The United States was a pioneering country in the implementation of the doctrine of separation of powers and a system of checks and balances. Since the ratification of the Constitution, the U.S. government has served for 235 years to preserve the nation’s founding ideals. And, while possibly faint, there has always been a certain level of respect between the Democratic and the Republican parties, as well as their voters.
But, such merits of American society have been put to dire testing since Donald J. Trump’s entrance into the major political arena. Due to his presence, certain aspects of U.S. democracy and civil culture have dramatically eroded. They are now hanging in the balance of the polls this November. This upcoming presidential election is about far more than which party will control the White House, it is about protecting the White House from further power grabs and abuses that threaten democracy under Trump’s leadership.
Within his time as a prominent political figure, Trump has faced 91 criminal charges, four of which relate to his ongoing case against the U.S.. According to CBS News, these four charges are: “conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, [and] conspiracy against [federal] rights.” Between Election Day and the January 6 Capitol Attack, Trump spread false information on the election, attempting to overturn the results and making many citizens believe that the 2020 Election results were rigged – that the vote counts were not trustworthy. Also, “he has stood by his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him and has called for those arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol — an attack that he is accused of inciting — to be released, casting them as ‘hostages’ and ‘political prisoners’” (The New York Times).
As if instilling a lack of confidence in the free and fair election system was not enough harm caused to an already struggling American democracy, Trump also sought immunity via the U.S. Supreme Court to dismiss his conspiracy charges. He was largely successful as the initially scheduled trial date was called off after the Supreme Court’s ruling. The court “ruled in favor of Trump in a 6-3 decision, holding that a former president is entitled to at least presumptive, if not absolute, immunity from prosecution for all official acts.” Additionally, “the Court provided minimal guidance on how to determine whether an act is official or unofficial, leaving that for lower courts to explore” (Constitutional Accountability Center).
Aziliz Vialle is a first year French and American PPLE student at IE. “I think, all policies aside, it’s clear that he’s caused a division between American citizens and political sides… With him getting into the picture, I feel like he caused polarization between the two [parties]. And because of his character it is more than just politics, especially because he’s trying to be a figure and a personality rather than a politician,” Vialle said. It is evident that Trump is far more of a personality than a typical American presidential candidate.
In reality, U.S. presidents from the Democratic and Republican parties have tended to not differ so much from each other. The U.S. presidential elections have often been a ‘two sides of the same coin’ sort of situation, especially in terms of the U.S.’ history of foreign policy and intervention. However, Trump is a clear exception to this typical electoral dynamic; he poses a profound threat to the pillars of democracy in the U.S.. Vice President Kamala Harris – without getting into her policy proposals – is a professional politician, not someone who has shown ill will to destabilize the nation as Trump has.
Beyond the possible ending longevity of enduring American democracy, while distinctly greater of an issue, is not the only thing at risk when it comes to the upcoming election. Things such as progressive policy, the national economy, and foreign relations are also endangered by Trump’s possible presence in the White House.
Under Trump’s Administration, the landmark Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with Dobbs v. Jackson, removing the 50 years of precedent which protected the right to abortion under the Constitution. The overruling of Roe v. Wade allowed many states to narrow down abortion rights significantly, eroding women’s rights to privacy and bodily autonomy significantly.
Not to mention, Trump is a blatantly sexist man, who has frequently made offensive and degrading remarks about women in public. It is shameful that someone so misogynistic has represented the U.S. internationally and is up for the same job yet again. It is frankly disgraceful that a country such as the U.S. that shapes Western politics and international relations so heavily has had a leader who fails to represent values such as gender equality, protections for women, or other values usually associated with Western democratic ideals.
“The way he [Trump] talks about women so publicly is terrible… How can you do this and have the position you have?… I think, on a moral standpoint, he is racist, he’s sexist, and overall an ugly person for those reasons, and those are huge reasons. And, just one of those would be enough for a person to not be fit to run a country,” Vialle said.
On top of this, Trump has proven to be an impulsive leader, posing a threat to safety across the world and within the U.S.. He would often change U.S. policy on a whim leading to many allied countries having an unfavorable view of his leadership. Impulsivity is dangerous in a leader, and for this reason, among others, “more than 700 national security leaders and former military officials publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president in a letter released on Sunday [September 22, 2024], calling her a candidate who ‘defends America’s democratic ideals’” (The Guardian). Among these national security leaders, there are republicans who are choosing to speak up about their concerns over Trump.
Similarly, other prominent Republican politicians have endorsed Harris for president. Former Representative Liz Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, both announced they will be voting for Harris come November, citing their concerns about the threat Trump poses to the Constitution and American democracy. Stephanie Grisham, former White House press secretary under Trump’s administration shared this sentiment: “I love my country more than my party,” Grisham said, according to CBS News. More Republicans backing Harris include, but are not limited to, Anthony Scaramucci (previous White House communications director), Olivia Troye (an adviser to former Vice President Pence), Alberto Gonzales (attorney general under George W. Bush), William Webster (CIA and FBI director under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush), and John Negroponte (director of National Intelligence for President George W. Bush).
“For the republicans who do not know how to vote – this was already a situation before, and a lot of people did [didn’t vote] because of the power he [Trump] has, and it was almost like a fear factor that he was instigating… Republican politicians feel as though they need to keep their relationship with him in order to advance in their sector,” Vialle said. “Something I’ve heard that troubles them [Republicans] is that… they feel that they would be doing themselves a disservice if they were voting for a Democrat, and not a Republican. And I think he’s made it go way beyond just Republican and Democrat,” she added.
This election is not about Republicans versus Democrats; it is about Trump versus American values. Every vote matters as every vote for Harris is a vote to preserve the U.S. Constitution. Every vote for Harris keeps Trump away from the presidency. For information on how to register to vote, whether from abroad or domestically, visit USA.gov.
Featured image by AP News.
