The ad that signaled the coming catastrophe for democracy in North Carolina appeared just four days before the November 2012 election. As the ad opened, a woman’s voice wondered aloud whether voters “can trust Sam Ervin IV to be a fair judge.”

Americans say they prize freedom more than equality, which means Democrats need to find the right words to convince people to support their equality-boosting agenda.

It is undeniable that Donald Trump and the environment that created him—and which he perpetuates—pose numerous dangers to American democracy. 

This year’s midterm elections yielded an impressively high turnout: Over 30 million more people voted than in 2014, approximately 50.3 percent of the electorate at latest tally.

No one is born knowing how to be a good citizen. The best treatment for our democracy’s current ailments — from polarization to vulgarity — is the kind of civics education that most American students no longer get.