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Comment by hn_throwaway_99 | Hacker News Reader

I agree with you, but I would still argue that what is going on now is exactly what the Constitution was designed to prevent: rule by executive fiat. Congress controls fiscal policy, and they have complete given up any semblance of their duties in fealty to Trump.

Heck, the law that Trump is using to set tariff policy is designed to only be used in cases "of national emergency", and Trump has simply defined national emergency to mean whatever he wants it to mean. I think this article gives a good overview of the issues: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-usa-china-deal-is-bad-eco...

It's similar to how Trump has redefined the simple meaning of "foreign invasion" to give cover to his deportations (in some cases I'd call them abductions) without due process.

The people may have voted for this, but in the medium/long term it will be absolutely detrimental to our democracy.

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Yeah, the basis for the modern authoritarianism is "the president alone represents the will of the people". As if Congress and Senate weren't elected as well. As if the public workers didn't have their work created and regulated by the laws the elected Legislative imposes.

> The people may have voted for this, but in the medium/long term it will be absolutely detrimental to our democracy.

None of which was unanticipated. People had been warning voters about the danger to our democracy long before the election and a huge number of Americans decided that they really didn't care about protecting our democracy.

Did they really make a conscious decision or was it we want a guy that runs the government like a Reality TV show. Ooops Donny doesn't like Mike (Waltz) any more so time to leave the Island. Pete sure is good at owning the libs - he gets to stay.

Look, if you're going to make voters in Red America choose between democracy and voting for a Republican, they are going to pick the latter 100% of the time.

It's just not important to them. If it were, they wouldn't have first primaried in, and then showed up for the guy in 2024[1].

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[1] I can forgive 2016 and 2020, since at that point, his behavior wasn't that far out of bounds. Since then, he's moved on to conspiring with fraudulent electors, trying to rig vote counts, arresting and imprisoning people without trial, and looking to suspend habeas corpus. Not to mention pay-to-play for access, and treating the treasury like his own personal slush fund.

I mean, look at the Declaration of Independence. It has a list of greivances against the King. Several are pretty relevant:

> He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

> For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

> For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

> For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

> For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

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