🧨“4th of July” Edition

While Americans celebrate freedom with hot dogs and Trump fragrances, some killjoys (us) dare to point out that democracy might be, well, melting like an ice cream cone on asphalt.

While we hate to be the fly in the ointment (wait, that’s our job), a few minor issues—like creeping authoritarianism, executive power grabs, election meddling, and an enabling Supreme Court—scream for attention.

According to more than 500 political scientists, the U.S. is no longer just flirting with authoritarianism—it’s swiping right. In a recent sweeping academic survey, America’s democracy's score dropped from a shaky 67 to a wobbly 55 since Trump’s return, prompting one professor to remark, “We're moving in the wrong direction,” which is academic for “holy crap.”

Experts are now describing the country as teetering toward “competitive authoritarianism”—the kind of regime where elections still happen, but only after your opponents have been defunded, discredited, or indicted. Think Hungary, but with more gold-plated bathrooms.