Where Are We on the Autocrat-O-Meter Now?
A record seven Muslim candidates were elected on Tuesday, as well as a flock of Christian clergy. On this week’s On the Media, hear about the resurgence of the religious left, and how the mainstream press covered the trend. Plus, a Russian journalist says that preserving American democracy requires not only constant vigilance, but constant reinvention.
[01:00] Brooke chats with Jack Jenkins, national reporter for Religion News Service, about the political victories scored by the religious left during the midterm elections, and how the mainstream press has covered them.
[20:09] Micah sits down with Zack Beauchamp, author of the new Substack publication Public Reason, to talk about how America fended off serious threats to our elections, and where the country now stands in its attempt to avoid autocracy.
[33:43] Brooke chats with M. Gessen, opinion columnist for The New York Times, about how their rules for surviving autocracy have held up over the past 10 years of Trumpism, and how these midterm elections were a clear call to both parties that voters want the system to change.
Further reading / watching:
- “On Election night, the religious left is back,” by Jack Jenkins
- American Prophets: The Religious Roots of Progressive Politics and the Ongoing Fight for the Soul of the Country, by Jack Jenkins
- “Trump’s authoritarianism caused the Democratic tsunami,” by Zack Beauchamp
“Autocracy: Rule for Survival,” by M. Gessen
