When democracy frays, Main Street pays
By: Jamie McDonald, The Council for American Democracy Founding Member
As protests, tariffs, the budget, and Supreme Court rulings grab headlines, I’ve been thinking about how deeply democracy shapes our daily lives in cities like Baltimore, my hometown.
Here, and in communities across the nation where local economies are deeply tied to federal funding, national budget decisions hit hard on Main Street.
When congressionally approved federal funding is cut to institutions like Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland, and Morgan State, as well as countless others throughout the country, it doesn’t just threaten scientific breakthroughs or access to world-class health care. These institutions anchor our regional economies and keep hundreds of thousands of people working — from lab techs and nurses, to baristas, construction crews, and the small businesses that serve them. When federal dollars are slashed, it’s not just hospitals and labs that suffer, it’s our families and neighborhoods.
At the root of this is a deeper constitutional failure: Congress is not doing its job. Under Article I of the Constitution, Congress — not the president — is given the power of the purse. It’s Congress’ job to fund programs, conduct oversight, and act as a check on executive power. But too many lawmakers are sitting on the sidelines, while executive orders take the place of public debate and collective legislating. Even in the most recent budget legislation, representatives spoke publicly about feeling pressured to vote in ways that may hurt constituents.
This isn’t about party politics; it’s about preserving accountability in our democracy. It’s about preserving our freedom to elect representatives who will debate the hard questions, work together, and legislate on behalf of the American people. When Congress abdicates that duty, it doesn’t just weaken itself — it undermines the very idea of representative government.
When presidents from either party can make sweeping executive decisions, cutting vital programs without consent of the peoples’ representatives, it undermines our whole system of government. Maybe today you’re okay with how power is being used. But what about tomorrow, when someone you disagree with has that same unchecked authority?
While Congress is standing by, many Americans are also rightly alarmed by restrictions on protest and public speech, and we’re now seeing these pressures extend far beyond activists. Scientists face retaliation for speaking up, even when their professional expertise requires them to share inconvenient facts. Around the country, universities, companies, law firms, and nonprofits are being pressured — sometimes even threatened — for taking stances, conducting research, or representing clients some find controversial.
This kind of intimidation strikes at the heart of democratic society. Free speech and peaceful assembly aren’t luxuries given just to those who agree with the party in power — they’re core rights. When people, institutions, or even entire professions are discouraged or punished for participating in civil discourse, we don’t just lose perspectives, we lose the checks, balances, and truth telling that keep democracy healthy.
And when democratic norms erode, it doesn’t just lead to dysfunction, it opens the door to something darker. People retreat into their own camps, stop trusting institutions, and start treating those with different views like enemies. Talking can turn to threats. We’ve seen it already as legislators are assassinated, school board members are harassed, and peaceful protesters are met with violence.
When Issue One asked election workers what they needed most, their response was not improved technology or higher pay, it was ballistic (bullet-proof) glass. Is this the democracy we want?
Democracy is so much bigger than your vote on Election Day.
It’s something we live every day by insisting that each branch of government does its job, and by being curious about and open to those with different views. Differing ideas, criticism, and dissent make us stronger, not weaker.
These can feel like abstract ideals, but the stakes are very real. We feel them in Baltimore and in cities across the U.S., particularly where science and universities are a major economic force, places like Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Austin, Ann Arbor, Madison, and Chapel Hill. Even outside of these places, the ripples are felt in the form of jobs and benefits lost, services cut, and the factionalism of our families and communities.
The good news is, we can all make a difference: Support trustworthy journalism; Get and share unbiased facts about the U.S. from USAFacts; Learn how to spot disinformation on social media with resources like this guide from CISA; Know who represents your community at every level and what they believe; Learn what the Constitution actually says; Attend a community meeting (and bring a friend), Run for office; Sign up for Citizens for American Democracy. Or just be the kind of neighbor who helps keep people connected.
These may seem like small acts. But together, they’re how we start to reclaim our country and build the democracy we deserve — by the people, and for the people.
Jamie McDonald is a founding member of The Council for American Democracy and Board member at Issue One.