Abby McCloskey, Bloomberg Opinion, August 18, 2026

“Can a modern democracy function without civility? We are in the process of finding out.

A Brit recently implored me at a dinner party: Can your country start by being civil? He was referring to President Donald Trump’s behavior on Truth Social, which needs no further elaboration.

But the point is a broader one. Our public square is dominated by vulgarity and ideological polarization. Civic restraint and virtue feel like relics of a bygone era. This is the case pretty much anywhere you look in American politics — from the politicians themselves to constituents to the anonymous taunting online.”