Bipartisan Authoritarians

The Democratic Party has some troubling antidemocratic tendencies

Sep 13, 2023

In March, I had the privilege of spending a few days in Lisbon. While there, I visited the Museu do Aljube – Resistência e Liberdade, a museum housed in a former prison that tells the story of Portugal’s dictatorship and the country’s decades-long fight for freedom. As regular readers know, I often think about the dangers of authoritarianism here in the United States. So the museum was a valuable experience to learn about some of the features of authoritarianism, in addition to getting the chance to learn about Portuguese history that I was ignorant of.

As I read about the experiences of political prisoners and dissidents in Portugal, I felt a pit in my stomach. I realized that several features of authoritarianism have bipartisan support from political leaders in the United States. Authoritarianism in Portugal was characterized by nationalistic patriotism, hyper-capitalism, militarism, and an overwhelming presence of police and prisons. To some extent, all of these have support from Democratic leaders. But as I’ve been following news of the Stop Cop City movement in Atlanta and the silence of local and national Democrats on the issue, this last feature of authoritarianism has stood out to me.

Many organizers in Atlanta and nationally have pointed out the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party on display. The Democrats claim to be a bulwark against MAGA authoritarianism while offering unequivocal support for police and prisons. If they truly considered the implications of these stances, they would experience immense cognitive dissonance.

Putting aside Cop City specifically for a moment, there are good reasons for guardians of democracy and personal freedom to be cautious about pouring more money into police budgets. If you’re worried about the rise in restrictive anti-abortion laws, for example, then you should hesitate before giving more money to the cops enforcing those laws. It’s also worth rethinking the Democratic commitment to police funding, considering the prevalence of white nationalists in law enforcement. The Democrats need to make up their mind. If they’re truly concerned about anti-democratic forces in the United States, they should think twice before building up the would-be backbone of authoritarianism.

Returning to Atlanta, though, regardless of one’s stance on policing or abolition, we should all be deeply disappointed by the behavior of the Democratic party. Organizers against Cop City, a $90 million police training facility being built in one of the city’s few green spaces, have faced one authoritarian hurdle after another. Protestors were charged with domestic terrorism. Bail fund organizers had their offices raided and were imprisoned. The city council voted to move ahead with the project 11-4 over strident opposition. In response, organizers collected over 100,000 signatures to put the issue on the ballot. The city wants to use a signature verification process, which Democrats in Georgia previously decried as a form of voter suppression. Meanwhile, the Republican Attorney General charged 60 protestors with RICO charges.

What we are seeing take place in Atlanta is blatantly anti-democratic. And yet, the Democratic Party is largely silent. This should concern all of us who are fighting for democracy in our communities and our country at large. On a cynical, realpolitik level, it’s problematic because Democrats need these organizers to win in 2024. But more importantly it’s worrisome because efforts to build cop training facilities are cropping up around the country. If these anti-democratic tactics are unchallenged in Atlanta, there’s no reason to believe they won’t happen elsewhere. Senators Warnock and Ossoff have refused to take a clear stance on Cop City. The non-profit founded by Stacey Abrams, Fair Fight, has spoken up in support of Stop Cop City organizers, but Stacey Abrams herself has not. Of course, it feels ridiculous to even expect Barack Obama or Joe Biden to weigh in, but it shouldn’t.

If the Democrats are going to claim the mantle of protectors of liberty and justice, they need to practice what they preach. And Democratic voters need to hold them accountable when they do not. To be clear, I’m not advocating for people to vote for a third party presidential candidate in 2024. But we should look at the Democratic Party with clear eyes. And we should pay close attention to opportunities at the local and state levels to apply real pressure on our leaders to take a stand. In New York City, our fight is clear. We have to make Eric Adams a one-term mayor. We must continue the work to close Rikers and fully fund social programs and anti-violence programs that work. Wherever you live, there are similar battles taking place. We can’t allow our local elected officials to use superficial anti-MAGA rhetoric to cover up for their own anti-democratic behavior.