Letter to the editor: Elites, not populism, the threat to democracy

Many elites in the media and politics think populism is a threat to democracy. But are they correct?

A dictionary definition of populism is “a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups.”

What’s so wrong about that? Isn’t democracy or representative government about trusting the judgment of common folks?

Elites tell us that populism is a threat to freedom because populism becomes authoritarian and denies others their freedom.

But when you look at the current political situation, just the opposite is true. It’s the elites who are authoritarian and deny common people their rights and freedom because the elites believe they know better.

Here are some recent examples of elite authoritarianism:

1. Declaring climate change settled science and refusing to listen to opposing arguments.

2. Refusal to allow opposing opinions on social media platforms.

3. Refusal to consider commonsense election reforms like voter ID or tightening mail-in voting.

4. Denial of the mainstream media to investigate the Hunter Biden laptop allegations before the 2020 presidential election.

5. Cancel culture where those with opposing opinions lost their jobs and reputations.

Because of their arrogance and corruption, it’s the elites who are the real authoritarians, not the common people.

Dave Majernik

Plum