This Is Not Normal, Part 1

The inauguration of a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist raises some fundamental questions about our democracy.

Related Posts:

• This Is Not Normal, Part 1

• This Is Not Normal, Part 2

• This Is Not Normal, Part 3

Now that a convicted felon who has been found liable of sexual assault is returning — once again — to desecrate the White House and all that it represents, it’s worth taking a few minutes to look at what led to this sad day in our nation’s history. The norms and traditions of our democracy didn’t just disappear overnight. It’s been a decades-long deterioration — sometimes quietly, sometimes brazenly, and often without much pushback.

Our lopsided Supreme Court has been systematically stacked with ideologues who consistently favor one political party’s beliefs, positions, and objectives. Our outdated electoral system now structurally favors the same political party. Members of our legislature spend as much time (or more time) fundraising as they do legislating. A collection of legal loopholes have created a structure that allows unlimited funds to flow into political campaigns, sometimes from…