The Harris-Walz Campaign Has Created a Pro-Democracy Movement in America

Affirming common values of patriotism, rule of law, and decency, and coming together to defeat an existential threat

The U.S. election is the most consequential event of our lifetimes. The choice could not be starker: on the Trump-Vance side, a desire, simply put, to destroy America as a democratic power. Tomorrow’s essay will address how and why this destruction would happen if Trump returns to the White House. Today I want to consider the short and longer term meaning of a Harris-Walz victory and what we can draw on in the event of Democratic defeat.

A Harris-Walz victory would mean the survival of our democracy for another four years, and the chance to consolidate the extraordinary progress made during the Biden-Harris administration. It means the retention of basic rights of reproductive choice, assembly, speech, free and fair and safe voting, an independent judiciary, and the separation of church and state.

It means policies that will continue the extraordinary economic boom of America and strengthen our fragile and torn social fabric: creating jobs, encouraging manufacturing, prioritizing the values of care in social assistance and community organizing, and in general leading America to become a model of a multifaith and multiracial democracy for the world.

If the Democrats retain the White House, there will hopefully be tough discussions about foreign policy and defense policy that will encourage resolute and impactful measures against authoritarians, no matter who they are and where they operate.

Authoritarians only respond to forceful action, and it is time to end America’s long history of propping up right-wing autocrats with covert actions, public relations campaigns, and wealth management strategies that let them hide their illicitly obtained funds, as well as arming warmongers and appeasing imperialist agents of mass violence.

Democrats have been operating from a dated playbook that does not reflect the realities of our times and has led to overly cautious and inconsistent responses to flagrant violations of international law and foreign national and transnational influence operations .

If we are going to realize the promise of democracy as a political system based on the values of accountability, transparency, equitable justice, and solidarity, and reign in bad actors out to destroy a democratic international order based on humanitarianism and rule of law, U.S. foreign and national security and defense policies will need a revision. There will be much more to say on this after the election.

While there are many reasons to be optimistic, know that if the Democrats are defeated, and a Trump-Vance administration takes over in Jan. 2025, we have already achieved something magnificent that will help us to win back whatever freedoms we lose:

The Harris-Walz campaign has jump-started a pro-democracy movement of the kind we have long needed in America.

Our bipartisan system, long thought to ensure America’s stability, has turned into a liability. In other countries, the existence of multi-party systems makes gatekeeping and unity of opposition against autocrats easier, because individuals who no longer identify with the values and platforms of the autocratic party can find other political homes.

Enter the Harris-Walz campaign, which has brilliantly created a home for principled Republicans who are voting Democrat because they believe that Trump represents an existential threat to America and Americans.

"Crossing the line" and putting country over party has seemed the right thing to do at this time for over 1,000 national security leaders—including 10 Cabinet & 11 Service Secretaries, 253 retired Admirals & Generals, 49 Senior Enlisted, and 164 Ambassadors who have signed a letter endorsing Harris.

This is our equivalent of the multi-party coalitions that other countries have put together to fight off autocrats, and we should not underestimate what it means in our static political system. Naturally, much more can be done in this direction, but this is a very important start.

Successful pro-democracy movements mobilize people with policies that fight the removal of specific rights and freedoms, but they also create a climate of optimism that convinces people to engage because they come to believe that change is possible and it is worth investing in collective action despite the risks. Democratic models of courage are also important (which is why Lucid has an occasional series on democratic heroes).

The Harris-Walz campaign has prioritized the values of joy, hope, freedom, solidarity, unity, care, patriotism, justice, and decency. These will not be taken away from us as guides to action even if Democrats do not prevail in the election. They will be our watchwords for the future, along with kindness and resilience.

My mantra has always been “never underestimate the American people,” and seeing how many have worked so hard to preserve our democracy has been so inspiring. The Harris-Walz campaign has made clear to millions what democracy means as a political system and in daily life. It has given people a different awareness of the stakes of politics and the power they exercise as voters and citizens, whether at the community, city, state, or national level. We’ve been in the thick of it, but this campaign has been transformative for America, and its effects will be long-lasting, no matter what happens in this election.