THE HOUR IS AT HAND
Last night, I watched Senator Chris Murphy take the Senate floor. His speech cut through the noise. It wasn't about left versus right. It was about right versus wrong.
The Senator spoke a truth that many of us feel in our bones: Our democracy isn't just facing challenges—it's actively being dismantled before our eyes.
But here's the good news: We still have time to act. The hour is at hand, but it's not too late.
Democracy Doesn't Die in Darkness—It Dies in Broad Daylight
Let me be clear about something important: Democracies rarely collapse overnight. There's no dramatic moment when tanks roll down Pennsylvania Avenue or when the Capitol goes up in flames.
Instead, democracy erodes day by day, piece by piece, often so gradually that we don't see what's happening until it's too late.
The guardrails that hold power accountable get dismantled one by one until the structures of oversight, transparency, and the ability to meaningfully disagree no longer function as they should.
Elections still happen. People still vote. Sometimes opposition candidates even win local races. But the essential tools of accountability become weakened or completely controlled by those in power.
Four Pillars Under Attack
Throughout history, across the globe, the playbook is remarkably consistent. Four key institutions are systematically targeted until the balance of power shifts decisively:
The Free Press
The Independent Legal System
Our Universities
The Business Community
When these four pillars of accountability are compromised, you don't need a constitutional crisis with the Supreme Court. You don't need to cancel elections. Those in power simply win, again and again, because effective opposition becomes impossible.
The Press: Democracy's First Line of Defense
The assault always begins with the media. In functioning democracies, journalists serve as watchdogs against corruption and abuse of power. But today, we see troubling developments:
Reporters denied access to government briefings for asking tough questions
Regulatory agencies targeting media companies perceived as unfriendly
Constant attacks on journalists who challenge those in power
But perhaps most concerning is the war on truth itself. When facts become negotiable and reality optional—when officials can contradict themselves within hours and expect us to accept both positions—accountability becomes impossible.
Our Universities: Where Tomorrow's Citizens Find Their Voice
Throughout American history, from the civil rights movement to environmental activism, college campuses have been where young citizens learn to engage with democracy. That's precisely why they're targeted.
The recent pressure campaign against Columbia University should alarm every American who values free speech. Federal funding was used as leverage to extract concessions that undermine academic freedom:
Government control over academic departments
Federal influence over who leads scholarly programs
Restrictions on student protest and expression
When universities self-censor to avoid trouble—when they preemptively silence criticism to protect their funding—we lose a vital space for debate and discovery.
The Legal System: Guardians of the Rule of Law
Attorneys are officers of the court sworn to uphold the Constitution. They file the lawsuits that stop corruption and illegal acts. Without their independence, the rule of law means nothing.
Yet we now witness a concerning pressure campaign against law firms that have represented opposition interests. Through what Senator Murphy rightfully called "extortion," firms are pressured to:
Support causes aligned with those in power
Commit substantial pro bono resources to administration-friendly litigation
Drop clients critical of the administration
When lawyers cannot freely choose their clients without fear of retaliation, a fundamental pillar of our justice system crumbles.
Business: The Final Frontier
Finally, we're seeing the business community subjected to unpredictable policy changes. When tariffs and regulations change hour by hour, companies must seek individual exemptions, creating opportunities for extracting loyalty and compliance.
Let's call this what it is: It's not governance. It's a shakedown.
When corporate leaders become afraid to speak truth to power—when they become cheerleaders rather than independent voices for sound economic policy—another check on government overreach disappears.
This Isn't About Party—It's About Country
I want to be absolutely clear: This is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. This is an American issue.
The erosion of these institutions threatens the very foundation on which all our other political debates stand. Without genuine democratic accountability, the American experiment itself is at risk.
We can—and should—disagree vigorously on policy questions. On taxes and healthcare. On immigration and education. On the role of government in our lives. But we should never disagree on protecting the democratic infrastructure that makes those debates possible.
The Hour Is At Hand
I agree with Senator Murphy: It is not too late to save our democracy. The game isn't over—yet. There is still time. Not much, but enough.
Enough for us to set aside our partisan differences and recognize the threat before us. Enough to create the public awareness and momentum needed to stop this institutional erosion in its tracks.
But that requires all of us who see the threat to act like it matters.
It means saying to our neighbors, our community leaders, our elected officials from both parties:
"We will not accept business as usual. We will not tolerate the gradual erosion of democratic norms and institutions. We will defend free speech, the rule of law, academic freedom, and economic independence—regardless of who controls Washington."
Join the Movement
The hour is at hand. Democracy needs defenders now.
In the coming days and weeks, we'll share specific actions that every American can take to strengthen our democratic institutions and resist their erosion.
Some actions will be small, others more significant. Some will require personal commitment, others simply awareness. All will be essential.
Stay tuned. Share this message. Get ready to act.
Because the hour is at hand.
The question before us is straightforward: Will we be the generation that watches American democracy fade away? Or will we be the generation that renews our democratic promise and passes it, stronger than ever, to our children?
I believe we'll choose the latter. But only if we recognize that the time to act is now.
The hour is at hand.