Donald Trump’s victory the death of democracy. Fear of the future.

On By Littum

“The cause of death included partisanship, authoritarianism and a population that largely cared so little about its future that it elected a rebel as its new president.”

Ray Marcano
| Guest columnist

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Ray Marcano, a longtime journalist, is the past national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer Jury, and a Fulbright Scholarw. He is a frequent Columbus Dispatch contributor.

Democracy, the great American experiment in which the people ruled through their elected representatives, died on November 6, 2024. It was 248 years old.

The cause of death included partisanship, authoritarianism, and a population that, by and large, cared so little about its future that it elected a rebel as its new president.

The election ushered in an uncontrolled era of presidential power, like a spineless one United States Supreme Court which ruled that Donald Trump can do whatever he wants to whoever he wants as long as he covers up his actions as an “official” presidential duty.

“Pity,” said the ghost of Thomas Jefferson, one of the country’s founders. “We have a new truth that is self-evident. We ourselves are to blame for killing democracy.”

James Madison also lamented, “I once said, ‘Knowledge will forever rule ignorance.’ I was wrong. Look at all the people who voted for a man who has promised to destroy the constitution and pines for generals like those who served Hitler.”

Democracy was born on July 4, 1776in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the Second Continental Congress unanimously approved the Declaration of Independence, the document that set the country on the path to democratic pride by breaking away from its overseer, England.

At the time of signing the declaration, John Adams, a founder and future president, said: “I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure it will cost us to uphold this declaration and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom I see the rays of rapturous light and glory. I see that the end is more than worth all the means.”

He said the day should be remembered as “the day of deliverance.”

In the modern world, “liberation” became “indifference.” Voters ignored Alexander Hamilton’s warning about a demagogue seizing power and inciting violence. The caution was ignored.

Almost from the beginning there were challenges that threatened to fray, even destroy democracy.

Jefferson and Adams faced off in the election of 1800, an ugly affair in which each side demonized the other through hateful rhetoric and backroom dealings designed to steal the election. (Sound familiar?)

Riots in big cities – New York City (1863, 1977), Los Angeles (1992) and Cincinnati (2001) all challenged the rule of law and threatened to descend society into chaos.

Abroad, Germany could have conquered the world if the United States did not intervene in World War II.

Today, as countries including Italy, Hungary and Finland fall to extremists, others look to the steadfast and solid longevity of a great American ideal. Democracy was healthy in the most stable country in the world, and it gave people hope.

But democracy went sick on January 6, 2021, when a deluded Trump incited his supporters with false election lies. Thousands stormed Capitol building140 were injured and five were killed.

The Capitol riot was the beginning of a four-year disease of lies, vitriol and partisanship from which democracy was unable to recover. Every time doctors thought democracy was on the way to being cured, Trump and his lemmings would create another fabricated controversy that made his supporters question the purpose of democracy. Non-citizen vote fraud. Haitians in Springfield, Ohio eat cats and dogs. The economy is terrible. Worn out, the light of democracy burned out.

Democracy is survived by the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation. Other survivors included George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Generals Douglas McArthur and Robert E. Lee; the civil rights movement and the women’s rights movement, as well as anyone who believes in a system that would be fair to all.

There will be no visitation or services.

Ray Marcano, a longtime journalist, is the past national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer Jury, and a Fulbright Scholarw. He is a frequent Columbus Dispatch contributor.