2 min read

If we lose our democracy now, it will be because of a collective failure of imagination. With 250 years of democracy under our belts, we believed those who told us we were “exceptional.” We believed that so thoroughly that millions of our fellow citizens were comfortable electing a convicted felon who incited an insurrection as president. What could possibly go wrong?

We never imagined an anti-science secretary of health and human services, or an Office of Management and Budget director who believed it was legal to withhold funds that Congress had appropriated.  

We never imagined a Republican Party or major law firms or top-tier universities allowing themselves to be bullied into submission. We couldn’t conceive of MAGA justices on the  Supreme Court that would grant a president immunity for any crime he committed in his job as president.  

We never imagined a president who would risk our economic future on reckless tariff policies or risk our safety by abandoning our longtime allies around the world. We didn’t believe it was possible that a president would  threaten the independence of the Federal Reserve, risking an economic meltdown.   

We never thought Sen. Collins would vote to confirm Cabinet appointees who were threats to our democracy. We never imagined an attorney general who would use the Justice Department to punish political opponents.

And it’s really hard to imagine President Trump would sabotage next year’s elections, but maybe we should try.

Mary Ann Larson
Bangor

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