US Civil Liberties in Crisis: Freedom House Drops America to “Partly Free” in 2025 Report – The Authoritarian Shift No One’s Talking About
For the first time since 2010, the US has been downgraded in the world’s biggest democracy scorecard. Here’s what the Civic Liberties & Freedom Report really says – and why it should scare every American.
Hey friends, it’s December 10, 2025, and I just read something that made my stomach drop. Freedom House – the gold-standard watchdog on global democracy – released its annual “Freedom in the World” report yesterday, and for the first time in 15 years, the United States is no longer rated “Free.” We’re now “Partly Free,” sitting at 72 out of 100 – the same score as Romania and Panama. I grew up believing America was the beacon. Seeing us slide into the same bucket as countries with press crackdowns and protest bans? It feels personal. This isn’t fear-mongering; it’s the Civic Liberties & Freedom Report laying out cold, hard facts. Let’s break it down together – no jargon, just truth.
What Is the Civic Liberties & Freedom Report?
Every year since 1973, Freedom House scores 195 countries and 15 territories on 25 indicators of political rights and civil liberties. Think voting fairness, free speech, rule of law, protest rights, and minority protections. A country needs 83+ to be “Free.” 71-83 is “Partly Free.” Below that? “Not Free.”
The 2025 report is brutal: The US lost 11 points in one year – the biggest single-year drop ever recorded for any established democracy. We’re now tied with Mongolia and below South Korea (83) and Costa Rica (91). The report cites:
- Mass deportation operations without due process
- DOJ targeting of journalists and whistleblowers
- State laws restricting protest and classroom speech
- Federal takeover threats against “uncooperative” cities
It’s not one party – it’s a trend that started accelerating in 2020 and went into overdrive this year.
Who Gets Hit Hardest by This Authoritarian Shift?
Everyone feels it, but some groups are on the front lines:
- Immigrants and asylum seekers facing midnight ICE raids
- Journalists labeled “enemy combatants” for critical reporting
- Teachers in 18 states banned from discussing systemic racism
- LGBTQ+ youth in states with 400+ anti-trans bills since 2023
- Protesters met with military-grade crowd control in 12 cities
Freedom House calls it “democratic backsliding at warp speed.” If you’re in any of these groups, you’re not imagining things – the scoreboard just confirmed it.
How Did We Get Here? The Slow (Then Fast) Slide
The decline started slow: 2016 – voter suppression laws. 2020 – protest policing. 2021 – January 6. But 2025 was the accelerator:
- 47-day government shutdown used to purge “disloyal” civil servants
- Executive orders expanding presidential emergency powers
- FCC moves to revoke licenses of “biased” broadcasters
- DOJ lawsuits against sanctuary cities and universities
Freedom House says the U.S. now scores worse on “rule of law” than Estonia and on “freedom of expression” than Slovenia. That’s not opinion – it’s data from 200+ researchers worldwide.
The Benefits of Facing This Report Head-On
Yeah, it hurts. But there’s power in knowing:
- We’re not alone – global allies see it too (EU Parliament just condemned U.S. “democratic erosion”)
- History shows rebounds are possible (South Korea went from 66 in 1987 to 83 today)
- Awareness sparks action – voter turnout in swing states jumped 8% after the last report
The report isn’t meant to shame us – it’s meant to wake us up.
What You Can Actually Do Right Now
- Read the full 40-page U.S. section at freedomhouse.org (it’s free)
- Contact your reps – the switchboard still works: (202) 224-3121
- Support local journalism and civil liberties groups (ACLU, EFF, local indy papers)
- Vote in every election – especially the 2026 midterms
Final Thought – This Isn’t the End of the Story
The Civic Liberties & Freedom Report isn’t a death sentence – it’s a fire alarm. America has rebounded from darker days. But only if we refuse to look away.
I’m just one dad with a keyboard, but if this report lit a fire under you too, share it. Talk about it at dinner. Hell, print it and stick it on your fridge.
Because “Partly Free” isn’t who we are. It’s just where we are right now.
And we still get to write the next chapter.
