Opinion: Trump’s America has reached scandal overload. Can democracy survive it?
Then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen speaks with Border Patrol agents near a newly fortified border wall structure in Calexico, Calif., in October 2018. By Brian Klaas Brian Klaas DemocracyPost contributor Email Bio Follow DemocracyPost contributor April 9 at 11:46 AM Over the weekend, Kirstjen Nielsen resigned as homeland security secretary.
It might sound strange, but scandals are a barometer for democracy. In particular, there are two key metrics: how often they occur and whether they produce serious consequences. On the opposite end, the healthiest democracies have a low but sustained number of scandals. And crucially, those scandals are meaningful — they come with costs. Those who engage in scandals lose their jobs. Some get indicted. The specter of accountability is a forceful deterrent. That’s where you want to be: Small scandals pop up every so often, but they are dealt with harshly when they inevitably emerge.
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