Democracy & Rule of Law
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.
3,476 Articles
Myths & Misunderstandings Relating to Mar-a-Lago Documents Investigation
Five myths broken down by J. William Leonard who, in government service, was responsible for the oversight of classified information for the entire executive branch.
Independent State Legislatures and Presidential Elections: Addressing Misconceptions About Current Law and Prospects for Reform
An expert explainer of the independent state legislature theory, the Electoral Count Act and proposals for reform, and the relationship -- and differences -- between the two.
Trump and the Insurrection Act: The Legal Framework
University of Chicago Law Professor Al Alschuler writes that the evidence is sufficient to indict Trump under Insurrection Act, 18 U.S. Code § 2383.
Five Years After “Unite the Right”: Reflections on Charlottesville for Today’s Threat Landscape
Charlottesville was a watershed moment in US politics and a wake-up call to the counterterrorism community. What lessons have been learned on how to counter white supremacist extremism?
DHS IG Cuffari’s Actions Exhibit Clear Pattern: Unwillingness or Inability to Meet the Mission
President Biden may be tempted to let the inspector general community police their own, but that might tacitly approve inferior performance.
Lessons from Petraeus’s Guilty Plea for Trump’s Classified Docs Investigation
In the retired general's case, the FBI executed a search warrant at his home and seized notebooks allegedly containing classified material.
Expert Backgrounder: Criminal Statutes that Could Apply to Trump’s Retention of Government Documents
The DOJ obtained a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago. What underlying crimes might have justified the search? Experts survey the possibilities.
Banning Content Platforms is Not a Solution to Hate Speech on the Internet, Even When the Platform is Meta
Governments should recognize that pulling the plug on the internet – or on an entire social media platform – is not a viable solution to the spread of hate speech or misinformation…
America’s Forgotten Balkan Allies
Before Russia opens yet another war theater through its proxies, the US must recalibrate policy to restore influence in the region.
The Biden Administration’s Senseless Opposition to Congress’s Effort to Prevent Abusive National Guard Deployments
Section 516 of the NDAA is a commonsense reform that would prevent a president from borrowing the National Guard of a political ally to use it as a domestic police force in an…
Retrenchment of the Federal Right to Abortion: How Dobbs Threatens National Security
The Dobbs decision has broad national security implications, increasing the risk of political violence and damaging US standing in the world.
Tunisians, Fed Up With `Non-Delivering Democracy,’ Set to Vote on Retrograde Constitution: Civil Society’s Role
A civic leader says the coming referendum reflects the frustration of citizens who want a democratic system but need economic prosperity too.