The trappings of patriotism have long held stronger appeal to those on the right of the political spectrum. While conservatives may be more apt to display the American flag, I believe the more authentic measure of patriotism is not such overt displays but how fully you abide by America’s values.

Ironically, many of the same people so eager to wrap themselves in the flag also espouse a deep distrust of government. The distinction that our country is great but our government is awful is a relatively modern contradiction. After all, what is a country without a government? In much of the world, common geography, language and culture formed the basis of a government that then became a country. But America has always been an exception. Our citizens are overwhelmingly transplants to this land, coming from all over the world. Our democratic institutions have always been our foundation — not familial clans or monarchic predecessors. As one of the greatest Republicans said, we have always been a country "of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

For a democratic country that was created on the basis of two of the greatest humanitarian tragedies of all time — the displacement of native people and the institution of slavery — it’s perhaps not surprising that our 244 years as a nation have been a struggle over who would have the rights enshrined in our Constitution. Although the labels of “Republican” and “Democrat” have changed, there has always been a side that claims democracy for themselves, wearing their ostensible patriotism on their sleeves, while denying its rights for others. And there has always been a side truly "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” and pushing us as a nation to a more true form of democracy.

The challenge for the modern Republican Party is that the majority of its policies are not supported by a majority of the American people. From fiscal policy to social issues, the real Republican platform is deeply unpopular. Consider Americans’ views on the following:

76% feel wealthy people should pay more taxes
Two thirds of us support a wealth tax
Two thirds support increasing the minimum wage to $15/hour
The majority of Americans support the Affordable Care Act, and a government-administered health plan similar to Medicare but for all Americans is supported by a 2:1 margin.
61% favor keeping abortion legal
Over 70% feel immigration is good for our country and support immigration reform
By a 2:1 majority we support stronger environmental standards, 79% of us want to shift to alternative energy, and 70% want us back in the Paris Climate Accord
And the vast majority of us support stricter gun laws — with 89% in favor of expanded background checks, 76% support for "red flag" laws to prevent dangerous people from buying guns, and 62% in favor of a ban on semi-automatic weapons

Faced with this reality, the Republican Party has had to figure out how to advance a broadly unpopular agenda. For forty years, from 1954 to 1994, they largely didn’t. Though Nixon and Reagan managed to win the presidency, the Democratic Party dominated both houses of Congress during that entire time. Then in the mid-1990s, a change began that I witnessed first-hand, working on Capitol Hill at the time. Rather than adapting its policies and appealing to a larger base of constituents, the Republican Party changed the rules of the game — pursuing a largely un-democratic strategy. This playbook has been on full display during this election cycle:

1. Suppress voting — Republicans have long known that the more people vote, the more likely they are to lose. The more conservative the state, the more restrictive, arcane and intimidating the voting process is. Such practices of voter suppression are as old as the country, but have become such an established part of the Republican strategy that the simple statement “Exercise your right to vote” is seen as a partisan message.

2. Create an alternative media — This tactic has perhaps been more responsible for Republican success than any other. Starting with conservative talk radio in the early 90s, through the rise of Fox News in the 2000s, to the proliferation of right-wing misinformation sites today, Republicans rely on an alternative media narrative. They relentlessly discredit legitimate media as “fake news,” blur the line between fact-based news and editorial content, and have secretly amassed huge media empires, from Newscorp, to Sinclair, to Brian Timpone’s pay-to-play network of 1,300 ostensibly local news websites, that tirelessly advance partisan storylines. The right constantly harps on the specter of the “liberal media bias” while overtly constructing an explicitly biased media landscape that makes no attempt at impartiality.

3. Stifle intra-party dissent — If you are governing from a minority, you can’t afford anyone within your party to break ranks. From Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America” to Trump’s merciless Twitter tirades against McCain, Romney and many others, dissent within the Republican Party is simply not tolerated. This dynamic is what has made Trump’s support so sycophantic within the Republican Party. No one dares contradict him. Dissent and you are disowned.

4. Cast doubt on the democratic process — The first three tactics mentioned above have been part of the Republican strategy for years. But Trump is pushing his party into uncharted territory of un-democratic practices. Starting by casting doubt about the democratic process itself. In every chance he gets and with no basis in fact, Trump asserts fraud and casts aspersions on our election process, which sets him up for the next tactic.

5. Ignore the outcome of fair elections — There are few more sacred principles of our democracy than to abide by the outcome of an election and a peaceful transition of power. Trump has refused to acknowledge he will follow this principle. Such a sentiment should make every American recoil. Many on both sides have, but few on the right have admonished Trump for such statements. Which leads us to tactic 6.

Trump supporters surrounding the Biden-Harris campaign bus in Texas.

6. Resort to violence — Of all the outrageous things this president has done and said, his call to the Proud Boys during the first debate to “stand by” was the most horrifying. When a sitting American president is implicitly inciting violence, we are truly peering over the precipice. Republicans are quick to cite the left’s protests surrounding police killings. But one candidate has condemned such violence, and one has encouraged it. As one Republican acquaintance reminded me, “our side has all the guns.”

Regardless of the outcome of today’s election, we need a reset in our politics. We need to back away from the abyss. We need to be governed by the 60, 70 and 80 percent of Americans in the middle, not hijacked by the fringes of either party. Trump has been a president who has governed from the extreme right of his party with complete enablement — no push-back, no tempering, no softening from within his own party. Four years later, we are a more divided country as a result — with Trump and his enablers seeking to further divide us and dismantle the principles of a democratic society.

In the long-run progress towards a more just society prevails. The 18th century was more progressive than the 17th, the 19th century more so than the 18th, the 20th more so than the 19th. Although each century witnessed horrific regressions, liberal democracy has prevailed. The 21st century started with a giant step backwards — towards greater intolerance, greater suppression, greater inequality. Perhaps tomorrow, for all of us, can be a step forward.

Advancing Democracy