Our Democracy is in Danger
Our democracy is facing threats we haven’t seen in generations. Protect Democracy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting attacks, from at home and abroad, on our right to free, fair, and fully informed self-government. Together, armed with our Constitution and the rule of law, we can fight back and protect our democracy from those who would do it harm.
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Taking on the Threat
As Americans, we have strong tools rooted in our Constitution and system of checks and balances to prevent our democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. With experience upholding the guardrails of democracy in the American government, and working with experts who study the rise and fall of democracies around the world, we’ve identified key areas of risk that need our immediate attention.
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We're in this together.
History has shown that the best way to protect democracy is by standing united in its defense. Your contribution will help us to scale up our efforts to educate, advocate, organize, and litigate on behalf of the values we all hold dear.
“Democracies sometimes collapse suddenly. More typically, they waste away. One major cause of institutional decline involves politicians putting their own immediate interests ahead of their obligations to democratic norms. We wake up one day and discover that a long series of individual choices has rotted out the constraints on authoritarian rule. ”
“If there has ever been a clarion call for vigilance and action against a threat to the very foundation of our democratic political system, this episode is it. ”
“If a president can command the military and the civil service to break the law, there’s nothing to stop him from arresting his critics or falsifying an election. Even a president who has been democratically elected would then be in danger of overriding the will of the people once he falls out of favor. ”
“Elected authoritarians, as their popularity dwindles and their political allies leave them, often look weak and cornered. Some mistake this as a sign that extra vigilance is no longer warranted. But sometimes, this is precisely when elected authoritarians are most dangerous. ”
“We will put the problem more bluntly. Mr. Trump's suggestion that his Attorney General prosecute his defeated opponent is the kind of crude political retribution one expects in Erdogan's Turkey or Duterte's Philippines. ”
“Something to watch out for going forward would be overt and high-profile efforts to politicize prosecutions and investigations. Official attacks on specific media, such as the slander directed at the New York Times’s Bret Stephens, are also a concerning trend. I would pay attention to public opinion on democracy and toleration of political difference, which has been slipping on both sides of the aisle. ”
Latest Updates
BREAKING: Wisconsinites Sue to Prevent Enforcement of Laws Passed During Legislature’s Anti-Democratic “Extraordinary Session”
On January 10, a group of Wisconsin organizations and taxpayers sued the Wisconsin Election Commission and Governor Tony Evers, claiming that last month’s “extraordinary” legislative session and all resulting laws are void under the state constitution. The plaintiffs are asking the court to enjoin enforcement of those laws.…
Protect Democracy applauds Congress on H.R. 1
We applaud the 116th Congress for putting democracy reform at the top of the agenda with H.R. 1 and thank Reps. Sarbanes, Pelosi, and the incoming class for prioritizing these issues. Our democracy, like many around the world, is facing new challenges that Congress must address. Protect Democracy…
Trump Administration Concedes Fault in Distorted Terrorism Report But Refuses to Retract It
Justice Department Admits Controversial Joint Terrorism Report “Could be Criticized” for Lack of Objectivity, Failure to Disaggregate Terrorist Threat Posed by Immigrants Admission of Fault Follows Lawsuits by Democracy Forward, Muslim Advocates, Protect Democracy, and Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Pressure from National Security…