A Requiem for American Democracy from Both Political Parties

By Rudy Barnes, Jr., July 4, 2024

Democrats have long asserted that the election of Donald Trump would end American democracy.  Now, after the awful performance of President Biden in the June 6 debate, many Democrats (60% in the latest polls) are saying that Biden should step aside and allow another Democrat to be their party’s Presidential nominee and standard bearer.

It’s true that on June 6 Donald Trump repeated his political lies and misrepresentations, and his recent conviction of a felony should have been enough to give Biden the political advantage, but Biden’s poor debate performance before a highly publicized national audience indicated that he was unsuited for reelection.

Biden’s refusal to acknowledge his failure in the debate and consider stepping aside to allow another Democratic nominee to run, coupled with his family’s support and a core group of Democrats who consider it virtuous that Biden is defiant and refuses to step down, makes both parties complicit in pronouncing a death sentence on American democracy. 

I’m nonpartisan, and I supported Biden before his defiant commitment to continue his candidacy after demonstrating confusion and listlessness in the debate.  Now I consider both Trump and Biden unsuited to be President.  Like Trump, Biden has put retaining his political power over providing for the common good and supporting the Constitution.

Despite their contrasting political personalities, Trump and Biden have demonstrated a moral equivalence that should deny them both political success.  If Trump and Biden are the only choices for President, I’m not likely to vote  for either, and I won’t be alone; and that may be the best way for voters to reform America’s corrupt two-party duopoly.

In their zeal to promote partisan objectives, Republicans and Democrats have ignored providing for the common good.  It’s a moral imperative of the greatest commandment to love God and all of our neighbors as we love ourselves, including those of other races, religions and political parties; and it’s a common word of faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

Party loyalty grounded in racism has become the mortal enemy of America’s democracy.  Pluralistic democracies cannot survive without altruistic values that can reconcile racial and religious differences.  Israel is an example of how corrosive religious differences can produce hatred and violence that precludes the political reconciliation needed in pluralistic democracies.

It may be too soon to announce a requiem for American democracy, but if there are no major political changes before November that indicate a moral change in America’s two-party duopoly that reduces partisan polarization, it will probably be too late.  Biden’s defiance is pure vanity, and both political parties are responsible for the crisis in American democracy.         

Notes:

President Biden’s shaky, halting debate performance has Democrats talking about replacing him on the ticket. A raspy-voiced President Biden struggled to deliver his lines and counter former President Donald J. Trump during the debate on Thursday. 

 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/us/politics/biden-debate-democrats.html.  See also, Democrats panic over Biden’s debate performance, doubt his future. The consternation over his halting performance encompassed both the halls of Congress and the living rooms of Democratic stalwarts. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/28/presidential-debate-reactions-biden/?utm.

As Biden digs in, some top Democrats want him out of the race this week, see https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/politics/biden-debate-performance-democrats/index.html.