Democracy at Risk or Politics as Usual

7 tactics authoritarians use and what journalists can do. Protect Democracys Authoritarian Handbook can help journalists distinguish between autocratic threats vs. hardnosed politics. by Hope Kahn, National Press Foundation Democracy is eroding worldwide, according to numerous indices. U. S. democracy has been on a downward trend since 2010 years before former President Donald Trump took office, according to Protect Democracys Director of Policy Communications Aaron Baird. But journalism is key to a functioning democracy and how we cover this historic moment is critical. Separate the real authoritarian threats from the political noise, Baird told Paul Miller fellows. Specifically for journalists, Protect Democracys The Authoritarian Playbook outlines seven tactics used by aspiring authoritarians: Politicizing independent institutions Spreading disinformation Aggrandizing executive power Weakening checks and balances Quashing criticism or dissent Corrupting ele