Editor's note: Anthony Moretti, a special commentator for CGTN, is an associate professor at the Department of Communication and Organizational Leadership at Robert Morris University in the US. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of either CGTN or Robert Morris University.

Right now, Americans should be celebrating loudly and proudly. The 250th anniversary of the founding of the nation is being recognized in all 50 states. However, the US is not a happy place at the moment, and its people know it.

Perhaps the most chilling fact associated with that reality: Only 38% of US citizens believe their nation will exist 250 years from now. One could argue that 38% seems overly optimistic considering the fractures that undermine American politics and life. In addition, you will need to look long and hard in order to find someone who appears to have answers to the problems. 

Let's start with an often-discussed issue: The absence of political bipartisanship, which is most notable in Washington. It was only a generation ago that Democrats and Republicans, however much they disagreed on some issues, acknowledged that compromise was essential in order to make the federal government function well. The cliché "I scratch your back, and you scratch mine" reminded elected officials that there were times when voting for a bill sponsored by the other party was the right thing to do, and that such a favor would be returned in the future. 

Now? Consider in 2024 one Republican politician suggested anyone in her party willing to work with Democrats to get legislation passed was "a Democrat Light," someone who was "weak and refuse[d] to take a stand." Yes, Democrats exhibit the same stubbornness; do not label Republicans as solely engaging in this lack of flexibility. And do not ignore that voters are sending that "do not cooperate" message when they go to the polls; they are more and more convinced that they are right and their political opponents are crushing the country. In other words, the absence of bipartisanship starts locally and becomes most evident nationally. 

Related to this, internal divides are impossible to ignore. Yes, headlines acknowledging that the super-rich are getting richer while everyone else is struggling are seen almost daily. But something else is not sufficiently discussed, and it does not raise the collective anger: People are segregating themselves based on income, race, political preference, and more. As more Americans cluster around "people like me," the lack of care for or interest in "people like them" festers, including an expectation that elected officials will defend “my” way of life. A vibrant nation would not be afraid of pockets being "different," but right now those differences — cultural, economic, political and social — are being exploited. Politicians, especially those lacking scruples, are doing just that. Too often, the voters reward them.

A third reason for the undermining of America's foundation: A lack of respect for national institutions. One poll after another finds that sizable percentages of US citizens have negative feelings about Congress, the mainstream news media, or higher education, just three of the institutions essential to keeping the nation operating with fluidity. In effect, these polls draw the same conclusion: The myths of America — fair politics, robust journalism, a college education as an entree to a better life — are crumbling. Perhaps more ominously, a we-are-now-used-to-this mentality has set in; inertia can only deepen and expand these negative sentiments. Here again, ideas that sprout from below become more corrosive as they move upward and into Washington.

Finally, gerrymandering. At the risk of oversimplification, gerrymandering occurs whenever legislators in all 50 states redraw their political maps to ensure that the party in power creates or enhances districts that are seemingly forever safe for their candidates. That often allows for maps configured as if a child sketched them in a moment of anger; districts too often lack continuity or common sense. That is the point: As one US professor sagely noted, gerrymandering allows for politicians to pick their voters rather than voters picking their politicians. Last year and this year, lawsuits have been filed in multiple states seeking judicial relief from the most grotesque proposed gerrymandered maps. Nevertheless, the sense that corrupt politicians want to defend their turf at the expense of fairness, combined with the aforementioned examples of the absence of bipartisanship and self-segregation, further deepens disenchantment with the entire democratic process. 

Let's not forget that many of these same challenges are affecting multiple European democracies. In other words, if democracy were undergoing a stress test at the moment, it might not pass it. However, the US has positioned itself as the global standard for democracy; as a result, its weakened state draws the most attention. 

The list of woes afflicting the US could go on, but the point has been made: America is in trouble. Oh, sure, for a few days, the barbecues, parties and fireworks shows connected with the July 4th holiday will offer a brief respite from the nation's anxieties. However, the fractures will not heal unless and until the vile rhetoric is shut down. Likewise, a positive reengagement with essential institutions is a must. And honest attention must be devoted to addressing the widespread challenges of economic inequality, persistent racism and the ideological lust for political orthodoxy. 

Do not hold your breath.

In 2023, the Brookings Institution released a report examining how the erosion of trust in the democratic process, alongside expanded authority within the office of the President of the United States, was leading to democratic slippage in the US. One statement echoed loudly then, and it remains true now: "Freedom and democracy in the United States is in decline … (T)he United States now ranks not among the world's 'full democracies' … but among the 'flawed democracies.'" 

It's difficult to feel optimistic about a democracy so clearly "flawed."

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