Primarily due to the increased influence of money in politics, America’s representative democracy is devolving into a form of competitive authoritarianism. Democratic candidates must fully acknowledge this trend and realize that Republicans play this game much better than they do.
Within a competitive authoritarian system:
The trappings of democracy remain in place, but democratic norms and the rule of law are undermined; democratic institutions are severely weakened; constitutional checks and balances are rendered increasingly ineffective;
The considered preferences of the majority of citizens are ignored; the major political parties compete for donor dollars and base support; when elected, empowered politicians make little effort to achieve democratic compromises; they instead attempt to impose the policies favored by donors and base on the citizenry as a whole;
And government officials, in an unprecedented manner, abuse state power in order to aid their allies and disadvantage their adversaries; these abuses of power go well beyond those associated with traditional political patronage.
Competitive authoritarianism demoralizes the electorate. A cynical and demoralized electorate eventually neither understands nor treasures its democratic heritage.
But of course such demoralization could never happen here.
Andrew G. Bjelland, Salt Lake City