The word fascism is a relatively new term that has joined the political discussion in the United States as the 2024 election campaigns heat up. As an ultra-nationalist, anti-democratic, far-right movement, it is being driven by Donald Trump, the former president, now the leading Republican presidential candidate running on an anti-government fascist platform. This article brings a brief historical and current perspective to what now seriously threatens democracy in this country.

The population of the U.S. has been steadily diversifying to the point that we are now a multicultural and multiracial society. The total white population has shrunk for the first time in its history. The U.S. is projected to become “minority white” at 49.7% by 2045.

Increasing corruption of our political system has been a major factor in leading us to rising oligarchy and authoritarianism in this country. The Citizens Unitedruling in 2010 unleashed an unlimited amount of money into election campaigns from billionaires as they turned their wealth into political power. Since then, billionaire contributions have increased sharply whereby the ultra-wealthy buy access to legislators and influence over tax policies in each election.

The GOP “freedoms”—to control (eg. bodily autonomy of women), to exploit, to censor, and to menace—are the polar opposites of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s four freedoms as part of the New Deal—freedom of speech and expression, freedom to worship God in individual ways, the freedom from want, and the freedom from fear—all building blocks of a free society.

These are some of the ways in which Big Money interests undermine representative government and majority rule:

  • GOP-led gerrymandering has been carried out in many states whereby voting districts are redrawn to control election results in their favor.
  • Large corporations have sponsored voter suppression bills in 12 states.
  • Local election workers have been intimidated, even receiving death threats, as happened in Arizona leading up to the 2022 midterms.
  • Election deniers have been installing loyalists in states’ secretary of state positions with the goal to change election results.
  • Corporate media tread lightly on the threat and consequences of fascism in this country for fear of losing advertising revenue.

These are further threats to American democracy:

  • Increasing extremism of the Republican party (eg., the failed coup attempt during the January 6, 2021, insurrection attack on the U. S. Capitol).
  • Disinformation: Despite all evidence that the election was fair without widespread fraud, the big lie of a Trump win has been largely adopted by the Republican Party and Trump’s base of loyalists.
  • Increasing violence: Gun violence has become the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in this country. The Anti-Defamation League has found that white supremacists committed more than 80% of mass shootings in 2022.

These kinds of anti-democratic actions are being carried out in Republican-led states as examples of an extremist far-right agenda:

  • Extremist elements in the GOP are demonstrating their inability and lack of interest in governing.
  • Harsh limits are placed on what teachers and other educators can say in the classroom about American history, with at least 18 states passing laws banning discussion of racial discrimination, slavery, and structural inequality.
  • Legislation in 25 states allows residents to carry concealed weapons in public places without a permit.

These GOP “freedoms”—to control (eg. bodily autonomy of women), to exploit, to censor, and to menace—are the polar opposites of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s four freedoms as part of the New Deal—freedom of speech and expression, freedom to worship God in individual ways, the freedom from want, and the freedom from fear—all building blocks of a free society.

These are some major reasons whereby growing fascist movements now seriously threaten American democracy:

Our votes are stolen

The authoritarian policies of fascist movements work to increase their own voting power as they work to reduce that of their opponents by gerrymandering, voter suppression, opposing the Voting Rights Act, and other election sabotage tactics. During the Trump administration, for example, the 2020 Census undercounted 19 million minorities while overcounting whites.

Our elections are corrupted

Because our “system” of campaign finance relies almost entirely on private money, the election process greatly favors candidates with deep-pocketed supporters. Winning a seat in the U. S. Senate now costs more than $10 million. The highest spending candidate wins in 90% of House elections and 80% of Senate races, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The labor movement is held back

Conservative forces and corporate consolidation have led to a marked loss of union power since the 1970s.

Public dollars are diverted from the common good

With the highest profit margin in 70 years in 2022, U. S. corporations still press Congress to keep their tax breaks coming. Our multinational corporations shift billions of dollars to overseas tax havens to avoid paying taxes in the U. S.Those dollars could make a big difference in alleviating pressing needs of Americans as they struggle under the burden of corporate-induced inflation.

Conclusion

The American Experiment in democracy is being tested to its outward limit. Activated voters in the 2024 elections can reverse the damage done by fascist and other anti-democratic forces, but they will have to be fully engaged and turn out to vote in less than one year!