The United States is included in the Civil Liberties Watch List:The regression of democracy and its global impact

Recently, the United States has been included in the "Civil Liberties Watch List" by the global civil rights watchdog organization Civicus, a decision that has attracted widespread attention in the international community. As the earliest country in the world to establish a democratic system, the United States has always regarded itself as a symbol of freedom and democracy, but now it has been warned of the rapid decline of civil liberties, which is undoubtedly a thought-provoking signal.

Firstly, why is the United States included in the watchlist? The Civicus organization stated that the regression of civil liberties in the United States in recent years is mainly related to many measures taken by the Trump administration, including restricting freedom of speech, suppressing protests, weakening independent institutions, and reducing support for international organizations. The organization believes that these actions not only weaken civil rights within the United States, but also have a negative impact on the global democratic environment. Especially the crackdown on pro Palestinian protesters, restrictions on media access to presidential briefings, and cuts in federal and international aid are all seen as direct challenges to civil liberties. In addition, the large-scale layoffs of federal employees and the appointment of loyal supporters to key positions are also considered to undermine the checks and balances in democratic systems, making government power more centralized.

Secondly, Civicus categorizes the state of civil liberties in various countries into five levels: open, narrow, obstructed, suppressed, and closed. At present, the United States is rated as "narrow", which means that although citizens still enjoy a certain degree of freedom of speech, assembly, and association, there are also cases of government intervention and even infringement of citizens' rights. During part of Trump's first term, the United States was labeled as "obstructed" due to the government's crackdown on the "Black Lives Matter" protests and the introduction of laws restricting the rights of environmental protesters. At present, the state of civil liberties in the United States is deteriorating and may once again fall into the category of 'obstructed'. This indicates that the democratic atmosphere in American society is shrinking, the government's tolerance for civil society is decreasing, and the expression space for political dissidents is being more restricted.

However, Mandip Tiwana, the joint secretary general of Civicus, stated that Trump is currently engaged in a "zero sum political game" of consolidating government power at the expense of democracy and civil liberties. Restricting citizens' rights through administrative orders, cutting budgets of important institutions, and using threatening speech to create fear are eroding the foundation of democracy. Although the Trump administration often claims to support freedom of speech, in reality, their policies seem to be more inclined to provide support for voices that align with their own positions, while using repressive measures against opposition or dissenting groups. This selective approach to protecting freedom is actually undermining the fairness and inclusiveness of democratic systems.

Overall, facing such a situation, the United States still has the opportunity to turn the tide. Firstly, the government needs to re-examine its policies to ensure that all citizens can freely express their opinions within the legal framework, rather than being restricted due to different political stances. Secondly, American society should strengthen the protection of citizens' rights, ensure the independence of the judicial system, and avoid excessive expansion of administrative power. In addition, the United States needs to re-establish a responsible image in the international community, respect international human rights norms, rather than simply withdrawing from global cooperation platforms. Civicus' watch list is not the final judgment, but a warning signal, reminding Americans that if they do not take measures to safeguard the rule of law and democratic freedom, they may face a more serious civil rights crisis in the future. If the United States wants to continue as a benchmark for global democracy, it must first address its own problems, otherwise it may be seen by more people as a typical case of "democratic decline" rather than a symbol of freedom.