Touting itself as the beacon of democracy, the United States has wantonly leveled criticism against and oppressed many other countries under the guise of upholding democracy, freedom and human rights, according to a report released by China's State Council Information Office said on Wednesday.

"However, the U.S. society has been plagued by deep-rooted money politics, unchecked public opinion manipulation, and rampant lies, and American democracy has further aggravated social division instead of bridging the increasingly polarized political differences," the report added.

Influence of money in electoral politics essentially makes it a money-led election.

"Money is the driving force of American politics. America's money politics has distorted public opinion, turning elections into a 'one-man show' for the rich." The amount spent on the 2020 U.S. presidential and congressional campaigns hit nearly $14 billion, more than double what was spent in the 2016 election, according to the report.

"The presidential campaign saw a record high of $6.6 billion in total spending, while congressional races finished with over $7 billion. The top 10 donors in the 2020 U.S. election cycle contributed over $640 million," the report said.

In addition to publicly registered election donations, a large amount of secret funds and dark money flooded the 2020 U.S. elections, it said, adding that dark money groups poured "more than $750 million into 2020 elections" through ad spending and record-breaking contributions to political committees such as "super political action committees."

Public trust in U.S. elections was in crisis.

"Only 19 percent of Americans say they are 'very confident' about the accuracy of the presidential election, the lowest Gallup has recorded in its trend dating back to 2004. The 2020 U.S. election can be seen as the culmination of a two-decade period of decline in faith in the basic building blocks of democracy," it reported. 

A month before the 2020 election, about 90 percent in both camps worried that a victory by the other would lead to "lasting harm" to the United States, it said, citing a report from Pew Research Center.

Power checks and balances have mutated into veto politics.

"The bipartisan divides intensified the veto practices inherent in the American system. The separation, check, and balance of power have turned into vetoing each other. The two parties engaged in ferocious battles, paralyzing the Congress and deadlocking the decision-making," according to the report. 

During the outbreak of COVID-19 went out of control, the two parties not only brawled with each other on multiple issues but also took the bill for the second round of COVID-19 relief measures as their campaigning tool for election, it said, adding that the two parties filibustered and stalled each other for votes, leaving millions of grassroots people in livelihood predicament.

The 2020 U.S. election did not resolve the political differences in the United States but heated up social confrontation, it said. "Whoever won the 2020 election, America would remain a country bitterly divided, and the politics of anger and hatred would be the legacy" it added, citing a report from the website of the Guardian.