If You’re Not Scared, You Haven’t Been Paying Attention: Trump, the Radicalization of the GOP, and the Future of US Democracy after the Midterms 2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15203/ozp.4066.vol52iss1Abstract
The article discusses the future of US democracy after the 2022 midterm elections. Donald J. Trump’s scandal-ridden presidency culminated in a violent attempted self-coup. In contrast to many observers outside the United States who appear to assume that Joe Biden’s inauguration marks the failure of the coup attempt, I argue that US democracy is not out of the woods yet. First, Trump by no means acted alone but was supported by leading figures in the Republican Party. Second, the Republican Party does not seem to have abandoned its attack on democratic norms and institutions; instead, the project to restore and permanently cement Republican minority rule continues. As a consequence, the 2024 presidential election will set the course on whether the United States will return to liberal democracy or degrade into Hungary-style competitive authoritarianism. This development entails an increased risk of political (primarily far-right) violence.
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