As I predicted in Goodbye Democracy, Hello Technocracy, the calls for the demise of democracy are increasing, paving the way for 'rule by experts.' Technocrats have total disdain for the Constitution, political representation and politicians, and thus do not even acknowledge its existence, calling us a Democracy instead.  ? TN Editor

The US has been downgraded to a "flawed democracy" from a "full democracy" by the Economist Intelligence Unit in its 2016 "Democracy Index" report.

Although the report's publication comes shortly after the election of President Donald Trump, the EIU analysts write that the US was not downgraded because of him. Rather, they argue, his surprise election was an effect of the underlying causes that led the EIU to downgrade the US.

According to the EIU, "full democracies" are countries in which basic political freedoms and civil liberties are respected, and are "underpinned by a political culture conducive to the flourishing of democracy." The government functions satisfactorily; media are independent and diverse; the judiciary is independent and their decisions are enforced; and there's an effective system of checks and balances.