The imperial presidency

[Scooter]

I saw others commenting on Stephen Miller's appearances on the Sunday morning news shows, but I hadn't seen anyone else draw attention to this outrageous statement:

Our opponents, the media and the whole world will soon see as we begin to take further actions, that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned.

Is no one else incredibly disturbed by the notion of a president who believes he has a right to exercise executive power without anyone, not the other two branches of government, not the press, not the American people, having the right, never mind to challenge, but even to question when, why or how he exercises that power? Does no one else find it troubling that the President of the United States woke up on Inauguration Day believing that he was the President of Zimbabwe?

[Scooter]

[Big RR]

Throughout US history many presidents have tried to exercise that sort of power; some have even succeeded in doing so for a short time. But they all either backed off or were doomed to failure because the people eventually caught on and would not stand for it. But the one thing they had in common is that they all (OK, maybe not Andrew Jackson if you believe statements attributed to him) were smart enough not to make such asinine statements (or have other make them on their behalf) and to avoid believing their own bullshit, something Trump is incapable of.

[Sue U]

I'm surprised no one here has brought up David Frum's article How to Build An Autocracy, in which he provides a run-down of how the United States is sliding towards an authoritarian state under Trump's style of leadership, making some pointed comparisons to Hungary, which is gradually losing its democracy in a similar manner. No one can accuse Frum of being an hysterical radical, and it is quite a sobering read. Even if Trump himself were to be contained, the damage being done to American governance is substantial.