WASHINGTON, - The United States cannot be "the torchbearer for democracy" as it grapples with own democratic crisis, opined a recent article in USA Today.

"While President Biden is hosting a global democracy summit, our own democracy right here is falling apart," the article quoted Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, a voting rights group, as saying. "You can't be the torchbearer for democracy while your own house is on fire."

"For democracy experts and advocates, the insurrection at the US Capitol -- in which an angry mob tried to stop the certification of a free and fair presidential election -- was a stark illustration of the broader shortcomings in America's democracy," it said.

"And critics worry that if President Joe Biden's summit -- and the broader effort to protect open societies -- is to succeed, the United States must first lead by example and address its own failings," it said.

Other domestic woes include rampant misinformation, widespread public distrust and growing political polarization, the article added.