Democratic Issue for the U.S. and the World

The Citizen Rating Agency for Democracy has scored the candidates and their projects for the American presidential election. Kamala Harris is rated A « Active Democracy ». Donald Trump is rated D « Democracy Under Threat »

This score was analyzed by the Citizen Rating Agency for Democracy on 30 criteria around 6 themes:

Probity and reliability. As citizens demand, democracy needs elected officials who respect the laws and ethics. How can you run a country governed by laws if you yourself do not respect them to the point of being condemned? With the demo-score Donald Trump loses points because he is indicted in several states and already to date found guilty on one case, the others are in progress: attempted manipulation of the 2020 presidential election, 41 counts, including conspiracy to falsify election results, Stormy Daniels case in New York: 34 counts of falsification of documents, found guilty on May 30, 2024 of attempting to hide a payment of $ 130,000 to the actress, federal charges related to January 6, 2021: 4 counts, including conspiracy to obstruct an official procedure and conspiracy against the rights of citizens. Beyond serious facts, this is a situation that does not allow the exercise of responsibilities solely in the interest of the country and citizens. The risks of conflict of interest and corruption increase on an exposed person who is not legally exemplary. Kamala Harris has not been charged despite having held several political offices.

Candidates’ competence. In order to be as successful as possible in their mandate, it is important that candidates know the subjects and workings of the institution for which they are running, both in substance (law, management of policies and public finances, etc.) and in form. Beyond theoretical training, the score assesses the ability to cooperate. Indeed, when you hold the position of president, it is necessary to gather, unite, and co-construct projects for the common good and the resolution of problems by listening to stakeholders. In terms of training, Donald Trump has a bachelor’s degree in economics. Kamala Harris has a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science and a doctorate in law. Donald Trump does not demonstrate the ability to cooperate either in his camp (indeed, many Republicans prefer to vote for Kamala Harris) or with other political forces. Kamala Harris brings together Democrats and Republicans, both in substance and in her political practice based on listening. Both candidates are delivering a project that is not balanced from a financial point of view; Kamala Harris’s is likely to increase the debt by $3.5 trillion over ten years, while Donald Trump’s is likely to increase it by $7.5 trillion (Source: Committee For A Responsible Federal Budget). The United States has a public deficit of $1,833 billion, or 6.1% of GDP. A high public deficit in the United States has major economic implications (effects on the global financial system, inflation, geopolitical choices), which extend far beyond American borders, highlighting the crucial importance of prudent management of public finances for global economic stability. Growth forecast for this year at 2.1% (Source FED 2024) is maintaining investor confidence for the time being.

Respect for democratic freedoms. Democracy needs candidates who respect fundamental freedoms as well as the independence of the justice system, which ensures compliance with the democratically voted law. Donald Trump is charged with numerous charges that are currently being tried, and he has been found guilty of one charge to date. His relationship with justice is controversial; he does not recognize its independence during his indictments and at the same time worked to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court to ensure decisions on measures that are favorable to him. He has demonstrated intimidation against the judicial authority, rebellion and provocation. We will not evaluate the relationship with secularism, which is not established within a legal framework in the USA.

A more participatory democracy involving citizens. Democracy needs candidates who build with citizens in order to have answers in line with their needs, resolve the “irritants” of their daily lives and thus in a register of efficiency, involve again and fight against abstention. The level of participatory democracy in the United States seems to be relatively limited compared to some European countries. Citizen participation beyond elections is not an institutionalized or regular practice in the United States. The participatory aspect is managed with communities of common interests with which candidates engage in dialogue according to their program.

Environmental criteria. Climate change is a strong factor in democratic destabilization: democracy and the environment, same fight. Our planet is suffering from climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. By committing to measures optimizing decarbonization and biodiversity, the candidate is working to control this disruption, a salutary action to avoid democratic destabilization in the world. Donald Trump rejects all measures that fight against global warming and supports fossil fuels. He withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. He considers the ecological transition to be an « anti-American crusade » and plans to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which has enabled massive investments in clean energy. Kamala Harris says that « the climate crisis is real » and « urgent » and supports the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in history in favor of climate action. She advocates an economy geared towards clean energy with new skilled jobs in this sector.

International democratic cooperation which is, as history has shown on many occasions, protective for each of our democracies. Donald Trump wants to leave NATO, his political and financial ties with Russia and in particular his ambiguous proximity to Vladimir Putin do not guarantee independence in international decisions. Kamala Harris maintains the historical line of the USA alongside NATO member countries in favor of conflict resolution but in resistance to dictatorships and non-democratic countries.

The demo-score assesses a risk to democracy, it does not focus on the exhaustiveness of the content of the candidates’ projects. It is built from public data.

To contact the Citizen Rating Agency for Democracy: contact@demo-score.com

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