U.S. ‘approaching important turning points’ in democracy under Trump, per report

Such a deterioration in a single year is rare for an established democracy.

ELHAM KHATAMI
JAN 17, 2018, 11:05 AM

Political rights and civil liberties in the United States have experienced the fastest deterioration in decades under the administration of President Donald Trump, according to a new Freedom House report on the state of freedom and democracy in the world.

While the United States has seen a slow decline over the past several years, 2017 saw the biggest drop in the more than 40 years since Freedom House has tracked global freedom trends.

The report, released Tuesday, lists numerous developments that have weakened democracy in the United States, including evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 elections, the Trump administration’s violations of ethical standards like the president’s failure to divest from his businesses and the hiring of his daughter and son-in-law as senior advisers, dwindling government transparency, and false statements by the president.

Overall, the United States’ score decreased by three points on the 100-point scale — a significant decline that is rare for an established democracy. The United States now holds a score of 86, putting it below France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

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https://thinkprogress.org/u-s-experiences-most-rapid-decline-in-democracy-under-trump-report-finds-6801a60475a5/