Good people doing good work to build and sustain liberal democracy. Please consider supporting @aselrod.bsky.social and the great folks at The Pulaski Institution.

My readership now shrinks with every piece I publish. You don’t need to know much about the newsletter business to see how that math doesn’t work. Not sure yet how to handle this. For now, I’ll just ask you to consider supporting Democracy Americana in whichever way you see fit:

Y’all, Democracy Americana is a fantastic newsletter and really deserves your support (and is not Substack)

If you’ll indulge me for a second: The newsletter has really struggled to attract new subscribers since I left Substack - while the monthly churn (existing subscribers canceling their subscription) has gone up significantly. Not sure what the reasons are. But it is definitely concerning.

Sunday reading: America is no longer a democracy. That doesn’t mean authoritarianism has won. There is reason to feel more optimistic now than last spring. But the country needs a democratic transformation rather than merely a restoration of the pre-Trump status quo. This week’s piece:

And not just your analysis of foreign policy: It’s an idea so profoundly ignorant of what defines Trump, the man and Trumpism, the political project - the desire to dominate and punish - that no one should waste time listening to what the “Trump, the peace president” crowd has to say about anything.

As much as this government is all impulse/no plan in some areas, they are hyper-consistent in their quest to re-segregate all elite spaces and fully restore / re-impose white male dominance across all spheres of life. The defining project of Trumpism as a political project.

Cannot recommend more highly @thomaszimmer.bsky.social latest essay especially this part on why returning to pre-Trump status quo is not enough, we need larger transformation steady.page/en/democracy...

Trump has no interest in governing - but he loves the pageantry of the presidency and the power to order violence while “looking strong.” He has no coherent ideology, but a worldview defined by reactionary grievances and an insatiable impulse to dominate. An incredibly dangerous combination.

Yes, this!

Happy New Year! Start 2026 the right way: With almost 6,000 words on where the country stands, how much damage has been done, and what might come next. Where Are You Going, America?

Happy New Year! Start 2026 the right way: With almost 6,000 words on where the country stands, how much damage has been done, and what might come next. Where Are You Going, America?

I dive deep into “The Price of American Authoritarianism,” a crucial essay Steven Levitsky, Lucan Way, and Danile Ziblatt published in Foreign Affairs - an opportunity to take stock of where the country stands, how much damage has been done, and what might come next.

Where Are Aou Going, America?   At the start of 2026, America is no longer a democracy. That doesn’t mean authoritarianism has won. But merely restoring the pre-Trump status quo won’t work. The country needs a democratic transformation.   My new piece:

Where Are Aou Going, America?   At the start of 2026, America is no longer a democracy. That doesn’t mean authoritarianism has won. But merely restoring the pre-Trump status quo won’t work. The country needs a democratic transformation.   My new piece:

Where Are You Going, America? America is no longer a democracy. That doesn’t mean authoritarianism has won. But merely restoring the pre-Trump status quo won’t work. The country needs a democratic transformation. My new piece, to start 2026:

Sunday reading:   I wrote about the MAGA civil war - about the different factions and what they want, the dynamics that are shaping the Right, and where MAGA is headed as the end of Trump’s reign is looming on the horizon.   This week’s piece:

Sunday reading:   I wrote about the MAGA civil war - about the different factions and what they want, the dynamics that are shaping the Right, and where MAGA is headed as the end of Trump’s reign is looming on the horizon.   This week’s piece:

What the “MAGA Civil War” is Really About The first part of this piece is free for everyone. If you want to read more than the preview or gain access to the audio version, please consider becoming a paid member of Democracy Americana, which is solely funded by readers:

"we are into the twilight of the Trump era – the end of his reign as the Right’s leader is looming. . . .The conflict has entered a different phase, and the Trumpist Right is ill-prepared for the prolonged struggle that is next." - @thomaszimmer.bsky.social democracyamericana.com/posts/279fc0...

What the “MAGA Civil War” is Really About Different factions are fighting for supremacy on the Right. What will post-Trump MAGA look like – and how dangerous is Trumpism without Trump? As the piece is partially behind a paywall, I’ll share some key thoughts: 🧵

What the “MAGA Civil War” is Really About Different factions are fighting for supremacy on the Right. What will post-Trump MAGA look like – and how dangerous is Trumpism without Trump? My new piece:

Christopher Rufo, one of America's most successful, most shameless grievance entrepreneurs who rose to fame by fueling racist, sexist panics on the Right while packaging them in a way that helped launder them for a mainstream audience, says he's really concerned about all the conspiracy theories...

The pervasive worldview among America's elites is that the powerful should be exempt from criticism regardless of their behavior, and those of lesser status must be disciplined if they defy this rule and dare to object. Gotta stand together to protect privilege against the barbarians at the gates!

Smart and incisive reflections on what to make of the Wiles drama in this great thread:

"Archie Bunker for President" - a great new book by the wonderful @oscarwinberg.bsky.social, on the intersection between entertainment, media, and politics. Such an important aspect of the pre-history of now. Highly recommended!

Sunday reading: I wrote about how the regime’s latest racist hate campaign is tied to the Right’s broader attempt to redefine citizenship and national identity in service of an exclusionary white nationalist vision. A deep dive into the Right’s visions of blood-and-soil nationalism:

Sunday reading: I wrote about how the regime’s latest racist hate campaign is tied to the Right’s broader attempt to redefine citizenship and national identity in service of an exclusionary white nationalist vision. A deep dive into the Right’s visions of blood-and-soil nationalism:

This is bracing and thorough, and it brings the receipts. I also appreciate the acknowledgement that “America has never lived up to the egalitarian promise is has often claimed as reality.” We aren’t looking to regain some promised land. We’re looking to try again, as a nation, to be better.

If you find these deep-dive explorations - this one comes in at over 4,000 words - helpful, you can subscribe to Democracy Americana for free. Or, better yet: Consider becoming a paid member. As an independent writer, I fully rely on the support of my readers to make this work possible. Thank you!

Weekend reading: Trumpism Is at War with the Idea of a Citizenry of Equals The regime’s latest racist fury is tied to the Right’s much broader attempt to redefine citizenship and national identity in service of an exclusionary white nationalist vision. My new piece:

@thomaszimmer.bsky.social & Democracy Americana building a brand as one of the sharpest most honest analysis of the moment. Very worth the Follow and subscribe. democracyamericana.com/posts/6fcf57...

“Vance, Schmitt, and Miller want to abolish birthright citizenship because they understand precisely that what is enshrined in the 14th Amendment is fundamentally incompatible with their blood-and-soil nationalism. “

Weekend reading: Trumpism Is at War with the Idea of a Citizenry of Equals The regime’s latest racist fury is tied to the Right’s much broader attempt to redefine citizenship and national identity in service of an exclusionary white nationalist vision. My new piece:

Trumpism Is at War with the Idea of a Citizenry of Equals The regime’s latest racist fury is tied to the Right’s much broader attempt to redefine citizenship and national identity in service of an exclusionary white nationalist vision. New piece:

That, however, also creates very dangerous incentives for MAGA: The only thing that might reintegrate the different factions now is probably a deliberate escalation of the struggle against the “enemy within” – or perhaps a gratuitous war against an enemy without.

What is next for MAGA?   I wrote about the MAGA civil war, the dynamics shaping this ugly struggle for supremacy on the Right, what Trumpism without Trump might look like, and why MAGA is likely to emerge more ideological and more radical.   Some thoughts from my new piece for @zeit.de:

This is really interesting. It examines the radicalizing dynamics within the MAGA movement and asks a key question: if Trump's hold on the movement is weakening or if he goes, what happens to these dynamics? Does a MAGA civil war fuel or dampen the radicalizing impulses? Well worth reading.

What is next for MAGA?   I wrote about the MAGA civil war, the dynamics shaping this ugly struggle for supremacy on the Right, what Trumpism without Trump might look like, and why MAGA is likely to emerge more ideological and more radical.   Some thoughts from my new piece for @zeit.de:

In this lecture, @lioneltrolling.bsky.social offers a brilliant synthesis of the fascism debate, demonstrates why it makes sense to conceptualize the Trumpist Right as a specifically American version of fascism, and provides an extremely incisive analysis of where America stands. Excellent.

And a lot of these billionaires perceive even the slightest amount of pushback they are getting from us peasants as a totalitarian leftist threat that leaves them no choice but to go all hyper-reactionary and use their wealth to support a far-right "counter-revolution" against liberal democracy.

!!!

"In Bed With the Right" is easily among the smartest, most incisive analysis of gender politics, culture, and whatever is happening on the Right you'll find anywhere. Grateful to @adriandaub.bsky.social and @moiradonegan.bsky.social for what they are offering with their podcast. Please listen!

What is really going on in this society that elected Donald Trump president a second time?   I wrote about three stubborn myths regarding Trump’s support and what happened in the 2024 election – and why America is experiencing a de-alignment rather than a rightward realignment:

The Myth of a Rightward Realignment   Let’s discard some stubborn misconceptions about Trump’s support and what happened in the 2024 election. They are only obscuring our understanding of a profound de-alignment. As the piece is partially behind a paywall, I’ll share some key thoughts: 🧵

A Thanksgiving piece of sorts: I wrote about the most persistent myths regarding Trump’s support in American society. Perhaps you’ll feel better equipped to handle these pervasive misconceptions when you’ll inevitably encounter them in conversations with friends and family over the weekend:

The Myth of a Rightward Realignment Let’s discard some stubborn misconceptions about Trump’s support and what happened in the 2024 election that are obscuring our understanding of a profound de-alignment of the established order. New piece:

Probably not ideal to publish a long piece on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving… Would you help me spread the word? I wrote about some persistent myths regarding what’s happening in American society and politics we desperately need to discard:

The Myth of a Rightward Realignment Let’s discard some stubborn misconceptions about Trump’s support and what happened in the 2024 election that are obscuring our understanding of a profound de-alignment of the established order. New piece:

Crucial analysis from @kevintmorris.bsky.social. Required reading, really, for anyone who works / opines on recent US history and the current political moment - and for anyone who seeks to understand the Right's assault on elections.