America is tired. The worst presidency in American history has been a time when Americans were questioned about what it meant to be American. More Americans have been killed by a pandemic than in the two world wars. The longing for normalcy is strong. Finally, we have a normal president and a competent government. This isn't a normal time. The American democracy is in crisis.Many people urge us to take the bipartisanship path to get out of this mess. The Biden administration might be trying to restore normalcy in our country after the last four years, but Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and others are seeking the long-held goal of bipartisanship to solve our problems.For generations, we have lived in America with two political parties. It is the only way that we can participate in and discuss politics. Two-party coverage is the only way news media can cover Washington and elections. Many of us believe that there has to be a two party solution to the current danger. It would be wonderful if it were possible. It is not.Guardians of Lincoln's LegacyAmerica has two parties that are healthy. It is a terrible mistake for America to continue to view the fight as Democrats against Republicans, left vs. Right. An authoritarian movement, fueled by Trump's former president, is at our beck and call. It includes many of those 147 Republicans who signed up to treason with their Jan.6 votes objecting to Joe Biden winning, and it has only grown over the years.Joe Trippi is a national Democratic strategist and author.In what used to be the Republican Party, the authoritarian movement holds so much power that goodwill officials are either expelled or taken hostage out cowardly of fear for their political careers and even for their safety. What the rest of us do is what matters. It is time to take action and choose sides: to oppose this authoritarian movement, and to be one of President Abraham Lincoln's guardians, making sure that the government of the people, by and for the people, does not disappear from the earth.Continue the storyTruth matters. Many people have been deceived and many have believed the lies. They are not their enemy. We must tell them the truth, and encourage them to come along with us Americans to discover a path forward.Jan. 6: Republicans are afraid of Capitol attack truths, and Democrats need to find out whyEvery American, every company, and all news media outlets must understand that there are not two political parties in America. The danger of an authoritarian movement seeking to seize power through any means is posed by straddling between them. All Americans should join the fight. It is not one party that will win. All Americans should be against any authoritarian movement or its poison, until it is defeated and another generation of Americans ensures that democracy continues to live.Joe Trippi (Holding the Howard Dean campaign) makes a stop in Des Moines on Jan. 5, 2004,The past four decades have been spent as a Democratic Party consultant, fighting Republicans on issues like taxes, health care, and foreign policy. These were issues that mattered in politics yesterday and will likely be relevant again in politics of tomorrow. Today, however, there is one question in America: Will America's experiment survive?I was impressed by the courage and decency displayed by Republicans during the Trump years. Although they were often called anti-Trump, I saw them as more pro-democracy. They were Republicans. I am a Democrat. These labels are meaningless today.Trump authoritarianism:We must all join forces as citizens to create a pro-democracy coalition against the authoritarian movement within our country. President Biden and all those who are trying to govern must find common ground and compromise wherever possible to get things done. We must all give them that space. There is no way to compromise with those who continue to fuel authoritarian movements with lies.Keep your eyes peeled: January 6, 2025 could mark the end of American democracyTrump is leading this movement and it is being supported by many Republican senators, House members, and other lawmakers. It is so harmful to democracy that the Lincoln Project's sole goal is to defeat Republican efforts to retake the Senate and House majorities in 2022. If the American people understand the threat and danger, and join the pro-democracy coalition that defeats it, we will succeed. Each individual can and must play a part in defeating this threat.This isn't about politics, petty politics, or individual histories or past partisan battles. It's about the future and making sure that it survives. This is why I'm joining the Lincoln Project today.Joe Trippi is a national Democratic strategist who has worked with former California Governors. Jerry Brown, ex-Senator Doug Jones of Alabama, and former presidential candidates Walter Mondale and Dick Gephardt, is the author and host of "The Revolution will Not Be Televised" as well as the podcast "That Trippi Show." Follow him on Twitter at @JoeTrippiDiverse opinions can be found on our Opinion front page, Twitter @usatodayopinion, and in our daily Opinion newsletter. Send a comment at letters@usatoday.com to respond to a column.This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Trump fuels Republican lying. To stop them, I am joining Lincoln Project.
