Will Moral Courage Save Our Democracy? 

Within the current day Republican Party, extremist views have taken hold and are influencing the actions of our elected leaders. Many Republicans in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate have abandoned their principles, their values and the Constitution in favor of this extremist movement in order to remain in power. During the 2020 Presidential Election, we witnessed, for the first time in our history, a transfer of power that was not peaceful, in great part due to former President Trump’s enablers in our government. With the domestic terrorist attack that occurred on January 6th, including the lead up to that day, we saw a purposeful effort by former President Trump to circumvent the Constitution to remain in power and to disrupt the counting of electoral college votes on January 6th for then President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris, in what was perhaps the greatest dereliction of duty by any President in American history. The efforts and lie’s by former President Trump and his enablers in Congress have set a dangerous trend in motion of a refusal by many to accept the results of our elections, which have been declared “the most secure in American history” (Joint). Former Republican Congresswoman from Wyoming and the Vice-Chair of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack, Liz Cheney, highlighted in her book Oath and Honor that “If we do not condemn these lies, if we do not hold those responsible to account, we will be excusing this conduct—and it will become a feature of all elections. America will never be the same” (Cheney 335). Had it not been for the moral courage of a select few in Congress, such as Congresswoman Cheney, standing up against all odds to “...bring the voice of reason and light into a dark room” (Thomas, Chaleff 64), our democracy would struggle to exist. Moral Courage is imperative for a strong and healthy democracy, as our system of checks and balances will fail to keep extremist movements at bay, ultimately risking the destruction of our democracy as we know it if we do not elect politicians who stand up for their morals and values, regardless of the consequences they may face

It’s the rhetoric and the behavior of our elected leaders, Republican or Democrat that greatly impacts not only our institutions, but our democracy as a whole. The actions of our elected officials have resulted in our democracy not operating at full strength with unprecedented attacks in the run up to the 2024 Election. With many politicians in the Republican Party launching a full assault on our institutions, confidence in our democracy has collapsed. In its rating of democratic quality of 167 countries, The Economist “...reclassified the United States as a ‘flawed democracy’...due to eroding public confidence in American political institutions…” (Lieberman 1). It’s the lack of unity and respect for our intuitions and laws that have encouraged this loss of faith in our democracy. Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, once a high profile member of the Republican Party, believes that “...Donald Trump’s decision to attack the lawfully certified Electoral College results and to ignore the rulings of our courts [is] an assault on the structural constitutional safeguards that keep us free” (Cheney 49-50). A direct correlation can be seen between a politician's words and choices and the widened gap in the lack of bipartisanship in our government. Surveys and polls conducted by Gallup Inc. found that “Typically, partisans have been more satisfied with the way democracy is working when a president from their preferred party has been in office…” (Gallup Inc). In our current politically divisive times, this isn’t surprising; however, it is not a positive attribute. According to John Carey, Professor of Government at Dartmouth University and his colleagues, “Self-enforcement effectively constrains political authority only when a consensus motivates third-party actors to police violations by political officials…This theoretical framework helps us consider how the American political system might limit a president who frequently signals his disdain for legal, constitutional, and normative constraints” (Carey et al. 700). Without an electorate that can think independently from party lines, there will be no true accountability for a president who views our legal system as “rigged” against him. It’s vital that Americans take this angry, partisan rhetoric seriously, regardless of what party we support. In fact, it’s this exact disparaging language against our institutions that is a contributor to the negative perceptions of American democracy. It was found in a recent poll from the Economist/YouGov “...that nearly one-third of those 18 to 29 agree that democracy is no longer a viable system and that America should explore alternative forms of government to ensure stability and progress” (McKenzie). 

The utilization of strong executive power, authoritarianism and rhetoric of many of our politicians have resulted in a damaged democracy in some cases, and a weaker one in others. On June 16, 2015 former President Trump launched his first bid for the Republican Party's nomination for President of the United States, a contest that he would ultimately go on to win three consecutive times (Price). Trump's behavior has been authoritarian from the start and presents troubling signs for the direction of our democracy should he win the 2024 presidential election. New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof highlights that “Like historical fascist leaders, Trump has presented himself as the single source of truth. His use of the term ‘fake news’ echoed the Nazi smear Lügenpresse (‘lying press’); like the Nazis, he referred to reporters as ‘enemies of the people’”(Kristof 3). Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney warned in an interview on NBC that his behavior is indicative of a potential dictatorship in the United States and that “A vote for Donald Trump may mean the last election that you ever get to vote in…A vote for Donald Trump is a vote against the Constitution" (Shabad). Many fear and wonder if the resilience of American politics and our democracy can truly withstand the deep rooted threat of Trump and his authoritarianism. For instance, “...a 1990 Vanity Fair story in which Trump’s ex-wife, Ivana, reported that her husband kept a book of Hitler speeches in a cabinet near his bed. Other reporters discovered the disturbing fact that Trump’s signature phrase, “Make America Great Again,” resembled Hitler’s slogan, “Make Germany Great Again” (Rosenfeld). It is a startling indication of the direction of our politics and our democracy. When you consider our history and the actions of our past presidents, many have used the powers of the White House in more extreme measures than others, but rarely have their actions crossed into authoritarian territory. Most notable was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who utilized strong executive power to implement his “New Deal” changes. In his inaugural address, he stated plainly that “Our Constitution is so simple and practical that it is possible always to meet extraordinary needs… But… [the] need for undelayed action may call for temporary departure from that normal balance of public procedure” (Roosevelt). The utilization of strong executive power is not always negative, so long as you work within the system and don't disparage the very system of government that has allowed for such progress. President Roosevelt had strong moral courage to fight against the opposition to his ideas for change and progress. He knew that what he was doing would be beneficial for the country in the long run. The rise in deep divisions in our politics as a result of this disparagement against our system of government has “...magnifie[d] tendencies for the partisan capture of institutions that are supposed to exercise checks and balances but may instead be turned into unaccountable instruments of partisan or incumbent advantage…” (Lieberman, 2). Without politicians who place their country ahead of their party, our system of checks and balances will ultimately fail and will be unable to keep these extremist movements at bay. Despite the seeming simplicity of this issue, it has evolved into one of partisan and political theater.  

Many people in the House of Representatives and Senate have abandoned their principles  and their morals in favor of Trump's authoritarian movement in order to remain in power. This is a fundamental threat to the very heart of our democracy. Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney reflects in Oath and Honor that “...the lure of power [is so strong,] that men and women who had once seemed reasonable and responsible were suddenly willing to violate their oath to the Constitution out of political expediency and loyalty to Donald Trump” (Cheney 4). When you consider the list of politicians in Washington that fit this description, it does not leave many who truly exhibit moral courage. Moral Courage has been defined as “The capacity to overcome the fear of shame and humiliation in order to admit one’s mistakes, to confess a wrong, to reject evil conformity, to denounce injustice, and to defy immoral or imprudent orders” (Thomas, Chaleff 60). The common theme that can be observed amongst some of today’s politicians is that they are in the political game for themselves–not their constituents. Those “...who believe their own political survival is more important than anything else threaten the survival of our republic, no matter what they tell themselves to justify their cowardice” (Cheney 4). Republican Senator from Utah and former Republican Presidential nominee, Mitt Romny delivered a strong rebuke of Trump and his enablers from the floor of the Senate on January 6th highlighting this cowardice by stating that 

We gather today due to a selfish man’s injured pride and the outrage of his supporters whom he has deliberately misinformed…Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy. They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history. That will be their legacy (Romney). 

Despite Senator Romney’s efforts on the floor of the Senate that night, efforts by Republicans in the House and Senate to go along with Trump’s falsehood continued on, even to this very day, with many of them referring to the domestic terrorists who stormed that United States Capitol as “hostages” (Kane). Despite Republicans outward support of Trump and his falsehoods, they privately knew that they held no substance, and yet they remained quiet. Journalist Robert Draper highlighted that “...most of the [Republican] conference was only too happy to move on from Trump — but saying so in public was another matter. To do so meant risking defeat at the hands of a Trump-adoring Republican primary electorate or even, many of them feared, the well-being of their families” (Draper).  I would define this inability to stand up for truth and justice as cowardice, plain and simple. Not many Republican politicians have had the moral courage to stand up against this dangerous movement. As highlighted in Moral Courage and Civil Disobedience, “Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage…is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change” (Thomas, Chaleff 58). Potential opponents to Trumpism are afraid, unable to stand up for what they believe in and don’t have courage to stand up against Trump or his dangerous ideas. It’s as if they are trapped on a bridge, unable to escape, or advance forward from the threats they face (Lawrence). One such notable example of this inability amongst leaders in our government to stand up for their principles was with former Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy. Liz Cheney highlighted that on January 6th,

Despite the brutal violence, destruction, and death at the Capitol, despite the fact that Donald Trump’s lies—the same lies Republicans were telling to justify the objections—had mobilized the mob and caused the attack, McCarthy was going to let the travesty go on. Kevin McCarthy lacked the courage and the honor to abide by his oath to the Constitution. This wasn’t leadership. It was cowardice, and it was craven… (Cheney 112). 

Simply put, “...knowing what is right is not enough. Acting on one’s obligations, morals and convictions is necessary for moral courage”  (Thomas, Chaleff 60). 

Moral Courage is undeniable for a strong and healthy democracy, for without it, the system of checks and balances that have kept our country secure for centuries will fail to keep dangerous, extremist movements at bay. This existential threat to our institutions is wide reaching, up and down the ballot. It is of vital importance that we elect the right people not only to the White House and Congress, but to state and local offices as well. If we, the American electorate, do not elect principled leaders with moral courage, regardless of their party, our republic will fall and the great American experiment in democracy will be over. As Congressman Bernie Thompson, former Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol notably said, “...our democracy remains in danger. The conspiracy to thwart the will of the people is not over" (Reuters). 

Works Cited

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Kane, Paul. “Analysis | Jan. 6 “Hostage” Comments Fuel House GOP Divisions in Tough Election Year.” Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2024, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/11/jan-6-hostage-comments-elise-stefanik/. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024.

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Price, Michelle . “Trump Has Become the Last Republican Standing in the 2024 Primary. Here’s How He Bulldozed the Field.” AP News, 6 Mar. 2024, apnews.com/article/trump-haley-election-2024-republicans-9736f3b504eef4da5a8ef7f8bbae9dfc.

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Thomas, Ted, and Ira Chaleff. “Moral Courage and Intelligent Disobedience.” InterAgency Journal, vol. 8, no. 1, 2017, pp. 58–65.