American Democracy is on Trial!

Omar Sindi | Exclusive to iKurd.net

When the US government was established it was based on a Democratic Republic, a system of government in which the power to lead comes through the people-elected officials representing their interests. The type of government which allows American people to have a say in many decision making processes or policy; the people hold the ultimate power… In the evolution of democracy in America, the scope complexities of American Democracy is far beyond this essay, but I’m just trying to shed light on some discourse…

American democracy has been called a beacon of democracy, but since the last cycle of presidential election- “pros and cons”’ its strength and its survivability has gone into question?! Populism and nationalism are on the rise in the world, particularly in the liberal democratic states, including the United States. In the 1980’s it was a published article which said, “what will happen when White Americans no longer have a majority in the United States?” That trajectory is now in many US Cities, and towns and a segment of White Americans don’t like to be in the minority. However, the discourse of dominance of the whiteness issue is not new in America. In the 1860s the Civil War was one of the root causes of that issue, it was one of the bloodiest wars in American history. When President Abraham Lincoln on April 11, 1865 gave a speech “suggestion that he would pursue voting rights for blacks.

Then would be the assassin John Wilkes Booth, vehemently reacted to Lincoln’s speech. Booth “angerly told his conspirator, Davy Herold: “Now, by God, I’ll put him through” Three days later, [in Washington DC] at Ford’s Theatre John Wilkes Booth made good on his word” which killed the US president. As it was observed that the insurrectionists displayed the confederate flag, on January 6, 2021 violently resisting as the US Congress was meeting to certify the results of the 2020 election in which President Joe Biden won.

President Donald Trump turns away as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi reaches out to shake his hand, the U.S. Capitol, Washington, February 4, 2020. Photo: AFP

Former President Donald Trump claimed fraud in the US election systems, however this claim was investigated in many places, and many times over by all sides of concern parties, found no evidence of that baseless claim. For example, in the year 2000, the US presidential election dispute between George W. Bush, the Republican and Al Gore, the Democrat, in the State of Florida, the case went before the Supreme Court. The US Supreme Court awarded the case in favor of Bush and Gore conceded. The Supreme Court advised Trump that his claim didn’t have a merit to review. It appears the Former President Trump has far exceeded the then President Richard Nixon in testing the resilience of American Law capability.

Of course, the United States is mostly made -up from the influx of immigrants coming from around the world to the United States.

However, geographical map of migrations has changed: It use to be mostly Caucasians, Irish, Dutch, Italian, Greek, Germans, etc. and in the last decades the dynamic of immigrants has shifted, now they are from third world countries, who are not Caucasion, which has caused a great concern among a certain segment of White Americans, of this shift…

“The urgent need to protect our own democracy through, among other things, pushing vigorously against racism and police attacks on peaceful demonstrators and journalists, is inextricably linked to the American Leadership Initiative’s core mission of advancing American global leadership, including supporting democracy, the rule of law and human rights. Recent protests, the vast majority of which have been peaceful, have served as a powerful reminder of the ways in which a rule of law based democracy can self – correct.

Human rights emerged as an element of U.S. foreign policy in the aftermath of World War II, as much of the world grappled with the atrocities of that war. Human rights became a mainstay of American foreign policy, especially over past 40 years.in 1948, Eleanor Roosevelt played an instrumental role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and was the first Chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights, of which the U.S. was a charter member”- by Orit Frenkel

Two of the most powerful nations are run by authoritarian regimes, Russia and China. Their policies and support for dictators have now reached its apogee; China’s North-Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un, ongoing gross human rights violations inside North-Korea and Myanmar (formerly Burma) military junta have overthrown the democratically elected the government of Aung Sun Suu Kyi and put her under house arrest. She is being accused of many baseless claims and at the same time the UN has accused the military leaders of gross human rights, ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya.

The Chinese regime is being “accused of committing crimes against human rights and possibly genocide against the Uyghur population and other mostly-Muslim ethnic groups in the north-west region of Xinjiang”.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin since 2011 has supported the regime of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria since the beginning of Syria’s upheaval, conflict, crisis and politically, with military assistance. Ongoing conflict with Ukraine; although, the Ukraine conflict is a slightly different geo-strategic approach; it’s just like, “The Monroe Doctrine is the best known U.S. policy toward the Western Hemisphere”- In 1823, the US President James Monroe warned European States, not interfere with the South and Central America states, it’s the US’s backyard; perhaps Putin thinks Ukraine is the Russia’s backyard, as well. However, this venture should not be a justification for attacking a sovereign state. For these two nations head of state leaders democracy and human rights are “persona non grata”, because they themselves rule by the authoritarian systems of governments. At the same time, many Democratic States are also supporting some Authoritarian regimes around the world, as well!

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds up a map of Syria as he addresses the 74th session of the UN General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, New York, US, Sept. 24, 2019. Photo: Reuters

On Sept.24, 2019; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held- up a map of sovereign state- Syria as he addressed the 74th session of the General Assembly at UN headquarter in New York City, New York, and proposes to literally invade this part of Syria, to claim to make a safe zone against all international norms; that was not a safe zone map, it was ethnic cleansing map, against the Kurdish people in this part of Kurdistan.

United Nations(UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, should not have allowed the Turkish President Erdogan to make such a brazen speech at the UN. Lack of cooperation of international geopolitics of the political stances are so stiff today, what happened in the 1990’s in the former Yugoslavia State, which was a war crime, gross human rights violations, mass killings, ethnic cleansing, etc.

If that catastrophic event was in today geopolitics, given political environment, most likely Slobodan Milosevic who was then the president of Yugoslavia and his abettors would‘ve gotten away with it; as is the case in Syria civil war crisis of today, where so many state actors and their abettors are committing heinous war crimes against humanity, with impunity because dictators and authoritarian regimes are “intolerant of tolerances”!

Today overwhelmingly, the influx of immigrants, whether they are economic or political, mostly from Authoritarian States to Liberal Democratic States. These influx of migrations have become a big political issue in the liberal democratic states; which have caused the rise of populism and nationalism and have become a major political campaign agenda among those who are running for the elected offices of their respective states. In a democratic system of government the elected person is on guard for what he or she wants to accomplish for their constituents; the elected person (Congressman) always be on the campaign subject.

In one of my previous articles, I labeled The Teflon President Donald J. Trump: in general the word Teflon application means to prevent sticking; which in this case whatever political miscalculation he does, he doesn’t suffer a popular backlash or pay any political price. Prior to Trump becoming the US president, if a question was posed to an academic, scholar, or political pundit, or a historian which Country in the world has the most political stability, most likely everyone would respond, the United States of America! However, Since Trump became the US president and now he is a former president; if the same question is asked again, that answer would probably be a different one!

If someone in the United States wants to become a politician to run for a public office locally or nationally the transparency of moral character is very essential in order to succeed, such as financial disclosures, moral behaviors, truthiness, etc., values based leadership, if a candidate doesn’t have it he or she will not gain public support. According to many media outlets, the Former President Trump has the deficit of all that, including but not limited to, accused of misogynism, under financial disclosure investigation, doubts of moral character such as lying, etc.

While Trump was the US President, he mishandled many international relationships, agendas, or foreign policy, he sat down with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, in front the World Media Outlets, and criticized his own Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A), “Paris Climate Accord”, the survivability of NATO, as coherence forces into question, and Trump expressed feelings of admiration and even personal friendships for many of the world most loathsome strongmen and dictators, he called North-Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un a “smart man” and despite all of these missteps, his popularity was still not affected, suffered or political backlash among his supporters. Especially Trump’s foreign policy between the US and the Liberal Democratic States in Europe.

Although, when Joe Biden became the US President, said the US is back, which he meant the US is back at International-geopolitics, but it takes time, if it succeeds? Generally Democratic Administrations are perceived as ineffective foreign policy, while they are in charge of White House; it was under President Jimmy Carter(Democrat) in 1979,the former Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and in 1979, also the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun by so called Iranian students, what became famously known, “Americans held hostages in Iran”.

Trump and his supporters are under investigation by the US Congress/ House Special Select Committee, for Jan.6 2021, attack on the US Capitol, on the baseless claim of voters fraud; while the US Congress was in session for certifying President Joe Biden (British forces burned the US Capitol in 1814).Trump has still a substantial supports among Republican Party loyalist voters and others, because Trump’s tough stance rhetoric of anti-immigrants, especially those who are coming from the South and Central America to US- Mexico border. Trump ranted two US Congress Women Democrat, the House Representative, Ilhan Omar-Muslim, naturalized US citizen-Minnesota State, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-New York State “go back to your infested Country”. When he became the US President Donald J. Trump called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States “until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on”, however, some of that policy of Muslims ban were reversed by the Court order.

When Joe Biden became the US president, his Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas who gave a speech on the immigration issue who said “come but don’t come now” then the influx immigrants increased drastically, rushed to US- Mexico border that statement put a big dent in the popularity of the Presidency of Joe Biden and his democratic administration, even democratic voters didn’t like that relaxed policy of massive migrants influx to the United States.

However, at the time Joe Biden was a Senator and he is now, the US president, the political climate atmosphere is kinda changed to a very more toward a radicalized agendas, in the US Congress between Democratic Party and Republican Party; perhaps each side think the other side is a “useful idiots”. A certain segment of White Americans think of the idea that the rights of whites are being overtaken by the rights of minorities, and that the Democratic Party allows the influx of immigrants in order to change the demographics. For generations, America has been one of the pinnacle destination places for refugees and migrants whether they are political or economical, including this writer, and it appears that pinnacle place is in jeopardy!

Sudden disorderly withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan impacted Joe Biden’s popularity, as well. Although the Afghanistan withdrawal agreement was approved previously by President Trump’s Administration. In my view, in the Afghanistan fiasco the main blame should go to the shoulders of Afghani Leaders, who became war profiteers, and kleptocrats, instead of serving their own people honestly…

Former President Trump is still active in US politics within the Republican Party, under Trump’s presidency the Republican Party lost, both the House of Representatives and Senate majorities, the White House. Many political pundits are calling the Republican Party Trump’s Party, as it stands Trump might again become a nominee for Republican Party Candidate in 2024; the next cycle of the US presidential election. However, there are many high ranking Republican political party leaders and politicians who are trying to dissuade party members from Trump orbit/directions, but that efforts have still not yielded any tangible positive outcome, yet!

There is ongoing investigation by the US Congress, on Jan 6th, 2021 attack on the Capitol Hill, while the House of Representatives, along with the then US Vice President Mike Pence were in session certifying the Presidency of Joe Biden. If the investigating Committee is able to find the linkage between the insurrectionist-Mob and then President Trump, in accordance with the US law, most likely, he will be disqualified to run for Public Office forever, as that will be dereliction of duty, and perhaps more legal issues will follow his fate and more fines will follow, as well. Because the US president swears to “Preserve and Protect”, the US Constitution to the best of his ability.

The hype of partisan politics-polarization in the American Public, the increasing ideological consistency and partisan aversion have taken a toll on the US Congress and both the House of Representatives and Senate. A certain segment of Republicans party members are too far right and a certain segment of Democrats party members are too far left; these stiff divisions along ideological lines are politically on a collision course; each side thinks the other side is a “useful idiot”. It has literally become almost impossible for the US Congress to go forward with a piece of legislation by a partisan group; a situation like this gives an excuse to somebody like Xi Jinping, the Chinese dictator, to question the viability of democratic systems of governing. This antagonism is deeper than at any point since the civil war. The Republican National Committee’s (RNC) called Jan.6th Capitol attacks a “legitimate political discourse”. The phenomenon is scary.

“The new politics of rage -a number of Americans in general, and Republicans in particular, who have embraced the use of violence to achieve their political goals” – Blake Hounshell and Leah Askarinam.

U.S. Senate, Capitol Hill — Photo: Creative Commons/Lorie Shaull/2016//Flickr

Generally under democratic systems of government where the judiciary cannot be used against dissenting voices, people are more prosperous, with a stronger economy, everyone one has a right to express his opinion without fear of political persecutions, if no sedition or violence is involved; free press, people are free to join a political party or not join, political tolerances, etc. Verses in Authoritarian states where mostly Kleptocratic people are prosperous! Those who condone Kleptocracy, they should just take a look at Lebanon’s economy; how the country’s Elites inflicted damage to their economy, and it’s on the brink of collapsing,…

The anomaly of the whirlwind of this decade is the atmosphere of the political cycle: Democracy is on the defensive posture and Autocracy is on the offensive posture!

In the recent decade a massive influx of people around the globe mostly from the Authoritarian States are risking their life to come to live in the Liberal Democratic States.

Many times Democratic Systems of governing become its own victims. For example, in the 1930’s both in Germany and Italy, Adolf Hitler- Nazi Party and Benito Mussolini-Fascist Party, took powers through democratic processes, and afterwards they pursued violence within to achieve political objectives, pursued aggressive foreign wars adventure to achieve foreign policy objectives…. In the end, Hitler’s and Mussolini’s policies and agendas literally destroyed Germany, and Italy, along with many other countries. Many historians indicate approximately 60 million people were killed or perished as a result of Hitler and Mussolini and their abettors’ misguided policies.

On January 6, 2021, a violent Mob of more than 2,000 supporters of US President Trump attacked the Capitol, while the US Congress was in session for the ceremony of certifying Joe Biden’s presidency. The studding foundation of the beacon of democracy is being shaken. The House Committee is investigating the Mob and Trump, and their success or failure is a Litmus test of the vulnerability of American Democracy!!!

Winston Churchill: “Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else.”

Omar Sindi, a senior writer, analyst and columnist for iKurd.net, Washington, United States.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.