Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy #1748 Patriotism in Peril: Democracy, the Military, and the Fight Over What America Means
Nov 2, 2025
Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, political scientists and co-authors, delve into the alarming signs of democratic decline and the critical importance of institutional norms. U.S. Representative Andy Kim discusses the fight against corruption and political retribution in governance. Labor scholar Stephanie Luce shares strategies for empowering underdogs through base-building and collective care. Lastly, commentator Ted Johnson presents a framework for a non-partisan patriotism that embraces pride and accountability as America approaches its 250th anniversary.
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Leaders Profited From Presidential Properties
- Anne Applebaum recounts foreign leaders and donors using Trump properties for access and influence.
- She links such behavior to deliberate kleptocratic patterns that enrich political leaders and allies.
Fight Hopelessness With Small Acts
- Resist hopelessness by doing the civic task that fits your capacity and joining community efforts.
- Small acts combined across many people create durable democratic defense.
Judicial Review Limits Emergency Claims
- Courts can and should judicially review presidential claims to unreviewable emergency powers.
- Judges like Karen Immergut used on-the-ground evidence to reject federal National Guard deployments to Portland.
