Why is American democracy in trouble?

The U.S. was recently listed as a backsliding democracy by a European think tank. Why is American democracy in trouble? Can the electoral system guarantee real democracy? Bob Carr, former Foreign Minister of Australia, says that many Republican-controlled states are attempting to restrict voters' rights through blatant voter-suppression laws, which is tugging America in an oligarchic direction. He also adds that America's entitlement to convene a meeting of the world's democracies rests on America demonstrating that it is a democracy, where the right to vote is entrenched and respected.