America is not the first democracy to elect an authoritarian-tinged, populist leader. The pattern from countries with similar experiences is clear.
David Solimini has spent fifteen years at the intersection of politics, foreign policy, and communications. As co-owner and Principal of ADco, he provides strategic advice, issue expertise, and translates policy nuance into persuasive communications to achieve policy goals. He is also the host and creator of The Secure Line, a podcast on the policy and politics of America’s role in the world. In 2017, he advised on policy and led communications for ICAN’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning effort to create a treaty-based prohibition on nuclear weapons. Previously, as vice president at the Truman National Security Project, he crafted messaging for candidates, policy leaders, and media across the country, while serving as a senior leader in organizational strategy and program development. He was the founding executive director of the Virginia Redistricting Coalition and co-founder of Virginia21, the country’s first organization devoted to generational advocacy for young voters. He has also worked as a speechwriter and ghostwriter for numerous candidates, elected officials, and public figures. Solimini received his B.A. from the College of William and Mary and his master’s degree from Johns Hopkins SAIS. He lives with his family in Washington, D.C.
America is not the first democracy to elect an authoritarian-tinged, populist leader. The pattern from countries with similar experiences is clear.
In the face of the decline of democracy in the United States, it is beneficial to look toward other democracies which declined and recovered. This analysis reveals that often recovery takes decades, can remain incomplete, and that it requires the dedication of individuals committed to renewal.