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Diane,
Did you see President Obama's recent warning? He stated that the U.S. is getting dangerously close to a Hungarian-style autocracy — and today, we're breaking down what that means.
What is autocracy? By definition, an autocracy is a system of government where one person holds absolute power. In contrast to a democracy, where the government is elected by and accountable to the people, an autocracy lacks separation of powers, governmental oversight, and checks and balances. An autocratic ruler is not accountable to the people — and there is no limit on their power.
But what does this have to do with gerrymandering? Under an autocracy, elections are neither free nor fair. Under an autocracy, people's voices are stifled. When anti-democracy lawmakers draw maps that strip voters of their chance to be fairly represented, it erodes a pillar of our democracy. It creates a situation where politicians choose their voters and not the other way around — unfairly swaying electoral results for years to come.
How does the U.S. under Trump compare to Hungary under Viktor Orbán? In Hungary, the Center for American Progress describes Orbán's leadership as a "textbook case of democratic backsliding, characterized by state capture of public institutions; assaults on minority rights, especially migrant, Roma, and LGBTQ rights; aggressive nationalist rhetoric; and attacks on the rule of law." He also rewrote Hungary's constitution to illegally hold on to power.
Sound familiar? It's no wonder conservatives and Trump have close ties to Orbán. President Obama's warning should alarm us all.
On day one of returning to office, Donald Trump issued a flurry of executive orders that were not only unconstitutional, but a clear overreach of presidential power. He gutted critical government agencies, illegally fired federal workers, appointed countless Trump loyalists, and continues to dismantle key parts of our government without any input from Congress. It's clear: Donald Trump is a clear threat to our democracy as we know it.
Right now, our democracy is under threat like never before. And protecting it will require all of us fighting back stronger and harder than ever before. We cannot stand by while Trump takes us down the path of autocracy.
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Thanks,
Marina
Marina Jenkins
Executive Director, All On The Line
All On The Line is the grassroots advocacy campaign supported by the National Redistricting Action Fund. Support our work to end gerrymandering.
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