Recent public statements have raised questions about who controls American elections and whether election administration should be more centralized at the national level. Under the U.S. Constitution, the primary responsibility for running elections belongs to the states. State and local officials oversee voter registration, ballot design, polling locations, vote counting, audits, and certification of results.

Over the past several weeks, federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis have resulted in the deaths of two people and raised serious questions about due process, accountability, and constitutional protections.

While U.S. law generally prohibits the use of the military for domestic policing, the Insurrection Act is a federal law that gives the President of the United States the authority to deploy the U.S. military or federalized National Guard inside the country under certain circumstances.

Recent deployments of the National Guard reflect a growing trend: the use — or threatened use — of federal military power in domestic situations that have traditionally fallen under local or state control.

Throughout history, Jewish communities have been vulnerable to arbitrary actions and government overreach—whether it be during times of crisis or political upheaval. In the face of such adversity, the right to due process has often served as a critical safeguard.

Free speech is indispensable to American Jews, who have exercised this right to advocate boldly for our communities and causes without fear of government retribution. If freedom of religion allows us to thrive as Jews, freedom of speech empowers us to thrive as Americans.

Civil liberties protect the freedom of all citizens to do specific things without interference from the government. In contrast, civil rights protect people from discrimination based on a set of shared identity characteristics (race, gender, etc.).

Presidential pardons have received an unusual amount of attention in the last year, and for good reason – actions by both President Biden and President-Elect Trump have raised questions about the expansive nature of this power.

While each type of false information poses its own risks, their collective impact on elections – and democracy generally – can be significant.

During times of political division, many are quick to draw a line in the sand and assume that there is only one ideological path to protecting our values. However, we at A More Perfect Union believe that protecting and strengthening American democracy is not a partisan issue.

While the term ‘Zuckerbucks’ may seem harmless, it has a dark side – as well as implications for Jews and for American democracy.

What do we mean by civil society? And what does it have to do with the Jewish community?