The Good, Bad, and Ugly

The past few months have shown there might be a corollary to principle #3: Our Great Democracy Is Only As Good As We Make It. We’ve seen that it also can be as bad as we make it.

The Good
Congress did not allow itself to be cowed by the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Its members courageously returned to their chambers that very evening to certify the election of the new president of the United States. Our democratic traditions prevailed, barely.

The Bad
Diehard backers of the outgoing president resorted to violence and other despicable acts in storming the Capitol that day. Real damage was done. Five individuals were killed. Others, including the vice president of the United States, were threatened. Hallways and offices were desecrated.  Equally smudged were the reputation of the U.S. in the world and our own image of what our country represents.

The Ugly
The latest nationwide polling for Our Common Purpose indicates that the strife of the past few months has left considerable debris that could take a good long while to dissipate. Lowlights from the survey of 1,500 voters conducted by SurveyUSA from January 14-18 (in the week between impeachment and inauguration):

• Nearly one-half of Republicans (49%) remain convinced that fraud altered the result of the election. On the other hand, 16% saw it as a free and fair election while another 26% believe there was fraud but not enough to swing the outcome. The remaining 9% of Republicans aren’t sure.

• The strife of recent weeks hasn’t helped the cause of unity. A near majority (49%) of all voters believe it has hardened and deepened divisions. Republicans (61%) and independents (52%) are more inclined in this direction than Democrats (39%). By comparison, only 22% of all those polled believe the severity of the strife increased the willingness to address those divisions.

• The impact on our democracy is not a favorable one. A sizeable segment (30%) believes democracy is at dire risk. Another 38% believe it has been weakened but will survive. These assessments are shared fairly evenly among political affiliations.

• By comparison, few see much of any good that has come of this. A relatively small group (21%) believe democracy was tested in 2020 but remains strong. This sentiment tilts slightly more to Democrats (25%) than to Republicans (18%). Only a tiny fraction (6%) believe democracy has been strengthened.

• One positive note is the nearly non-existent support for the insurrectionists. Only 3%, including just 4% of Republicans, say they were justified in assaulting the Capitol.

Yet their actions have dangerous consequences and what could be long-lasting effects in the various ways listed above and more. We have to do better. Our Great Democracy Is Only As Good As We Make It. Unfortunately, it also can be as bad as we make it.