Democracy Rhetoric Shields Elite Rule

Political actors invoke generic phrases like “our democracy” to claim moral authority while narrowing who actually shapes policy, turning democratic language into a cover for technocratic or insider decision‑making. The piece argues that since 9/11 elites have used crisis and moral framing to close policy to ordinary electoral pressure across immigration, national security, and public‑health choices. — If true, this dynamic reframes debates about populism and institutional legitimacy: battles over 'saving democracy' may be less about procedural safeguards and more about who gets to set policy agendas.