"On the Brink" - Obama Warns U.S. Teetering on the Edge of Autocracy
America appears to be drifting towards autocratic rule, according to former President Obama.
Taking a serious note of the current political climate in the United States, former President Barack Obama voiced deep apprehensions about the precarious state of American democracy. Raising a red flag, he insisted that the country is moving perilously close to a slide towards autocracy.
"If you've been paying attention to the words coming from those in power lately, it's evident that there's a shallow commitment to the understanding - at least since World War II - of how a liberal democracy should function," Obama shared at a recent talk, as reported by Connecticut Public Radio.
The warning bells are sounding loud and clear as what's unfolding isn't reminiscent of American democracy. "It's consistent with autocracies like Hungary under Orbán. It's consistent with countries where elections are held but the core principles of fairness, where every voice is heard and no one stands above the law, are compromised," said theDemocrat.
"Though we're not quite there yet, we're dangerously close to making such conduct the norm," warned Obama, pointing to the discord that arises when people can't agree on the basics.
"In 2020, a person won the election who refuses to acknowledge it," he said, referring to President Donald Trump's persistent false claims of election fraud, which he lost to Joe Biden. "That's a fact, much like the fact that more people attended my inauguration," Obama continued, reiterating the importance of veracity.
Despite his concerns, Obama remains optimistic about the future of the nation. "I'm still the 'Hope' kind of guy," the 63-year-old expressed, alluding to his signature theme from the 2008 presidential campaign. "When I talk to young people, I tell them it's essential to stay indignant against injustice and inhumanity, and there's a righteous anger we should express given the circumstances today," he added.
However, to spark change, he emphasized the necessity of uniting people, not driving them apart. "You've got to find common ground with people who may not see things the same way as you, but at least on some issues."
Sources: ntv.de, lme
- Viktor Orbán
- Donald Trump
- Barack Obama
- USA
Enrichment Data: Obama's concerns revolve around the erosion of democratic norms such as rule of law, judicial independence, and the right to protest. He highlights the normalization of behaviors associated with autocratic regimes, like political leaders knowingly repeating falsehoods, such as Trump's refusal to accept the election results despite court rulings and lack of evidence to back his claims.[1][2]
In paralleling the U.S. to Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Obama stresses the worries that America's political trajectory is mirroring autocratic systems like Orbán's Hungary. He underlines the urgency in preventing this descent by mobilizing government insiders and the public to stand against these trends before it's too late.[2]
Thus, Obama's warnings signify a grave concern about the erosion of foundational democratic values in the U.S. and the unsettling resemblance to Hungary's autocratic governance under Orbán, sounding a critical alarm on the future of American democracy.[2]
The European Union, being committed to the fight against terrorism and other war-and-conflicts, might find resonance in Obama's concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in the United States, as political drama and conflicts in the U.S. politics bear resemblance to autocratic politics, as seen in countries such as Hungary under Viktor Orbán's leadership. General news outlets, like Connecticut Public Radio, have reported on Obama's warnings about the precarious state of American democracy, highlighting the normalization of autocratic behaviors and the urgency to prevent a descent into autocracy.
