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How constitutional guardrails have always contained presidential ambitions
The article discusses concerns regarding Trump’s second term and potential threats to American democracy, highlighting historical presidential power expansions and emphasizing the resilience of democratic institutions against authoritarianism in the U.S.
Victor Menaldo, University of Washington
As Donald Trump’s second inauguration fast approaches, concerns he threatens American democracy are rising yet again. Some warnings have cited Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric, willingness to undermine or malign institutions meant to constrain any president, and a combative style that strives to stretch executive power as far as possible.
Authoritarianism erodes property rights and the rule of law, so financial markets typically respond with alarm to political unrest. If major investors and corporations really believed the United States was on the brink of dictatorship, there would be large-scale capital flight, equity sell-offs, spikes in U.S. credit default swaps or rising bond yields unexplained by typical macroeconomic factors such as inflation forecasts.
Instead, there have been no systematic signs of such market reactions, nor an investor exodus from American markets. Quite the contrary.
This absence of alarm is not conclusive proof that democracy is safe forever, nor that Trump cannot damage American democracy at all. But it does suggest that credible institutions and investors who literally bet on political outcomes for a living do not view an American autocracy as imminent or even likely.
This is probably because the mechanics of upending American democracy would entail surmounting a thick tangle of constitutional, bureaucratic, legal and political obstacles. As a political economist who has written widely about the constitutional foundations of modern democracies, I submit it’s far more complicated than one man issuing brash executive orders.
Presidents have long seized more power
Throughout American history, presidents have achieved far greater expansions of executive power than Trump did in his first term.
Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War, allowing detention without trial. He bypassed Congress through sweeping executive actions, most notably the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate states.
Woodrow Wilson created administrative agencies and imposed draconian censorship during World War I via the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s court-packing plan failed to pass, but it still cowed the Supreme Court into deference. His New Deal bureaucracy centralized vast powers in the executive branch.
Lyndon B. Johnson obtained the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, transferring major war-making powers from Congress to the presidency. Richard Nixon invoked executive privilege and ordered secret bombings in Cambodia, steps that largely bypassed congressional oversight.
George W. Bush expanded executive prerogatives after 9/11 with warrantless wiretapping and indefinite detention. Barack Obama faced criticism for the dubious legal rationale behind drone strikes targeting U.S. citizens deemed enemy combatants abroad.
These historical examples should not be conflated with an actual ability to impose one-man rule, though. The United States, whatever its imperfections, has a deeply layered system of checks and balances that has repeatedly stymied presidents of both parties when they tried to govern by decree.
Trump’s openly combative style was in many ways less adept at entrenching presidential power than many of his predecessors. During his first term, he broadcast his intentions so transparently that it galvanized numerous institutional forces – judges, bureaucrats, state officials, inspectors general – to resist his attempts. While Trump’s rhetoric was more incendiary, other presidents achieved deeper expansions of the executive branch more discreetly.
Trump’s Jan. 6 plan was never realistic
Trump’s failure to impose his will became particularly evident on Jan. 6, 2021, when claims that an “auto-coup” was afoot never translated into the real-world mechanics that would have kept him in office beyond the end of his term.
Even before the Electoral Count Reform Act made the process clearer in 2022, scholars agreed that under the 12th Amendment the vice president’s role in certifying the election is purely ministerial, giving him no constitutional basis to replace or discard certified electoral votes. Similarly, state laws mandate that certification is a mandatory, ministerial duty, preventing officials from arbitrarily refusing to certify election results.
Had Pence refused to certify the Electoral College vote count, it is more likely than not that courts would have swiftly ordered Congress to proceed. Moreover, the 20th Amendment fixed noon on Jan. 20 as the end of the outgoing president’s term, making it impossible for Trump to remain in power just by creating delay or confusion.
The idea that Pence’s refusal to certify could erase state-certified votes, or coerce Congress into accepting alternate slates, had no firm grounding in law or precedent. After Jan. 20, the outgoing president would simply cease to hold office. Thus, the chain of events needed for an auto-coup to occur in 2021 would have fallen apart under the weight of well-established procedures.
A massive bureaucracy
Potential avenues of power consolidation during Trump’s impending second term are equally narrow. The federal bureaucracy makes it exceedingly difficult for a president to rule by fiat.
The Department of Justice alone comprises roughly 115,000 employees, including over 10,000 attorneys and 13,000 FBI agents, most of them career civil servants protected by the Civil Service Reform Act and whistleblower laws. They have their own professional standards and can challenge or reveal political interference. If an administration tries to remove them en masse, it runs into protracted appeals processes, legal constraints, the need to conduct a bevy of lengthy background checks and a crippling loss of institutional knowledge.
Past episodes, including the George W. Bush administration’s politically motivated dismissals of U.S. attorneys in 2006 and 2007, illustrate that congressional oversight and internal department practices can still produce major pushback, resignations and scandals that thwart political interference with the Justice Department.
Independent regulatory agencies also resist being dominated by the president. Many are designed so that no more than three out of five commissioners can belong to the same political party, ensuring some measure of bipartisan representation. Minority commissioners can deploy a host of procedural tools – delaying votes, demanding comprehensive studies, calling for hearings – that slow down or block controversial proposals. This makes it harder for a single leader to unilaterally impose policy. Those minority commissioners can also alert the media and Congress to questionable moves, inviting investigations or public scrutiny.
In addition, a 2024 Supreme Court ruling shifted the power to interpret federal laws, as passed by Congress, away from executive branch government agencies. Now, federal judges play a more active role in determining what Congress’ words mean. This requires agencies to operate within narrower bounds and to produce stronger evidence to justify their decisions. In practical terms, an administration now has less leeway to stretch statutes for partisan or authoritarian ends without encountering judicial pushback.
Layers of defenses
American democracy has vulnerabilities, and other democracies have collapsed under powerful executives before. But in my view, it’s not reasonable to draw definitive lessons from a tiny number of extreme outliers, such as Hitler in 1933 or the handful of elected leaders who staged more recent auto-coups in fragile or developing democracies such as Argentina, Peru, Turkey and even Hungary.
The United States stands out for having a complex federal system, entrenched legal practices and multiple layers of institutional friction. Those protections have historically proven adept at limiting presidential overreach – whether subtle or bombastic.
In addition, state-level politicians, including attorneys general and governors, have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to challenge federal overreach through litigation and noncooperation.
The military’s professional culture of civilian control and constitutional fidelity, consistently upheld by the courts, provides another safeguard. For instance, in 1952 the Supreme Court ruling in Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer reversed President Harry Truman’s order that the military seize privately owned steel mills to ensure supply during the Korean War.
All those institutional checks are further buttressed by a robust civil society that can mobilize legal challenges, advocacy campaigns and grassroots resistance. Corporations can wield economic influence through public statements, campaign funding decisions and policy stances – as many did in the aftermath of Jan. 6.
Taken together, these overlapping layers of resistance make the path to autocracy far more challenging than many casual observers might assume. These protections also may explain why most Americans are resigned to Trump’s second term: Many may have come to realize that the nation’s democratic experiment is not at stake – and probably never was.
Victor Menaldo, Professor of Political Science, Co-founder of the Political Economy Forum, University of Washington
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Community
4 Ways to Preserve Veterans’ Stories for Future Generations
Family stories, photographs, letters and memories all have a place in the broader story of humanity, but if they aren’t recorded and preserved, they can fade over time. Consider these ways to help the veterans in your life preserve their stories and leave their mark on history. Preserve Veterans’ Stories for Future Generations
4 Ways to Preserve Veterans’ Stories for Future Generations
(Feature Impact) History is built from stories and memories, which is why it’s important to listen to the people who were there as the world changed. Family stories, photographs, letters and memories all have a place in the broader story of humanity, but if they aren’t recorded and preserved, they can fade over time.
Because more than 70 years have passed since the Korean War ended, opportunities to hear firsthand accounts from earlier conflicts grow fewer as time passes. Veterans and their families may be able to help record stories and lessons from “The Forgotten War” that might otherwise be lost.
You don’t need to be a historian to help preserve your loved ones’ memories and experiences. Programs like the Library of Congress Veterans History Project are dedicated to collecting stories from people like Private First Class Robert Lawrence Barber, who wrote regular letters home to his mother while serving in Korea. They paint a harrowing picture of combat, exhaustion, cold, fatigue and the stark realities of war that should never be forgotten. Experiences away from combat can be equally revealing, from daily routines and friendships to unexpected challenges.
Consider these ways to help the veterans in your life preserve their stories and leave their mark on history.
Start the Conversation Now
When it comes to recording memories, time is of the essence, especially for those who served in Korea. Decades may have passed, but each day makes a difference. Sit down with your loved one and gently start the conversation. You don’t have to get the entire backstory at once, but you can begin asking questions about their military experience and give them time to gather their thoughts.
Record Their Story
How a story is told can add dimension to the story itself. An audio or video recording preserves your loved one’s voice, expressions and emotions along with their words, giving your family memories to look back on for generations. Choose a quiet, comfortable space and test the equipment before recording.
Consider Preserving the Story Beyond Your Family
Family stories are most meaningful to those who know and love the storyteller, but they also matter to the world. Sharing veterans’ stories – including difficulties and ordinary moments – offers others a firsthand view of military life. Libraries and oral history archives may be able to preserve qualifying material for a wider audience.
“We want all stories, not just those from the foxhole or the battlefronts, but from all veterans who served the United States in uniform,” said Monica Mohindra, director of the Veterans History Project. “What did they hear? What did they see? What did it mean to them?”
If you have oral history interviews, and/or original photographs, letters or other records, consider contributing them to be archived and made accessible to future generations. Staff members are available to help you curate and select physical materials to contribute to the nation’s library.
Give Old Photos and Letters Context
Brush the dust off those old photo albums, scrapbooks and memory boxes because they may contain tangible pieces of history. A photograph, letter or piece of memorabilia could be what a veteran needs to bring fuzzy memories back into focus – whether it’s seeing the face of an old comrade or reading a letter written home. That gives you the opportunity to hear new stories and fill in context.
Learn more, discover veterans’ histories and find instructions for contributing veterans’ stories at loc.gov/vets.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (man looking at photo album)
Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress (group of soldiers)
SOURCE:
Library of Congress Veterans History Project
Community
5 Meaningful Ways to Make a Difference This Holiday Season
Make a Difference This Holiday Season: Hunger relief is often top of mind during the holidays, and there are many ways to make a meaningful difference. Consider these ideas.
5 Meaningful Ways to Make a Difference This Holiday Season
(Feature Impact) The holiday season brings people together and often inspires them to think about how they can support others. Yet for many families, this time of year can bring added pressure as they balance the cost of food and other everyday essentials.
According to Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap study, published in 2026, nearly 48 million people in the United States, including 14 million children, experience food insecurity.
Hunger relief is often top of mind during the holidays, and there are many ways to make a meaningful difference. Each year, Charles Schwab employees come together through Season of Giving to support local nonprofits and help make the holidays brighter for those in need.
Consider these ideas from Charles Schwab Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing financial literacy and strengthening communities.
Give What’s Needed Most
When giving to a local food bank, pantry or other nonprofit, start by finding out what the organization needs most. Many organizations share lists of priority items, while monetary donations can give them flexibility to direct resources where they will have the greatest impact. A little planning can help make every contribution count.
Turn Giving Into a Group Activity
Invite family, friends, neighbors or coworkers to get involved with you. Organizing a donation drive, packing meals or volunteering together can multiply the impact while creating a meaningful way to connect during the holiday season.
Share Your Time and Talents
There are many ways to contribute beyond making a donation. Consider volunteering your time or putting your skills to use for an organization that could benefit from them. From sorting donations and packing meals to helping with special events or administrative projects, your time and expertise can make a meaningful impact.
Support Organizations in Your Own Community
The holidays are an opportunity to learn more about the organizations serving your neighbors every day. Look for local nonprofits addressing needs that matter to you, whether that is hunger, housing, education or another community priority. Supporting organizations close to home can help strengthen the networks people rely on throughout the year.
Keep Giving Beyond the Holidays
The spirit of giving doesn’t have to end when the holiday season is over. Consider turning a one-time contribution into an ongoing commitment, whether by volunteering periodically, making recurring donations or continuing to support an organization with a mission that resonates with you.
Learn more about the work being done to advance financial literacy and strengthen communities at schwabmoneywise.com/foundation.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
Last Updated on November 11, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Fifty volunteers joined Diana Gregory Outreach Services and community partners on November 5, with support from AARP, State Farm, and BHHS Legacy Foundation.
PHOENIX — Fresh produce and community support came together Thursday morning, November 5, 2026, as Veggies for Veterans distributed 700 grocery bags during an event hosted by the Phoenix VA Health Care System.
The Diana Gregory Outreach Services (DGOS) program brought together 50 volunteers to help provide veterans with nutritious food. Each bag contained a variety of 13 fruits and vegetables, according to the event results supplied by organizers.
The effort also received a contribution from Peddler’s Son, which donated a five-pound bag of Idaho potatoes and a bag of grapes for each veteran.
AARP, State Farm, and BHHS Legacy Foundation Lead Financial Support
AARP, State Farm, and BHHS Legacy Foundation were the event’s three largest financial sponsors, helping make the distribution possible.
Volunteers represented all three organizations, along with the Archer Ragsdale Arizona Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Arizona Community Foundation and Santander also contributed volunteer support.
AARP Arizona State Director Dana Marie Kennedy attended the event. AARP’s participation included volunteers and an outreach table featuring candy and AARP-branded giveaway items for attendees and veterans.
Together, the financial contributions, donated food, and volunteer service supported an event centered on veterans and their access to fresh produce.
A Special Guest With a Remarkable Service History
Among those attending was 106-year-old Major Fannie Griffin McClendon, whose military career connects the gathering to an extraordinary chapter in American history.
McClendon served during World War II with the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, widely known as the “Six Triple Eight.” The historic unit of Black women soldiers helped process a massive backlog of military mail in Europe.
Her service continued beyond World War II. The Library of Congress documents her later career in the Air Force, including service as a squadron commander.
Her attendance offered an opportunity to recognize a veteran whose career helped break barriers for Black women in the military.
More Than a Bag of Groceries
Veggies for Veterans’ purpose extends beyond the food distributed at an individual event. The program focuses on helping veterans access fresh produce while creating opportunities for connection and community support.
Grocery costs, transportation, and mobility can make obtaining nutritious food difficult. Bringing produce directly to veterans through VA and community settings is one way the program works to address those barriers.
The November 5 distribution also reflected the collective work behind that support: an organization coordinating the effort, a VA host, financial sponsors, a food donor, and volunteers contributing their time.
With 700 bags distributed and 50 volunteers participating, the event demonstrated how community partnerships can translate into practical support for veterans.
Readers interested in learning more about the program, volunteering, or exploring ways to support its work can visit Diana Gregory Outreach Services.
Reporting note: Event results, sponsor recognition, donations, volunteer participation, and attendee information were supplied for this recap. Historical background on Major McClendon is supported by the Library of Congress.
Sources and Further Information
- Diana Gregory Outreach Services — Veggies for Veterans
- Phoenix VA — November 5 Veggies for Veterans event listing
- Library of Congress — Fannie Griffin McClendon
