Narration: Writing and Policy Associate James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week:

• Double the Budget of Every Congressional Office

As the problems in congress grow in complexity congressional offices have shrunk. The under-funding of congressional offices is creating a crisis in expertise in our legislature, which lobbyists have been happy to fill.

• Twitter's Dictator Problem

Last week, the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, announced that he was stepping down from his role and is soon to leave the company altogether. While Twitter tries to determine how it can better coexist with American democracy, it has an even more convoluted arrangement to sort out with authoritarian governments around the world.

Narration: Writing & Policy Associate James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week:

• Can the Greens help Germany grow a backbone?

As Angela Merkel steps down from her role as Chancellor of Germany, a new coalition government is coming in. While most attention is focused on the new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the appointment of Annalena Baerbock of the Green Party to Foreign Minister might make the biggest difference to European security.

• Why are so many candidates in Latin America extremists?

November featured a whirlwind of elections across Latin America, and in most cases there were popular extremist candidates whose interest in radical change seemed greater than their faith in democracy. Is democracy failing to improve people’s lives??

Narration: James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week

• Was Trump too moderate?

Glenn Youngkin’s victory in Virginia seemed to suggest that toning down Trump’s style without repudiating him could keep his base happy while winning over moderates and reclaiming the suburbs for Republicans. But what if you ran a campaign that was even more extreme than Trump’s?

• Are helpless people the perfect weapon?

Refugees mostly from Middle Eastern countries are gathering on the border between Belarus and EU countries. Is this dictators’ new plot to undermine democracies?

Narration: James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week

• What's worse than voter suppression?

New voting laws have garnered a lot of attention this past year as forms of “voter suppression.” Though they may be serious, another class of restrictions poses the greater threat to American democracy.

• El Salvador's Millennial Dictator

A young, self-declared dictator is exchanging state money for bitcoin, posting memes on Instagram, and marching troops through Congress when he doesn’t get his way. Is this what a Millennial dictatorship looks like?

Narration: James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week

• Are the feds subsidizing vaccine hesitancy?

$2,100 payments are flowing from the federal government to anybody who wants them and no, we don't mean a fourth round of stimulus payments.

• How to actually steal an election

Russia has just concluded the spectacle the government calls elections, and Putin has proven again that he and his party will stop at nothing to maintain their grip on power.

Narration: James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week

• Why did California even have a recall?

Gavin Newsom's recall is over and nothing's changed. Why on earth did this even happen?

Narration: James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week

• Democracy Dies in Boredom

Protesters clashed in Portland on August 22nd while police officers stood idly by. Is this what the end of American democracy looks like?

Narration: James Lewis

Here's what you need to know about democracy this week

• Learning to live with the Taliban

The Taliban control Afghanistan for the moment, and the humanitarian crisis is likely just beginning. How are countries managing diplomatic relations with the terrorist group, and what could the failure to help the Afghan people mean?