Democrats say preserving democracy in the United States is their top issue

A recent poll said 32 percent of Democrats identified preserving democracy in the United States as the top issue, followed by abortion (13 percent), the economy (13 percent), and gun violence (12 percent).

Among independents, the economy (35 percent) ranks first followed by preserving democracy in the United States (27 percent) and abortion (8 percent).

The Quinnipiac University Poll reported that Americans gave President Joe Biden a negative 41 – 54 percent job approval rating, up from a negative 36 – 58 percent job approval rating in May.

Biden is viewed unfavorably by significant majorities among independent voters, men, white people, those without a college degree, and younger voters.

Many Democrats have expressed dismay over betrayals and disappointments credited to the White House. This includes the massive policy failure represented by the reversal of Roe v. Wade and growing threats to abortion rights, a toothless new gun law, a failed effort to provide student loan relief, and a host of actions that will worsen the problem of global warming.

After the Trump administration devastated more than 100 environmental protections for air and water pollution, biodiversity, and climate change; gutted environmental agencies; and abandoned the Paris Agreement over four years; Biden’s climate legacy is starting to take shape but it doesn’t look good.

Biden has so far allowed offshore drilling in an area the size of Italy, approved the destructive ConocoPhillips’ Willow Project is a massive and decadeslong oil drilling venture on Alaska’s North Slope in the National Petroleum Reserve, which is owned by the federal government, permitted exports of liquefied natural gas from the Alaska LNG project, sold four times more federal oil and gas leases than were issued by Trump, plus provided international financing for fossil fuel projects like an Indonesian oil refinery.

Most voters have not heard enough about Marianne Williamson, the best-selling author whose progressive agenda reflects the values of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s policy to realign government with the needs of that 70 percent of Americans who report financial stress.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of 1968 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, has greater recognition but his campaign has yet to connect with most people on his pledges to end the forever wars, clean up government, increase wealth for all, and tell Americans the truth.

Biden has a only slight lead over Trump among all registered voters in Quinnipiac University’s national poll, and the incumbent’s distinct signs of weakness could inspire Democrats to embrace Kennedy or Williamson.

Both challengers confront nearly universal scorn from media outlets and the political establishment that seems intended to drive supporters away from the notion that there is any alternative to Biden, although the rate of poverty in America is higher than in any other advanced democracy.

Millions of employed Americans are not earning a living wage, so the economy is failing US citizens who have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, struggle to feed their children, or the 1 in 4 who carry medical debt.

Williamson has focused her intellectual capital on addressing economic disparities.

Kennedy’s reputation as a resolute defender of the environment and children’s health stems from hundreds of successful legal actions. TIME Magazine named Kennedy its “Hero for the Planet” for his leadership in the fight to restore the Hudson River.

From his long experience and familiarity with systems of power, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. understands that most people in corporations and government are perfectly decent human beings but he says:

A democratic government is supposed to be of, by, and for the people. But government institutions have betrayed our trust. The intelligence agencies spy on our own people. Government and tech platforms conspire to surveil and censor the public. Regulatory agencies have been captured by those they are supposed to regulate: Wall Street controls the SEC. Polluters and extractive industries dominate the EPA and BLM. Pharma controls the CDC, NIH, and FDA. Big Ag controls the USDA. Big Tech has captured the FTC. No wonder trust in government is at all-time lows. It’s time to earn it back.”

Biden has been so bad on policies and his political standing against any Republicans is so weak that it is only a matter of time before Democratic voters turn to Kennedy or Williamson as an alternative because there are no others.

Democrats who say preserving democracy in the United States is their top issue are going to discover that Biden is most likely to lose the election and with it, America’s only chance to get money out of politics, open our institutions to real citizen involvement, and restore integrity to government.