This week’s election results in the U.S. have raised a critical question: Is democracy a value worth defending, or just an empty slogan? Many communication experts claim the Harris campaign lacked a clear, resonant theme, while Trump’s team nailed it with simple, urgent messaging: “They broke it, I fix it.” It resonated deeply.

Ironically, the Democrats did have a powerful message—perhaps the most important message of all: “Preserve Democracy.” A call so fundamental that even conservative icons like Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz crossed party lines to support it. Yet, for much of the American public, this promise didn’t connect. As one communication expert said, “Democracy is an elite value, not a people’s priority.” And they’re right.

For many Americans, the real issue was the hit to their wallets. Rising inflation and the cost of essentials made economic concerns outweigh democratic ideals. Here’s a glimpse of the income distribution in the U.S. and Germany:

These numbers show th...

Over the past four decades, the U.S. has undergone a profound economic transformation that, while enriching a small elite, has left behind a dangerously fragile foundation. A combination of misdirected fiscal policies, financial-driven corporate governance, and an overreliance on debt has created an economy where short-term gains come at the expense of long-term stability. This system, bolstered by the U.S. dollar's global dominance, threatens not only the American economy but also the integrity of Western democracies that have long looked to the U.S. as a pillar of stability.

The Rise of the U.S. Dollar and Debt Dependency
In the aftermath of World War II, the U.S. emerged as the world’s dominant economic power, with the Bretton Woods Agreement cementing the U.S. dollar as the global reserve currency. The dollar’s link to gold provided stability, but this changed in 1971 when President Nixon severed the dollar’s ties to gold, allowing the U.S. to print more money and finance its growi...