As someone born the year the U.S. entered World War II, I grew up witnessing both the promise and peril of American democracy. I watched the flowering of the New Deal spirit, the civic optimism that followed the war, the Civil Rights Movement-- and the unraveling of that civic fabric in recent decades.
The election of 2016 wasn't just another political shift. It was a historical rupture, exposing deep structural flaws in our system and ushering in a new era of disinformation, authoritarian flirtations, and the hollowing out of democratic norms. What many saw as an anomaly, I saw as the culmination of a decades-long drift. So in 2016, I wrote Saving Democracy: The 2016 Presidential Election-- An American Watershed, to map the danger and explore its roots.
But the story didn't end there.
As we enter the 2025 political landscape, it's clear that the warning signs have intensified. Democracy remains under threat-- from voter suppression and legislative manipulation to media echo chambers and a growing disconnection between power and the people. We are witnessing an open contest between democratic governance and authoritarian impulse. And this time, the stakes are even higher.
That's why I've returned to the original text and produced a revised and expanded edition:
Saving Democracy: From the Warnings of 2016 to the Urgency of 2025.
This isn't just an update-- it's a roadmap. The book traces how we got here, why our institutions have become so vulnerable, and how ordinary citizens-- armed with awareness, history, and commitment-- can act. It speaks to those who still believe democracy is worth fighting for, but are unsure how to begin.
We are at a crossroads. We can't afford to be bystanders. This book is my contribution to the conversation we need to have, and the actions we need to take.
If these issues matter to you-- as I know they do to the readers of OpEdNews-- I invite you to explore the book, share it with others, and let it spark conversations in your communities. Democracy won't save itself. But we can.
Now available:
à ? ï ? ? ï ? ?degreesï ? ?... ï ? ?"Ëœ Saving Democracy: From the Warnings of 2016 to the Urgency of 2025
Available on Amazon and at www.perspectives-bobpassi.org
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