Kerby Anderson

No doubt you have noticed that pundits and politicians seem to be constantly warning about a threat to democracy. This has intensified during this election season. Republicans and Democrats may not agree about much, but they both are sounding the alarm about a threat to democracy from their opponents.

It is worth mentioning that the idea that there is a threat to democracy isn’t just an American phenomenon. This year of 2024 will be the biggest voting year in history. Some 4.2 billion people (more than half of humanity) live in the 76 countries that are scheduled to hold elections or have already held elections.

Many of these elections will not be free or fair or secure. Fortunately, most people living in developed countries will be able to cast their vote in a way that will determine the political future of the country. And that brings us back to the United States.

First, this country isn’t a democracy, but is a constitutional republic. The framers were rightly fearful of a majority rule that could become a mobocracy. It’s also worth noting that before the founding of this country, representative government was hardly the norm. The framers gave us checks and balances and a structure of government to protect individual rights.

Second, consider which political group is trying to remove those checks and balances. Progressive groups want to abolish the electoral college, pack the court, and eliminate the allocation of two senators to each state. They also believe that most important decisions should be made by an elite group of unelected experts.

This election season, pay attention to the people shouting the loudest about a threat to democracy. In many cases, they are the same people who have been putting forward policies and proposals that would put an end to democracy.