1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Do your job and defend democratic institutions — now, while you still can. International IDEA, which tracks democratic performance across 174 countries going back to 1975, just flagged the US as a backsliding democracy and identified the Trump administration's actions as a primary driver of the worst global democratic downturn in 50 years. That's not partisan spin. That's data. The report is explicit: Trump "amassed power in the executive branch" to pursue personal goals and retaliate against perceived enemies, undermining the rule of law both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, 2025 recorded the most violent conflicts of any year since 1946. These things are connected. Eroding democracy fuels conflict — that's the research. You were elected to be a check on executive overreach. Every day you stay silent is a choice. History will not be kind to officials who had the power to act and didn't. Stand up now.