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The persuasive game of American democracy has included aggressive attacks for nearly 200 years, and though heated opinions have persisted, unprecedented challenges have manifested in the past decade.
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The tense tussle has prepared generation after generation at the polls, but recently, it has motivated election deniers, civil unrest, hyperpolarization and even an attack on the Capitol.
The heat of debate doesn’t mean a democracy is healthy or even functioning, and as elections approach yet again, it is time we consider how to achieve that.
Americans have become less and less confident in democracy as time has passed. Half of the public feels our democracy is functioning poorly, according to the June Associated Press and National Opinion Research Center poll.
The distrust of government extends through parties. In this poll, 61% of Republicans, 56% of independents and 36% of Democrats reported they didn’t feel American democracy is functioning well.
If so many feel American democracy is struggling, should we be concerned about its future? As people lose faith in the system, should we embrace barreling forward, or should we look back to restore aspects of our democracy at risk?
Democracy considers a “power to the people” form of government. For Americans, this is supposed to embody a representative government. Maintaining democracy requires people to show up and be heard.
Because this representation is at risk, we should absolutely be looking at and criticizing the democracy that currently exists. First and foremost, if voices of the American people are not heard, then our democracy is not representative. The best way to voice an opinion within the status quo is to vote.
Even so, when votes aren’t respected or are disregarded by the masses, democracy struggles. Consider the movement to deny that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Convictions against Biden and his performance are subjective, and ideally, opinions should be respected, but the fact that he won should not be a controversial statement.
The concern is that each side is out to get the other, and that means you should either give up or isolate anyone who doesn’t agree with you.
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Partisanship drives distrust and division. “About eight in 10 Democrats say the Republican party is failing at upholding democratic values, and a similar number of Republicans say the same about the Democratic Party,” according to the AP-NORC poll.
Opinions change based on how well a demographic’s goals are being met. The AP-NORC poll found that six in 10 Democrats said Biden somewhat upholds democratic values, whereas four in five Republicans said he doesn’t uphold those values. Democrats and Republicans flip that same opinion in regard to the Supreme Court.
The inability to accept defeat or even accept our role in democracy through public criticism discourages voters.
Roughly 80 million people didn’t vote in 2020, and of those surveyed by the Medill School of Journalism, 16% said it was because they didn’t feel like it mattered, 20% didn’t like the candidates and 23% weren’t interested in politics.
Even though 67% of American voters showed up in 2020, that is not the standard, and it still leaves a third of Americans without input on their government.
Right here on the Fort Collins campus of Colorado State University, we have a government that represents us, yet rarely do people show up to vote. So how are they really representing us if we are not communicating what we need?
CSU student voter turnout decreased from 15% in 2020 to 6.17% in 2022. At best, that isn’t even a fourth of students who are voting in Associated Students of Colorado State University elections.
Some students aren’t aware they can vote, some feel unaffected and some don’t believe actionable change can be made by the student government.
These concerns are a true reality for many, but by not participating, we co-create an environment in which we are not supported.
American philosopher John Dewey said, “Democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience,” a quote CSU has used in launching their Thematic Year of Democracy and Civic Engagement.
It is time we accept our role as contributors and show up for our democracy. Telling your representatives what you want is a power democracy relies on, whether it be in ASCSU or the federal government.
Reach Ivy Secrest at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @IvySecrest.
