Key news and views on democracy at home and abroad.

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** The Democrats’ new hope, Freedom for hostages, Venezuela’s contested election, and Some much needed accountability
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** Key news and views on democracy at home and abroad
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RENEW DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE

AUG 1

Two weeks can change everything. In our last issue, we were prepping for Donald Trump’s RNC speech and wondering whether he would strike a more conciliatory tone. Now, the entire race has shifted, and suddenly the national energy feels different.

Perhaps it’s because for the first time in a long time, Donald Trump is on the defensive, and that’s a good thing for democracy. Whether or not you agree with Kamala Harris on policy is irrelevant. It’s a race again, and America is showing that maybe a little less nihilism is refreshing.

Trump has already had to recalculate, and the Heritage Foundation was the sacrificial lamb. The head of its Project 2025 was forced to step down ([link removed]) as Trump tries to distance himself from its growing unpopularity. It will be interesting to see what other adjustments might happen between now and our next issue. Stay tuned. —Melissa Amour, Managing Editor


** Madam President? Yup, there’s a chance
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A campaign that felt all but dead just two weeks ago is suddenly alive with the elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris ([link removed]) to what is shaping up to be the Democratic presidential nominee after President Biden historically stepped aside ([link removed]) . Now, Democrats and anti-Trump independents are making the most ([link removed]) of that chance.

The historic switch has created unexpected challenges for the Trump campaign. A whiff of desperation was on display this past weekend, when he told a group of supporters they won’t have to vote again if they reelect him. “You won’t have to do it anymore,” Trump said to the audience at the Turning Point Believers’ Summit in Florida. “It’ll be fixed; it’ll be fine; you won’t have to vote anymore ([link removed]) , my beautiful Christians.”

Polls ([link removed]) are looking positive for Harris this far, but will she be able to sustain the momentum to overcome Donald Trump’s increasingly authoritarian movement? Some experts believe so. According to presidential historian and author Barbara Perry ([link removed]) , Harris is the exact kind of candidate who can:

“You can’t get more of a contrast from Donald Trump. She’s a woman of color with an interesting heritage, with her dad coming from Jamaica and her mother coming from India, and her pulling herself up by her own bootstraps. That’s the American Dream story. You’ve got the perfect person to run against him”

READ THIS TOO: No, replacing Biden as the nominee is not an attack on democracy ([link removed]) —Los Angeles Times


** Sweet freedom
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In a stunning turn of events, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan were among two dozen detainees released today as part of a multinational prisoner exchange ([link removed]) between Russia and the West.

Alongside family members of the prisoners, President Biden cited the power of alliances in the swap, calling the deal a “feat of diplomacy and friendship.”

“Multiple countries helped get this done. They joined a difficult, complex negotiation at my request. …. [It would] not have been possible [without Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey, who] all stepped up and stood with us and made bold and brave decisions for these prisoners. … This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.” —President Joe Biden ([link removed])

READ THIS TOO: The Kremlin gets what it wants ([link removed]) —The Atlantic


** Election chaos in Venezuela
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In global elections this week, authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro claimed victory in Venezuela’s general election ([link removed]) despite disputed results ([link removed]) presented by his opponent, Edmundo González, that show he lost decisively. Protests are spreading ([link removed]) throughout the country as the US and other nations call for transparency ([link removed]) .

A top US diplomat for Latin America has said publicly that González won by millions of votes, indicating that the Biden administration is likely preparing to officially recognize him ([link removed]) as the country’s president-elect.

READ THIS TOO: Chavismo must be defeated in Venezuela to pull the country out of oppression and poverty ([link removed]) —The UnPopulist

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** What’s happening in Kenya?
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With all the news breaking stateside over the past month, you may have missed what’s taking place in Kenya. In short, Gen Z Kenyans are so over it. Their disillusionment over economic disparities and political dysfunction has coalesced into a full-scale youth movement ([link removed]) .

Protests initially sparked by controversial tax hikes have evolved into wider demonstrations against a lack of government accountability—and have been met with an intense reaction ([link removed]) from law enforcement.

While Kenyan President William Ruto fired almost his entire Cabinet in response, the protests have shown no signs of abating.

“This is not just about taxes anymore, the protests have changed into what the youth feel they need, and they are not backing down. It will be tough to bring the protests to a stop until they get what they want. It's about a generation demanding a better future, one where they are not perpetually marginalized." —Wandia Njoya ([link removed]) , political analyst at Daystar University

READ THIS TOO: Nigerians take to street in protest over a cost-of-living crisis ([link removed]) —NPR


** So long, Robert Menendez
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In a much-needed sign of accountability in the American political system, a long-time senator was convicted of crimes ([link removed]) , and his party called for him to step down. Imagine that.

Though not required to resign, Senator Robert Menendez was warned ([link removed]) by his fellow Senate Democrats that they would expel him if he did not. His 31-year career in Washington will end ([link removed]) on August 20. And there’s another upside:

“[This case] should help refute the baseless claims by former President Donald Trump and his allies that the Department of Justice under the Biden administration is using prosecution as a political tool.” —Barbara McQuade ([link removed]) , professor at the University of Michigan Law School and a former US attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan


** ‘No one is above the law’
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Speaking of holding public officials accountable, one of President Biden’s lame-duck priorities will be to overhaul the Supreme Court ([link removed]) to make it more accountable.

He is calling for term limits and a code of conduct for the justices, and he is pitching a No One Is Above the Law Amendment, which would “make clear that there is no immunity for crimes a former president committed while in office.”

It won’t be an easy process ([link removed]) , and can’t be accomplished via an executive order, but the effort is a fitting bookend to a presidency that began with chaos fomented by a former president.

READ THIS TOO: Joe Biden: My plan to reform the Supreme Court and ensure no president is above the law ([link removed]) —The Washington Post
* Harris campaign's vetting team has met with 6 potential VP picks as the selection process nears its end ([link removed]) —NBC News
* Two deadly blows to Iranian proxies ([link removed]) —The Dispatch
* Autocrats like Trump and Maduro want you to lose faith in elections ([link removed]) —Lucid
* The group behind a massive effort to ‘clean’ voter rolls ([link removed]) —CNN
* China seeks to boost influence by playing peacemaker ([link removed]) —VOA
* Major funders bet big on rural America and ‘everyday democracy’ ([link removed]) —ABC News
* How to confront authoritarianism? With joy and unity ([link removed]) —The Washington Post
* Illiberal liberalism ([link removed]) —Persuasion
* The America of yesterday ([link removed]) —Yascha Mounk
* Flawed research into election fraud can undermine democracy and intensify polarization ([link removed]) —The Conversation

Hey Topline readers, you remember the drill. We want to hear your reactions to today’s stories. We’ll include some of your replies in this space in our next issue of The Topline.

Click here ([link removed]) to share your take, and don’t forget to include your name and state. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Got feedback? Let us know (mailto:[email protected]?subject=&body=)
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