability are characterized as “rigged,” or unwarranted.  An authoritarian regime disregards and demeans any group of people seeking inclusion or equitable power.  It’s a simple form of governance, really.  We rule you as we see fit and profitable to ourselves, and you sit there and take it. The power of the people goes away.

Truth becomes fake news. Accountability becomes a witch hunt. Elections are assumed to be rigged. Opponents are called “vermin.”  Authoritarians will stand alone, promising that as true defenders of a victimized populace, and all will be well.  We’ve been hearing these promises in recent years, giving them equal time and a wobbly objective eye, but we need to trust our eyes and ears.  We need to be vigilant.  Authoritarians come to power with a promise to get rid of all of the decency that they’ve painted with an ugly brush, so, down with truth, the rule of law, elections, and opponents.  Along with all of that, we can kiss goodbye, any hope of a true multi-racial democracy for ALL of we, the people.

Authoritarianism comes to us as the game, “I’m rubber and you’re glue; what bounces off of me, sticks to you.”  Remember that one?  That whiny little defensive scream of “No, I’m not – you are!” Psychologically, this is called projection, and it’s best understood as a kind of mirroring – attributing one’s own characteristics to others.  When we can’t see something in ourselves, but we can in others.  Responsible emotional intelligence tells us to ALWAYS look at ourselves first, to make sure we aren’t projecting, because the outcome of projection, is hypocrisy.

It’s time to acknowledge that these are anything BUT ordinary times.  The markers described by Ziblatt and Levitsky point us to evidence of authoritarian behavior designed to destabilize democracy from within, using its own principles against it.  We boil like frogs.

Let’s look at the idea of rejecting or holding a weak commitment to democratic rules.  For instance, is there a rejection of the Constitution or an express willingness to violate it? 

[CLIP – TRUMP can do whatever he wants.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on being a dictator.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on being retribution.]

Any suggestion of a need for antidemocratic measures – you know, like cancelling elections, violating or suspending the Constitution or banning certain organizations or restricting basic civil or political rights?  

[CLIP – TRUMP on eliminating the Constitution.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on dismantling the deep state]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on shooting shoplifters.]

Okay – are there any efforts to seek to use or endorse extraconstitutional means to change the government, such as military coups, violent insurrections, or mass protests aimed at forcing a change in the government? 

[CLIP – TRUMP on pardoning insurrectionists.]

How about an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of elections, for example, by refusing to accept credible electoral results?

[CLIP – TRUMP on not conceding.]
 [CLIP – Constitutional Sheriffs.]
 [CLIP – COP Eliminate Eric – participation in election integrity program.]

Well, let’s look at the second indicator of authoritarian tendencies - a denial of the legitimacy of political opponents.  We all remember this one.  

[CLIP – TRUMP on Birtherism.]

Okay, are rivals described as subversive or opposed to the existing constitutional order? Are there claims that rivals constitute an existential threat, either to national security or to the prevailing way of life?

[CLIP – TRUMP on Hillary.] 
 [CLIP – TRUMP on Biden.]

Are we hearing baseless descriptions of partisan rivals as criminals whose supposed violation of the law or potential to do so disqualifies the rival from full participation in the political arena? 

[CLIP – TRUMP on Clinton Foundation.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on Biden.]

Are we hearing baseless suggestions that rivals are foreign agents, in that they are secretly working in alliance with or in the employ of foreign governments, in particular, enemy governments?

[CLIP – TRUMP on Hillary.]

As I prepare this episode, the breaking news regards Trump’s latest post on Truth Social, “Wow!  I just came out of the Biden Witch Hunt Trial in Manhattan, the Icebox, and was shown reports that Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ, in their illegal and unconstitutional raid of Mara Lago, authorized the FBI to use deadly lethal force.  Now we know for sure that Joe Biden is a serious threat to democracy.  He is mentally unfit for office – 25th Amendment.”  This falsehood rapidly swept through Fox News and right-wing politician feeds, and in only a few hours has been amplified over Russian state media as “the FBI’s Attempted Assassination of President Trump.” To be clear, this standard boilerplate language was also in the search warrant on Biden’s residence, and it is included on search warrants to give law enforcement authority should they encounter unexpected danger.

[CLIP – TRUMP on Biden.]

The third indicator is toleration or encouragement of violence. Let’s look at our questions of determination on this one.  Are there any ties to armed groups, paramilitary forces, militias, guerillas, or other organizations that engage in illicit violence?

[CLIP – TRUMP on Proud Boys “stand back and stand by.”]

Do we see encouragement of mob attacks on opponents?

[CLIP – TRUMP can do whatever he wants.]
 [CLIP – GUILIANI on trial by combat]

Any tacitly endorsed violence by refusing to unambiguously condemn and punish violent supporters? 

[CLIP – TRUMP on pardons.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP praising violent supporters.]

What about praise or refusal to condemn other significant acts of political violence whether in the past, or elsewhere in the world? 

[CLIP – TRUMP on Kashoggi.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on letting Russia do “whatever the hell they want.”.]

Finally, the fourth indicator of an authoritarian presence is the readiness to curtail civil liberties of opponents, including the media.  Let’s look at this one. Are there any supported laws or policies that restrict civil liberties, such as expanded libel or defamation laws, or law restricting protest, criticism of the government or civic or political organization? 

[CLIP – TRUMP on media corruption.]

Okay, how about threats to take legal or other punitive action against critics in rival parties, civil society, or the media? 

[CLIP – TRUMP on opponents as vermin.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on indicting opponents.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on not conceding.]

Any praised repressive measure taken by other governments, either in the past or elsewhere in the world?

[CLIP – TRUMP on other dictators.]
 [CLIP – TRUMP on smart Putin and Ukraine.]

All of these things our former president and current Republican nominee has said with his own words, that he will do. Every day, there are more, as authoritarian rhetoric exponentially increases, adding to other issues of concern which weaken or challenge the American commitment to preserving democracy.  Here’s a quick synopsis of those:

For many, a fear of others has burned away empathy for their fellows – for people of color, all genders not specifically male, other religions, immigrants and refugees whether they are here legally or not, for liberals and progressives, homeless people, poor people, for juries and judges, election workers and civil servants, police, politicians, government employees, teachers, scientists, feminists, veterans, environmentalists, foreign allies and librarians.  The ugliest stereotypes are used to justify threats and intimidation, and videos go viral full of hate, accompanied by the unnerving threat, “Don’t forget, we’re the ones with the guns.”  

We are warned that foreign interference from China and Russia has already begun regarding the 2024 elections, yet an unsettling segment of our population now reveres Russia, despite Putin’s history of engineering the outcome of his elections, killing off journalists and opposition leaders, feeding the youth of Russia to the front lines of his war with Ukraine for which he has recently imposed a 25% income tax on his poverty-stricken people to fund his war. Charming.

Now at a historic low, the US Supreme Court stews amid multiple ethical scandals of bribery and conservative bias, yet seems unwilling to course correct to neutrality, and why should they, what with their position secured with lifetime appointments?  Their decisions are seen by many as neither intellectually or nor constitutionally sound.  Additionally, though promising in their confirmation hearings to preserve Roe v. Wade, as the “law of the land” for almost fifty years, in a time when abortions were at a historical low, our Supreme Court nonetheless removed personal health and family freedom from the individual and gave that freedom to the whims of partisan state officials with the power and authority to force their personal beliefs on individual citizens. 

Members of both Congress and the Supreme Court, TWO branches of our government that provide guardrails of democracy openly mock ethics, mature behavior, and compromise. They promise to obstruct necessary legislation and budgets which aid the American people. 

Racism is no longer, a quiet or whispered part said out loud – it’s now a proud pervasive anthem of far-right extremism.  To that end, minorities are being eliminated from voting registration rolls in unprecedented numbers.

Our three branches of government regularly teeter and sway from the will of the people and our constitutional protections. Conspiracy theories now intertwine throughout conservative politics, burrowing into Congressional debate and policy discussions.  Oversight has become a tool of revenge rather than legitimate accountability with election deniers making up over a third of Congress.

Efforts to establish Christianity as the national religion, violate the first amendment protection of religious freedom reach even into proposed legislation that only Christians should hold key government positions.  Within this movement of White Christian Nationalism, former president Trump is openly viewed by many of his followers as a new embodiment of Christ mandated to reinvent America according to strict Old Testament scripture. 

Okay – well, if you think this litany of mayhem was exhausting, at least you weren’t the one compiling all of those clips. It was more than a bit HARROWING!   Anyway, as you can see, it’s time to acknowledge that these are anything BUT ordinary times.  Those manning the ramparts, with binoculars to the hills and notepad in hand, have pulled the alarm, and this is not a drill. 

To my mind, the second greatest threat to democracy, is that our American populace is disengaged from their own responsibilities to push back on those threats.  While many valiantly struggle with the above issues on the front lines, the rest of us, for various reasons, are in a fog, many not noticing or caring that the American way of life is at risk of being dismantled.  This last mayday, this call to arms is that we’ve neglected a nurturing stewardship of democracy and the result goes beyond a failure to thrive – the result is an all-out assault deliberately aimed at the demise of democracy.  And if democracy dies, everything else will go with it.  

But resistance is human nature.  We’re genetically wired to protect ourselves from threats, to look before we leap.  To do a threat assessment, evaluate our capacity physically, economically, emotionally, for whether we’ll have greater success through fight, flight, or hiding.  It’s fair enough, to not want to go off half-cocked, hung over and unprepared.   We need clean underwear, snacks, that sort of thing.  But that call has gone out.  Sirens blare.  We look up, and asks the questions on everyone’s mind, how bad is it?  Is there really a problem, or is this a test, or is it a prank or a scam?  Is it credible, or just propaganda?  We resist being duped into someone else’s agenda. We don’t want to waste our time and energy.  Is the sky really falling?  And if so, does it really have anything to do with me, or mine?  WHAT!?  Do you really need me to replay those clips again!? Well, I’ll spare you.

Political wonks, like me, have moved beyond that stage.  Hair’s on fire, we’re trying to wake up the rest of the crew, the disengaged citizenry who’ve been asleep at the wheel, passed out too many nights of tying one on with Netflix and the Hulu Sisters.    

So, what’s the plan?  If we are the best hope, what is required of us?  I believe it is what I’m calling, a “dynamic citizenry,” with three levels of engagement:  first, an increased understanding of what we are called to protect increased vigilance, and secondly, stewardship of our personal character.  We are like . . . doctors, who must be both skilled and ethical. Professionals, that’s what we need to be, a dynamic citizenry comprised of professional citizens.  And finally, thirdly, stand up to the bully. 

So, there you go! Step one!  Spruce up basic foundational understanding and commitment to democracy. Get a grip on civics, the terms and the processes.  Let’s re-attach to the deeper insights, the values, and the trouble spots that the founders and framers baked into this precious construct.  Somehow, we no longer have a common understanding that the values of the Constitution matter, because we aren’t even clear on what they ARE or what our common history looks like.  So, that’s a goal.  Understand the values and elements of our Constitution, and stand up for them as the supreme law of the land, which they are.

Step two.  Spruce up our political maturity, and aim to become more emotionally intelligent dynamic citizens.  Let’s raise our consciousness toward positive values, honest self-assessment, evidence-based awareness and gracious solutions.  It’s well within our reach to become confident examples with the ability to engage in solid honorable debate and the defense of human dignity.  This is not about party or ideology; it’s about our common civic character and the engagement of our better angels regardless of our political leanings.  In many ways, much of our quest is dis-empower the destructive angels hellbent on assholery toward others.  I think we’d all feel better if we were part of such a movement! 

FDR’s words, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, MEANS something in our situation.  It means that if we stand unafraid and informed, that composure wins the day.  It’s the amalgam, the combination of steps one and two that create three, the hero-populace.  

So, dear listeners. Be a spark!  Wake up, America!  In the upcoming days, think about these markers and watch for how they are manifesting in little ways, and in larger ways as you give more attention to the news of our times.  When someone tells you their intentions and who they are, believe them.  But by god, push back when someone describes YOUR intentions and who YOU are, in ways you don’t recognize.  

Our next episode will look at the reasons we are hitting that snooze alarm on our political engagement and how to rally ourselves to give a damn. 

Now, for my dear listeners with a fire in the belly, please follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others.  I welcome your comments and observations in the comments section using your manners.  I’m a real person, you know, not a chew toy!  Now, buckle up buttercup!  Let’s get out there, and steward democracy!     

CLIPS USED FROM PUBLIC SOURCES:

“PBS NewsHour.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 16 Sept. 2016, www.pbs.org/video/trump-ends-one-obama-birther-rumor-by-starting-another-1481243551/.

“PBS NewsHour.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 30 Sept. 2020, www.pbs.org/video/white-supremacist-1601498492/.

“Sheriffs in Texas, Elsewhere Seek Validation as New Election Police.” Public News Service, www.publicnewsservice.org/2023-04-05/civil-rights/sheriffs-in-texas-elsewhere-seek-validation-as-new-election-police/a83834-1#. 

Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR. “Trump Called His Opponents ‘vermin’ in New Hampshire: Why That Language Matters.” Here & Now, WBUR, 21 Nov. 2023, www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/11/21/trump-vermin-authoritarianism.

Dreisbach, Tom, and Noah Caldwell. “The Trump Campaign Embraces Jan. 6 Rioters with Money and Pardon Promises.” NPR, NPR, 4 Jan. 2024, www.npr.org/2024/01/04/1218672628/the-trump-campaign-embraces-jan-6-rioters-with-money-and-pardon-promises.

Fowler, Stephen. “Trump’s Speeches Follow a Familiar Playlist, Featuring Greatest Hits among New Tunes.” NPR, NPR, 8 May 2024, www.npr.org/2024/05/08/1249245334/donald-trump-rally-speech-biden-al-capone.

Kenyon, Peter. “Justice Efforts for Jamal Khashoggi Were Hindered by Trump Administration’s Response.” NPR, NPR, 1 Oct. 2019, www.npr.org/2019/10/01/766176676/justice-efforts-for-jamal-khashoggi-were-hindered-by-trump-administrations-respo.

McCammon, Sarah. “Donald Trump Delivers Speech Attacking Hillary Clinton as Corrupt.” NPR, NPR, 22 June 2016, www.npr.org/2016/06/22/483129527/donald-trump-delivers-speech-attacking-crooked-hillary.

McQuilkin, Hilary, and Meghna Chakrabarti. “Is Donald Trump Normalizing Political Violence in America?” On Point, WBUR, 5 Oct. 2023, www.wbur.org/onpoint/2023/10/05/donald-trump-normalizes-political-violence-in-america.

Montanaro, Domenico. “Trump Praises Putin’s Moves as ‘Savvy.’” NPR, NPR, 23 Feb. 2022, www.npr.org/2022/02/23/1082630139/trump-praises-putins-moves.

Nawaz, Amna, and Saher Khan. “Trump’s Ramped-up Rhetoric Raises New Concerns about Violence and Authoritarianism.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 13 Nov. 2023, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trumps-ramped-up-rhetoric-raises-new-concerns-about-violence-and-authoritarianism#audio.

WBUR. “Can He Do That? Trump and the Constitution.” Here & Now, WBUR, 6 Dec. 2022, www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/12/06/trump-constitution.

WBUR. “How Trump’s Criticism of Allies, Praise for Dictator Is Upending Politics.” Here & Now, WBUR, 13 June 2018, www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/06/13/trump-north-korea-g-7-canada.

Yousef, Odette. “Trump Has Embraced Jan. 6. the Extremist Message May Alienate - or Resonate.” NPR, NPR, 26 Mar. 2024, www.npr.org/2024/03/26/1240301462/trump-jan-6-extremist-rhetoric.