The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 15, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

The attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life came as a shock to many Americans.  But as violent rhetoric and actions have increased in recent election cycles, multiple polls confirm that a disturbing number of Americans accept political violence as a means of solving the country’s problems.   

We reported last year on a PRRI/Brookings poll that found a substantial increase in Americans who thought that violence may be needed, to QUOTE “save our country.”

Most Americans don’t support violent action, but 23% of Americans agreed with the statement, “Because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country. That’s up 8% from 2021, and includes 33% of Republicans, 22% of independents, and 13% of Democrats.

Another study by the University of California – Davis found that among participants who considered political violence to be at least sometimes justified to achieve a specific objective, 12.2% were willing to commit political violence “to threaten or intimidate a person,” 10.4% “to injure a person,” and 7.1% “to kill a person.”

A paper by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace suggests that while polarization doesn’t typically mobilize voters to political violence, it creates an environment where followers with extreme personalities may commit hate crimes, intimidation or other types of violence.

We have these studies linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings  –  Survey Summary: Threats to American Democracy Ahead of an Unprecedented Presidential Election
Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings – Slide Deck Presentation:   Threats to American Democracy Ahead of an Unprecedented Presidential Election
Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings – Webinar:  What do Americans think about the health of our democracy and the upcoming presidential election?
University of California – Davis Health – Survey finds alarming trend toward political violence
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – Polarization, Democracy, and Political Violence in the United States: What the Research Says
Journal of Democracy – The Rise of Political Violence in the United States
Reuters – Political violence in polarized U.S. at its worst since 1970s

Groups Taking Action:
Southern Poverty Law Center, Protect Democracy, Bridging Divides Initiative

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #PoliticalViolence #AttackonDemocracy  #DemocracyResearch

The post Multiple Polls Suggest that a Disturbing Number of Americans are More Accepting of Extreme Political Violence  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 3, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

A frightening survey released last week found substantial increases in the number of Americans who thought that the country needed leaders to break rules – authoritarianism – and that violence may be needed, to QUOTE “save our country.”

The majority of Americans still disagree with those positions, according to the survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution.  But 23% of Americans agreed with the statement, “Because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country. That’s up 8% from 2021.  The increase is among all partisan groups, too,  including 33% of Republicans, 22% of independents, and 13% of Democrats.

The survey also found a disturbing trend of Americans supporting a leader not following the rules if it meant a change in political direction of the country.  

Four in ten Americans agree with the statement, “Because things have gotten so far off track in this country, we need a leader who is willing to break some rules if that’s what it takes to set things right.”   This bend toward authoritarian rule is not just among the 48% of Republicans who agreed; 38% of independents and 29% of Democrats concurred. 

Where DO most Americans agree?:  77% of Americans feel their country is headed the wrong direction. 

We have a link to the full survey results at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings  –  Survey Summary: Threats to American Democracy Ahead of an Unprecedented Presidential Election
Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings – Slide Deck Presentation:   Threats to American Democracy Ahead of an Unprecedented Presidential Election
Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings – Webinar:  What do Americans think about the health of our democracy and the upcoming presidential election?

NPR – More Americans say they support political violence ahead of the 2024 election
Journal of Democracy – The Rise of Political Violence in the United States

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Survey #SaveDemocracy  #BrookingsInstitution #PoliticalViolence

The post Frightening Survey Results Show Increases in Americans Who Think Violence May Be Needed and Leaders Should Break Rules to “Save Our Country” appeared first on American Democracy Minute.