Is American democracy dying in front of our eyes?

First, FBI chief James Comey confirmed in his Congressional testimony on Tuesday that his agency is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence last year’s US presidential election by hacking into the Democratic Party’s computer system.
Second, President Trump’s former chief campaign chairman Paul Manafort was replaced before the election after news emerged he had worked for a Russian billionaire, presumably to advance the interests of President Vladimir Putin.
Third, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power accused Russia of being a “major threat” to the US democratic system, as well as the rules-based liberal world order.
Citing George Washington’s warning about the danger of foreign interference, Power said: “More than 220 years later, Washington’s warning feels strikingly relevant.”
Power also pointed out that a recent poll showed an alarming shift in US public opinion in favour of Putin – 37 per cent of US Republicans now hold a favourable view of Russia’s leader, up from 10 per cent in 2014.
To many America watchers, it now looks like it is the right-wing Republicans who are colluding with a nefarious foreign power, not the Democrats.
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of the “exemplary” American democracy?
Vint Chavala