US presidential centers stress importance of rule of law and democratic principles in unprecedented joint statement News
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US presidential centers stress importance of rule of law and democratic principles in unprecedented joint statement

13 presidential centers in the US released a joint statement on Thursday stressing the importance of the rule of law and democratic principles in the United States.

Specifically, the group called for peaceful civil discourse about political topics and shared the necessity of democracy:

We, the undersigned, represent a wide range of views across a breadth of issues. We recognize that these views can exist peaceably side by side when rooted in the principles of democracy. Debate and disagreement are central features in a healthy democracy. Civility and respect in political discourse, whether in an election year or otherwise, are essential.

Additionally, the George W. Bush Presidential Center asked Americans to continue to uphold democracy. The Obama Foundation called on Americans to practice their civic responsibility through government participation in order to uphold democratic processes.

This year, there have been multiple issues concerning the rule of law in the US. JURIST’s Rule of Law Chronicles have reported on government abuses of power concerning topics like increased immunity for law enforcement officers.  The series also featured reports on the demonization of immigrants and US policies that separated migrant families, as well as restrictions on teaching about certain topics like slavery, race and gender in schools. Also relating to the rule of law and democratic principles, former US President Donald Trump has been charged with various election interference counts stemming from the 2020 presidential election.

The presidential centers that signed the statement are the Obama Foundation, George W. Bush Presidential Center, Clinton Foundation, George & Barbara Bush Foundation, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, The Carter Center, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, Richard Nixon Foundation, LBJ Foundation, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Truman Library Institute, Roosevelt Institute and Hoover Presidential Foundation.

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