“Republican politicians face threats of violence if they oppose [President Donald Trump],” but a New York Times guest essay, published Thursday morning, claims that shouldn’t stop them from trying.
Steven Levitsky, Lucan Way, and Daniel Ziblatt are the three political scientists who wrote the essay. They study how democracies come to an end.
“America has, with stunning speed, descended into a world in which opponents of the government fear criminal investigations, lawsuits, tax audits, and other punitive measures.”
The writers added, “Even Republican politicians are, as one former Trump administration official put it, ‘scared’ out of their minds ‘about death threats.’”
“Fear of violence from [Trump’s] supporters reportedly dissuaded some Republican lawmakers from voting for his impeachment and conviction after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack,” Levitsky, Way, and Ziblatt said.
These threats against Republicans aren’t stopping. According to the writers, “Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) reported that the F.B.I. warned him of ‘credible death threats’ while he was considering opposing Pete Hegseth’s nomination as secretary of defense.”
They believe, “Republican lawmakers have abdicated their role as checks on executive power.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is one of the few republicans who often does stand up to Trump. She has previously said, “We are all afraid. It’s quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before.”
Later adding, “I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that’s not right.”
The three writers say it’s not just republicans at risk, but American citizens and organizations as well. “The cost of opposition has risen markedly. Although these costs are not as high as in dictatorships like Russia.”
Under Vladimir Putin, critics are routinely imprisoned, exiled or killed.
“Americans are living under a new regime,” they said. “The question now is whether we will allow it to take root.”
They called America’s response to Trump's “authoritarian offensive has been underwhelming.”
However, they do see “signs of an awakening.”
This includes Harvard’s refusal “to acquiesce to administration demands that would undermine academic freedom.” They also pointed to Microsoft’s drop of a law firm that settled with the administration and hired one that defied it.
“When the most influential members of civil society fight back, it provides political cover for others. It also galvanizes ordinary citizens to join the fight.”
They ended by saying, “America’s slide into authoritarianism is reversible. But no one has ever defeated autocracy from the sidelines.”
