Watchdog says democratic freedoms waning in US under Trump

Yahoo News via AP ^ | 01/18/2017 | Josh Lederman

[SeekAndFind]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Basic rights and political freedoms in the United States are deteriorating at a faster pace under President Donald Trump, exacerbated by attacks on key institutions like the press and the courts, according to a new report released Tuesday by Freedom House.

In its annual global assessment, the think tank slammed the Trump administration for withdrawing from America's "historical commitment to promoting and supporting democracy," calling it perhaps the most striking on a "long list of troubling developments" around the world in 2017. The report criticizes Trump for making false statements, refusing to disclose his taxes and other information, violating basic ethical standards and taking insufficient steps to counter Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican who ran against Trump in the election, said he believed American institutions were strong enough to withstand attacks, but was concerned about Trump's weak support for NATO, the Iran nuclear deal and other global alliances that serve as bulwarks against authoritarian governments. Previewing the report, Kasich said he was also worried that Trump's frequent disparagement of the press and judiciary could send a signal to autocrats overseas that it's OK to delegitimize those institutions in their own countries.

"I would hope that over time, the people who are around the president would make clear that words matter," Kasich said on a conference call organized by Freedom House. "Sometimes when you're frustrated, it makes sense to sit on your hands or keep your mouth shut."

Freedom House, based in Washington, describes itself as a non-partisan watchdog group. Its annual report on the state of political freedoms examines countries around the world and has often focused on the decline of democracy abroad.

[loveliberty2]

The aggressive and coordinated Progressive effort to discredit the 62+ millions of American citizens who marked the "Trump" name on their ballot is, in fact, a well-funded attempt to pervert America's Constitutional process.

Progressive cultists are being "played" by their leaders into participating in that perversion because, for decades, their so-called "education" in the schools and universities has propagandized them into such actions destructive to liberty.

While "pretenders" like Jeff Flake wail their high-sounding objections, "the People" across America recognize that Trump's bold actions already have returned to them ("the People") a fraction of their Constitutionally-recognized power which decades of politicians and bureaucrats have assumed as their own.

Trump has only scratched the surface, but the usurpers and "pretenders" who wail the loudest are fearful that their arrogant assumptions are being rejected by large numbers of individuals and awakened citizens.

“But this institution was republican, and even democratic. And here not to be misunderstood, I mean by democratic, a government, the administration of which must always be rendered comfortable to that predominating public opinion . . . and by republican I mean a government reposing, not upon the virtues or the powers of any one man - not upon that honor, which Montesquieu lays down as the fundamental principle of monarchy - far less upon that fear which he pronounces the basis of despotism; but upon that virtue which he, a noble of aristocratic peerage, and the subject of an absolute monarch, boldly proclaims as a fundamental principle of republican government. The Constitution of the United States was republican and democratic - but the experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived; and it was obvious that if virtue - the virtue of the people, was the foundation of republican government, the stability and duration of the government must depend upon the stability and duration of the virtue by which it is sustained.” - John Quincy Adams - "Jubilee" Address, April, 1839

"I am among those who think well of the human character generally. I consider man as formed for society and endowed by nature with those dispositions which fit him for society." --Thomas Jefferson to William Green Munford, 1799.

"Everyone, by his property or by his satisfactory situation, is interested in the support of law and order. And such men may safely and advantageously reserve to themselves a wholesome control over their public affairs and a degree of freedom which, in the hands of the canaille of the cities of Europe, would be instantly perverted to the demolition and destruction of everything public and private." --Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1813. ME 13:401

"Every man being at his ease feels an interest in the preservation of order and comes forth to preserve it at the first call of the magistrate." --Thomas Jefferson to M. Pictet, 1803. ME 10:356

"The mobs of the great cities add just so much to the support of pure government as sores do to the strength of the human body. It is the manners and spirit of a people which preserve a republic in vigor. A degeneracy in these is a canker which soon eats to the heart of its laws and constitution." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XIX, 1782. ME 2:230

"To the sincere spirit of republicanism are naturally associated the love of country, devotion to its liberty, its right and its honor." --Thomas Jefferson: Reply to Virginia Legislature, 1809. ME 16:333

"[It is the people's] conviction that a solid Union is the best rock of their safety." --Thomas Jefferson to C. W. F. Dumas, 1791. ME 8:197

"The cement of this Union is in the heart-blood of every American. I do not believe there is on earth a government established on so immovable a basis." --Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 1815. ME 14:252

"Possessed of the blessing of self-government and of such a portion of civil liberty as no other civilized nation enjoys, it now behooves us to guard and preserve them by a continuance of the sacrifices and exertions by which they were acquired, and especially to nourish that Union which is their sole guarantee." --Thomas Jefferson: Reply to New London Plymouth Society, 1809. ME 16:360

Perhaps Jefferson's brilliant mind and ability to understand that ideas have consequences enabled him to foresee a time when a departure from principle and what Washington called the "Spirit of Party" would produce a dilemma like the one Americans have faced in recent times.

[piytar]

Wow. Yahoo fake news comments are usually filled with anti-Trump leftscum. Not this one. Guess the DNC really is running low on cash and can’t keep paying their trolls.

[OttawaFreeper]

So I would have to be very naïve if I acted surprised that they did not say anything concerning Lois Lerner’s conduct or what Bob Woodward had to say about what it was like to deal with the Obama administration.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

so all these peeps paid the clintons to play but hillary lost the presidency and now they can’t play

[DoodleBob]

This Yahoo article and this op-ed from McCain seem to be a coordinated attack on Trump vis-à-vis the US isn't leading the world like she did under Obama and other executive branch losers.

In short, these are hit pieces driving a message of "freedoms abroad are under siege because of Trump's press-bashing in America. If Trump isn't silenced, America will be responsible for deaths abroad."

In many ways, this is a continuation of the s-hole debate....if other countries don't have the same press protections or standard of living as that in America, why is it America's job to fix their internal problems by weakening America?

Luckily for Americans, Trump changed the standard reply to this propaganda from the conservatives....instead of appeasement, you get Deplorables willing to assist via charity and other private works. However, as for us being scared of being called ____ists, this is the new normal:

Best. Election. EVER.

[GoldenPup]

Basic rights and political freedoms in the United States are deteriorating at a faster pace under President Donald Trump,...

MEGA🐂💩💩

[vpintheak]

I think they mean DemocRAT freedom to lie.

[yoe]

More fake news probably to keep people from looking at the Samantha Powers daily 'unmasking' people for Obama....

The only "Basic rights and political freedoms in the United States are deteriorating at a faster pace under..." Muller and his merry band of $awyers.

[servo1969]

SO MANY MEDIA OUTLETS SHUTTERED!

SO MANY JOURNALISTS ARRESTED AND DISAPPEARED!

SO MANY BLACK MEN HUNTED DOWN AND KILLED!

SO MANY..... wait none of that is happening....

[apocalypto]

Fake news! It’s just the opposite. More freedom with Trump, including freedom from fear of criminals.

[trebb]

And exactly the opposite is happening - those who would control us and rob us of our Freedom by spreading propaganda are being called to task....

[spincaster]

I see it’s not going your way. WINNING!!!

[M Kehoe]

I think it’s just the opposite, “Freedom “ House.

5.56mm

[old curmudgeon]

And don’t forget: To spy on private conversations, emails, bank records without the public’s knowledge.

[Rurudyne]

Has the thought crossed your mind that these “bugs” in Intel and AMD chips are really Clinton era features (I recall rumors that the intelligence community and law enforcement wanted just such things back in the day) that were revealed because they were supposed to be Hillary’s to play with and not for Donald?

[old curmudgeon]

An interesting thought.

Thanks for the wake up call.

[old curmudgeon]

But then gain, some of the worst attacks on our personal information and privacy are the spawn of the Bush Patriot Act.

Bush was as much a big government guy as obummer and put in place many tools that made it easier for obummer, Hillary, Clapper, etc.

[Rurudyne]

No arguments there.

But the actual implementation, if “feature” is the correct term rather than “bug”, is certainly Clinton Era.

[frnewsjunkie]

I live here... who is this person? What freedoms are they talking about? abortions? common core? open borders? illegals?

[proust]

Ask twitter about conservative freedom