1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

The major pillars of democracy - free and fair elections, freedom of speech and press, checks and balances, and protection of civil liberties - are being eroded across all three branches of government through actions that undermine truth, fuel bigotry, and concentrate power. We are living through a kakistocracy - government run by the worst, most corrupt, least qualified people imaginable. The executive branch's efforts to rewrite public history by reinstating offensive Confederate base names, defunding educational initiatives on difficult histories, and directing visitors to report "negative history" threaten honest examination of our past. This revisionism prevents accountability and lays groundwork for repeating injustices. Legislative actions like requiring approval for medication used to end pregnancies and defending laws denying gender-affirming healthcare reveal a disturbing intrusion into private medical decisions and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. This authoritarian overreach into personal liberties sets a dangerous precedent. Across the judicial branch, the endorsement of conspiracy theories, militia extremism, and political violence through prosecutorial decisions and judicial appointments normalizes assault on democratic institutions and rule of law. This acceleration of anti-intellectualism and bigotry undermines equal justice under law. The mass data breach exposing potential federal appointees underscores how efforts to entrench a far-right ideology over democratic values permeate all levels of government restructuring. This extremist capture of public service posts an existential threat to American pluralism and human rights. Immediate, unequivocal condemnation of these anti-democratic forces is imperative to uphold constitutional protections and ensure a government of, by, and for the people. Failure to act will cement discriminatory and authoritarian control. I implore Congress to reaffirm commitment to truth, justice, and equality before it's too late.