The checks still exist to correct those abuses of power. Just because congress or SCOTUS is unwilling to use them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
The checks still exist to correct those abuses of power. Just because congress or SCOTUS is unwilling to use them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Daft_ish@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 hours ago
A law that can be ignored is not a law.
JollyG@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
That’s a nice bromide but framing the current constitutional crises as the result of a “lie” about checks and balances fundamentally mischaracterizes the issues at hand. For one it diminishes the compliance of the other branches which is clearly critical for enabling the abuse that we see. And it also overlooks the general issue that about half the national actively enables the naked corruption and ascendant facism of the current government.
The problem of the present moment is not the structure of the government it’s the tolerance of the population.
Daft_ish@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 hours ago
The constitution never intended the general populace to govern. Look at things like the electoral college, the make up of the senate, gerrymandering, voting rights. Liberals believe in majority rule. I wouldn’t go as far as to say populism but we are see the results of populism from the GOP. The founders (not my fucking fathers) looked at governments like Athens and said, no way.
The people do have power, but after they express that power they need establish governments. Our constitution is basically toilet paper to the people in charge because it doesnt grant them what they really want. Authoritarian rule. Today, checks and balances are not preventing it.
JollyG@lemmy.world 14 hours ago
The point I was making was that the people who are in power are in power because about half of all voters are fine with them being in power and about a third actively want facist rule. Ultimately thisis not a failure of government structure. It’s a failure of citizens. Maybe that will change as those who supported trump from ignorance experience the consequences of their decisions. Maybe not. But trump won the popular vote last election cycle and has always enjoyed a fairly substantial base. A base that penalizes conservatives who worked against him by removing them from power. You cannot ignore the role that the people played in bringing about the current state of affairs. We are getting what people voted for.
Btw the checks do still work. They work in lower courts as they apply the law without regard to partisanship. They, surprisingly, work in grand juries. And they work for non MAGA states to the extent that our federalized system gives more influence to local governments. Where they have failed is where maga politicians enjoy wide support.