There’s a lot to digest in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s extraordinary comeback to regain the U.S. presidency. But while the election was still too close to call, I spent some time reflecting on how we can shore up our democracy, no matter the outcome of the race.
The issues that came to mind were not the big ones — immigration and the economy. They weren’t even the most controversial —abortion and transgender rights. The issues that came to my mind were the little issues, the things that no one thinks are hugely important, but if left unattended, will result in democracy’s loss as sure as termites left to eat the joists of a house will destroy it.
The first is election integrity. Given the almost half-and-half polarization of the country, unless citizens feel the elections in their country are fair, democracy will not survive. This is one of the biggest termites of all, and President-elect Trump and leaders who come after him should recognize the urgency of the need to increase trust in American elections.
Polls have shown a drastic drop in American’s trust in their elections. Results from a recent Public Affairs Council poll found that “Only 37% of Americans believe the 2024 elections will be both ‘honest and open’ to rightful voters, while 43% have serious doubts about their honesty, openness or both ... and nearly two-thirds of the public believe disinformation from the news media and social media will affect the outcome of the voting.”
Not surprisingly, Democrats were more skeptical after the 2016 election, and Republicans more skeptical after the 2020 election. Given the vituperative nature of the 2024 election, those numbers may continue to drop in its wake. Alarm bells should be ringing across the political spectrum.
The challenge has been that states run elections. But there is room for the federal government to offer recommended minimum standards — or at least guiding principles — for honest elections. One would hope this could be a unifying issue across the political divide, because everyone loses when Americans do not believe their elections are fair and honest. There have been numerous proposals to bolster levels of electoral trust, and it’s time for the next president to appoint a blue-ribbon bipartisan commission to examine the issue and offer recommendations.
A related issue to be tackled is the harm that social media algorithms have done to the country. The business model of social media is to keep you on the site, to keep you clicking the links they show you. By commandeering your attention, they rake in big bucks from advertisers. Social media will kidnap your time and attention by figuring out what you are interested in, and then pulling you deeper and deeper into ever more extreme rabbit holes. The algorithms match what they know about you with what they believe will keep your attention — not just more of the same, but more intense versions of the same.
There are many negative downstream effects, but two are worth highlighting. First is the immense damage done to our young people through these algorithms, which have led children to material that is so dark and depraved that they end their lives. Molly Russell, about whom I’ve written before, simply said on social media that she felt sad and she was led to some of the most distressing pro-self-harm, pro-suicide videos in cyberspace. In less drastic cases, anxiety and depression are known effects of these algorithms on young people, and the surgeon general has called for warning labels and age restrictions.
Second, we now know these types of algorithms also rabbit-hole users in a political sense as well, drawing the user into increasingly ideologically polarized echo chambers. Contempt, loathing and paranoia are all increased as a result. Partisan divides become chasms; we begin to see the rise of partisan violence. Algorithms have soured our society, hurting our children and making us enemies. It is time for the next president to propose legislation ensuring that every American has the right to opt out of being “algorithmed.” There should be no ifs, ands or buts about that basic right. I believe there would be broad bipartisan support for such legislation.
The last termite to be mentioned is the increasing subversion of the right to have a bank account, as well as of its sister right to use cash for purchases. Americans take these rights for granted, but they are vanishing before our very eyes. Banks have increasingly “debanked” individuals and organizations whose views they do not share. While many, myself included, have written about the urgency of this issue in the past, there has been no governmental movement to preserve the right of every American who hasn’t been convicted of fraud to have a banking account. The most recent reveal was that Melania Trump and her son Barron were refused accounts at a major bank. Debanking is a form of censorship, in addition to being a punishment, and gravely undermines the free speech our democracy requires to function.
Closely related is the issue of whether Americans are able to use the legal tender of their nation. There has been not only a debanking movement, but a de-cashing movement as well. Banks have decided it is burdensome to provide cash; many retailers are also increasingly reluctant to accept cash since so many customers use cards for transactions. And yet the right to access and use actual currency is an important one.
The American Civil Liberties Union sums up the case for the right to use cash, which assures greater privacy and greater support for low-income and undocumented communities that may not have banking services, as well as offering much greater resiliency in the face of digital risks including tech failure and cyberattacks. Australia experienced a three-day outage of its major cellular and Wi-Fi provider, making it impossible for people to pay bills or buy goods. It was a devastating wake-up call. In addition, we cannot forget the Canadian government’s effort to strip the Freedom Convoy’s ability to use online banking. Again, the right to use cash is a right that underpins democracy, and now is the time to shore up that right. Again, I feel there would be bipartisan support for such efforts.
In sum, there is much to say about this extraordinary election — for example, the media will finally be forced to face the limits of its power, the assumption that immigrant voters will vote for Democrats has been strongly challenged, and the parties’ identities seem to be flipping as male minority voters and union members flock to the Republican Party while the Democrats have seemingly become the party of the elite — but, frankly, these things were not on my mind on election night.
My mind was on the termites chewing up our democracy and the urgent need for fumigation. I hope our newly elected president, Donald Trump, will not overlook these issues. They may seem smaller than immigration or the economy, but they are mighty in their potential to undermine our freedom.
Valerie M. Hudson is a university distinguished professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University and a Deseret News contributor. Her views are her own.