Barack Obama, the former President of the United States, recently expressed serious concerns regarding the direction in which the country is heading under Trump’s leadership.
During his speech at the Connecticut Forum on Tuesday, June 17, he painted a concerning picture, suggesting that the U.S. is perilously close to walking the path of autocracy.
Obama’s Thoughts on Anti-Democratic Trends
In his address, Obama cautioned against normalizing behaviors that veer away from democratic principles, particularly highlighting how the current administration handled the anti-ICE protests across the nation.
He observed, “If you follow regularly what is said by those who are in charge of the federal government right now, there is a weak commitment to what we understood – and not just my generation, at least since World War II – our understanding of how a liberal democracy is supposed to work.”
Emphasizing the role of various societal segments in safeguarding democracy, he stated, “There has to be a response and pushback from civil society, from various institutions and individuals outside of government, but there also have to be people in government in both parties who say, ‘No, you can’t do that.’ What we’re seeing right now… is not consistent with American democracy.”
He continued by illustrating the risks of adopting governance styles akin to autocracies: “It is consistent with Hungary under Orbán.
It’s consistent with places that hold elections but do not otherwise observe what we think of [as] a fair system in which everybody’s voice matters, and people have a seat at the table, and there are checks and balances, and nobody’s above the law.
We’re not there yet completely, but I think that we are dangerously close to normalizing behavior like that.”
To understand better, autocracy is a form of government where a single figure possesses all the decision-making power, prevalent in absolute monarchies and dictatorships.
In these systems, leaders answer to no one—not advisors, the judicial system, or even the press—and citizens lack a voice in lawmaking or enforcement processes.
Hope Amidst Concerns
Despite his concerns, Obama remains hopeful, calling himself the “hope” guy. He expressed, “I guess the thing when I’m talking to these young people, though, [what] they need to hear the most is:
It is important to be impatient with injustice and cruelty, and there’s a healthy outrage that we should be exhibiting in terms of what’s currently happening both here and around the world.”
“But if you want to deliver on change, then it’s a game of addition, not subtraction, which means you have to find ways to make common ground with people who don’t agree with you on everything but agree with you on some things.”
This speech from the former president came in the wake of the widespread “No Kings” protests. While Obama has acknowledged and praised public resistance, he also urged lawmakers and leaders to be more proactive in protecting the country’s core institutions.
Interestingly, a report by the Independent mentions that during Obama’s tenure, his administration deported more individuals in a single year compared to any year under Trump’s administration.
Let’s not keep these concerns to ourselves. Reflect on this message with your loved ones today.
