Posted on 12/23/2016 5:41:05 PM PST by hiho hiho
There has been a great deal of hand-wringing lately, particularly in progressive circles, about how a Trump presidency could destroy American democracy: the end of free speech and a free press, the influence of money in politics rising to the level of a true oligarchy, Supreme Court appointments that end cherished civil rights, like abortion rights, voting rights, and equal protection. These changes could be coming, and they could be every bit as destructive to the core values of our democracy as many people fear.
But a Trump presidency poses a far more direct, permanent, and existential threat to our democracy that has had almost no notice in the media: the threat that a Trump presidency would trigger a coup. Not an armed rebellion, but a bloodless coup brought about by a reckless and indefensible presidential order, and a refusal of Trump's subordinates to carry it out.
Imagine for a moment that Trump ordered a nuclear first strike of China because the Chinese Premier insulted him on Twitter. Or imagine that Trump ordered the armed take over of Saturday Night Live to stop Alec Baldwin's unflattering caricatures of him. Now imagine that the Joint Chiefs or the FBI SWAT team or the missile-silo commanders simply refused to carry out the order. For most of us, that refusal would be a good, responsible, reassuring response. It would also be a coup. Under our constitutional structure, the President is the chief officer of the executive branch of government and the commander in chief of the military.
This is the scenario that I have been playing in my head since the election, and it is not nearly as far-fetched as it sounds. All it takes is a reckless, dangerous, abuse of power by Donald Trump (and that sentence pretty much writes itself). That would leave the fate of our democracy in the hands of the people to whom he gives orders. If they comply: World War III, autocracy, the end of life as we know it. If they refuse, we are Turkey, Burma, Pakistan - a titular democracy whose continued existence ultimately depends on the whims of its generals.
Whatever one may think is broken with our democracy - campaign finance, government surveillance, executive power - we are still fundamentally a democracy. A country in which military leaders and bureaucrats have to decide whether to follow a president's orders (and can and must decide not to, if human survival depends on doing so) is not.
Carrie Leonetti is a professor of criminal and constitutional law at the University of Oregon School of Law.
“a Trump presidency could destroy American democracy”
Thank God and I hope it happens post haste, we are supposed to live in a REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC
“What’s that thing she’s wearing around her neck? Looks like a slice of radish.”
I was thinking a condom, but that would require assumptions that I’m not ready to make.
bttt
Useful idiots
Well, that’s a very active imagination professor.
The reality is that Obama has totally violated his oath to uphold the constitution, and retired General stated in 2014 that the military might have to take some action in order to avoid a constitutional crisis.
So professor, where was you lament when Obama was busy setting the Middle East on fire and trying to provoke a war with Russia?
Why is she wearing a slice of radish around her neck? Did that just drop there from her lunch salad?
Yikes.
You and I noticed the same thing. . . Maybe she's a fan of "Vegetable Tales?"
That tells me that the value of a legal degree from that school is worthless. What insanity!
It looks like a condom, but she wouldn’t need one.
It’s becoming clearer each day that the majority of liberals are psychopaths in need of immediate interventional treatment.
It’s a radish slice.
The left always projects their sins on us
A professor? hoo-boy. More like a delusional paranoid nut job
Now imagine that the Joint Chiefs or the FBI SWAT team or the missile-silo commanders simply refused to carry out the order.
Most law school teachers are failed lawyers, or in some cases, law school grads who couldn’t pass the background check for the Bar.
There are some wonderful exceptions, but in “Trade School” (law school) you get most of your wisdom from fellow students or hanging around with bright lawyers. I used to offer to drive any of the partners of my future firm to the airports or even the Eastern Shore, so they could dictate memorandums, letters or briefs (and get billable hours) enroute.
I have often used the things I learned on the way to Dulles or on the Bay Bridge 43 years ago.
Even better, some would let me use their car for the rest of the weekend. A 911 Turbo or a Bentley was a real chick magnet for a law student in DC.
The guy is unhinged.
Very seriously. unhinged.
The core value of our democracy is “abortion rights”? These people need a country of their own. And we need a wall to keep them out of ours.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.