And it's worse now

 

An article in the New York Times discussed the prospects for the end of American democracy.

And after a few far-right wingers overthrew Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, and with us facing the horrendous prospect of Jim Jordan as Speaker, the danger to democracy is even greater.

The Authors of ‘How Democracies Die’ Overestimated the Republicans

A couple of excerpts to ponder:

" “Societal diversity, cultural backlash and extreme-right parties are ubiquitous across established Western democracies,” they write. But in recent years, only in America has a defeated leader attempted a coup. And only in America is the coup leader likely to once again be the nominee of a major party."

"The Constitution’s countermajoritarian provisions, combined with profound geographic polarization, have locked us into a crisis of minority rule."

"Liberals — myself very much included — have been preoccupied by minority rule for years now, and you’re probably aware of the ways it manifests. Republicans have won the popular vote in only one out of the last eight presidential elections, and yet have had three Electoral College victories. The Senate gives far more power to small, rural states than large, urbanized ones, and it’s made even less democratic by the filibuster. An unaccountable Supreme Court, given its right-wing majority by the two-time popular-vote loser Trump, has gutted the Voting Rights Act. One reason Republicans keep radicalizing is that, unlike Democrats, they don’t need to win over the majority of voters."

That's all ponderable -- and ponder that a right-wing minority might re-elect a criminal conman rapist as President.

Which is not something I want to think about.