22 Comments
User's avatar
Shannon Starks's avatar

Thank you for the massive amount of work to both inform and push back on autocratic forces.

deborah meehan's avatar

would it be possible to set up a screen where we can view the changes in the six "indexes" over time (the week to week changes)? the link tells us what happened this past week to account for the rating, but I'd like to be able to see how things have progressed since the graphics were created

Christine's avatar

I do refer to him as “King Grifter”

Kelly Eggers's avatar

Oh Lordy lord, How will we ever recover from all of the cruelty, the lying,the dismantling, the cheating, the stealing, the incompetence of Mr Trump and his conspirators and the complete caving of Congress, big business, many law firms, news stations and papers, colleges and universities and millions of American citizenry.

Leigh Horne's avatar

I'm reminded here of the several films about British monarchs, who regularly held gatherings during which supplicants bent the knee before him while offering various expensive gifts, vying to be the one who made him the happiest. It seems we have centuries of this behind us and only a couple of hundred years of our great experiment in government of the people, by the people and for the people to our credit. It gives me hope, however, that the story of the British monarcy includes the beheading of Charles I (Stuart) who was eventually convicted of tyranny, consisting at least in part of overtaxing the public to support his many unpopular programs. Convicted by a court of law, in a case brought and prosecuted by lawyers. Keep it up, y'all.

Betty Dabney's avatar

Perhaps beheading of corrupt elected officials would be an effective deterrent to corruption.

Leigh Horne's avatar

It didn't work in the French Reign of Terror, unfortunately. In the case of Charles Stuart the monarch was found guilty and his execution ordered via Parliament, under the rule of law,

John Ranta's avatar

I’ve never looked at the Democracy Index before. I don’t understand the thermometer scale. Does the higher, redder temperature indicate worsening conditions? If so, why isn’t rule of law redder (every EO Trump has signed is illegal, as is everything DOGE and ICE have done)? Why isn’t free elections lower (since election actions have been relatively few and elections are 18 months away)?

Merlin Dorfman's avatar

No need to spend millions for a secure communications system aboard Qatar Force 1 -- just use Signal.

Merlin Dorfman's avatar

Sorry, that should be "Qatair Force 1."

Diane McConnell's avatar

“Powers not granted to him” should be spoken out loud several times each day.

Peter Mirrasoul's avatar

Always supercilious, never modest; always transactional, never strategic; always venal, never ethical; always corrupt, never honest; usually ignorant, rarely knowledgable; more often misanthropic and rarely collegial. Thanks to the efforts shared in the 'Democracy Index', the particulars are well documented. Thank you for your efforts and diligence.

Elizabeth Fenlon's avatar

You are wonderful, Ms. Vance. You tell us what is happening in clear terms and pull no punches. You are not afraid to call the regime what it is: monstrous. Thank you for your ongoing work for all of us.

Elizabeth Fenlon's avatar

I should say Professor Vance. Sorry!

Marcia Battin's avatar

The insanity that is Barbi Bondi about to sign off off on the most egregious example of the disregard for the Emoluments Act in our country’s history is about to take place. If Congress blinks at this, we are truly lost. Hoping someone explains, in simple language, to his befuddled voters just how much money we the taxpayers will have to pay for the debugging of this plane, all the while they are losing their Medicaid and other benefits. Let’s start with Magic Mike Johnson’s district.

Laura Muenich's avatar

Thank you for the amazing graphics! Truly appreciate all the time involved in doing this every week🤩

Donna D. Pistole's avatar

The article about how happy Qatar actually is to be getting rid of a plane they don't want is fascinating.

Hydramom's avatar

Should not Congress approve the money that will be required to upgrade the Qatari plane to Air Force One? They do after all of the power of the purse. They should likely review and approve the acceptance of the plane as well. Hopefully reject it!

Trude Diamond's avatar

Thank you for this graphic representation of how screwed we are on which vectors of "opposite of democracy." For some variety, maybe try illustrating how many bananas out of 10 we are on each vector of "banana republic-ness."

I rarely disagree with any of your analysis, but I think the crypto-grift is way more ... what's the word? ... "grifty" than the plane. The plane is easier to see, though ... and poke fun at, which helps.

Elizabeth Fenlon's avatar

Please check out my Substack Transformative Times.