Malcolm Rivera
Since Trump took office, there has been much debate over whether he or Hillary Clinton would be better at protecting the Constitution. Some argue that Trump is an authoritarian who threatens the system of government, while others claim that it is the Democrats who are declaring war on the Constitution by promising to abolish the electoral college and pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices. With Trump's victory in the electoral college, Republicans have been able to confirm two Supreme Court justices and secure a conservative majority. However, there are concerns about Trump's erosion of constitutional norms, with some judges challenging his executive orders and accusing him of playing policy games.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Threat to the Constitution | Trump has been accused of being an authoritarian who threatens the system of government. However, some sources argue that it is the Democrats who are the biggest threat to the Constitution, as they have promised to abolish the electoral college and pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices. |
| Protection of the Constitution | The Campaign Legal Center has stated that it will defend democracy and protect the Constitution during Trump's presidency. |
| Supreme Court | Trump's victory in the electoral college allowed Republicans to confirm two Supreme Court justices and secure a conservative majority. |
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What You'll Learn
Trump's presidency and the threat to democracy
The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the source of all government powers and provides important limitations on the government that protect the fundamental rights of United States citizens.
Since Trump took office, there have been concerns about his commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law. Some have accused him of authoritarianism and of threatening the system of government. US District Judge John Coughenour, of Seattle, hearing a challenge to Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, was one of the first judges to level a broader admonition. When he indefinitely blocked the executive order, Coughenour, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, maintained Trump was playing “policy games”. Coughenour said that “The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain”.
Trump's presidency has also been marked by concerns about the erosion of constitutional norms. The Supreme Court gave Trump immunity, and he has been accused of using this as a blank check to intimidate judges and cow the judiciary.
Leading Democrats have promised that, if elected in 2020, they will abolish the electoral college and might also pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices. This could allow them to marginalize Americans who do not support their increasingly radical agenda and impose it on an unwilling nation. However, others argue that it is the Democrats who pose the biggest threat to the Constitution, as they would have no obstacles in dealing with the Supreme Court.
Nonpartisan organizations such as the Campaign Legal Center have pledged to defend democracy and protect the system of checks and balances throughout Trump's presidency. They have vowed to fight to preserve the rule of law and the Constitution, stand up for every American’s freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process, and continue to take on special interests and hold power to account.
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Democrats' war on the Constitution
The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the land, providing important limitations on the government that protect the fundamental rights of US citizens.
In 2020, leading Democrats promised that, if elected, they would abolish the electoral college and might also pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices. The purpose of the electoral college is to protect Americans from the tyranny of the majority. Each state gets to cast electoral votes equal to the combined number of its US representatives (determined by population) and its senators (two regardless of population). The electoral college forces political parties to broaden their appeal, which is why Democrats want to get rid of it.
However, some argue that it is Donald Trump who poses a threat to the Constitution. US District Judge John Coughenour, of Seattle, was one of the first judges to level a broader admonition, maintaining that Trump was playing "policy games". Coughenour said that "the rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain".
Nonpartisan organisations such as the Campaign Legal Center are ready to defend democracy from threats and preserve the rule of law and the Constitution.
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The Supreme Court and the erosion of constitutional norms
The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the land. It is the source of all government powers and provides important limitations on the government that protect the fundamental rights of United States citizens.
However, since Trump took office, there have been growing concerns about his erosion of constitutional norms. The Supreme Court gave Trump immunity, and he has used this as a blank check to intimidate the country's judges. US District Judge John Coughenour, of Seattle, was one of the first judges to level a broader admonition. When he indefinitely blocked Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship, Coughenour, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, maintained that Trump was playing "policy games". Coughenour said that "the rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain".
Leading Democrats have promised that, if elected in 2020, they will abolish the electoral college and might also pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices. This would allow them to marginalize Americans who do not support their increasingly radical agenda and impose it on an unwilling nation. The electoral college protects us from this kind of unconstrained radicalism, by forcing the political parties to broaden their appeal.
Nonpartisan organizations, such as the Campaign Legal Center, are ready to defend democracy and protect our system of checks and balances throughout Trump's presidency. They will fight to preserve the rule of law and the Constitution, and stand up for every American’s freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process.
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The Constitution as the supreme law of the United States
The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the land. It is the source of all government powers and provides important limitations on the government to protect the fundamental rights of United States citizens.
During his time in office, Trump has been accused of eroding constitutional norms. US District Judge John Coughenour, of Seattle, hearing a challenge to Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, was one of the first judges to level a broader admonition. When he indefinitely blocked the executive order, Coughenour, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, maintained Trump was playing “policy games”. He said that Trump's view was that the "rule of law is [...] something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain".
However, some argue that it is the Democrats who are the biggest threat to the Constitution. Leading Democrats have promised that, if elected in 2020, they will abolish the electoral college and might also pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices. This would allow them to marginalise Americans who do not support their increasingly radical agenda and impose it on an unwilling nation.
Nonpartisan organisations such as the Campaign Legal Center have pledged to defend democracy and protect the Constitution throughout Trump's presidency.
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The role of the judiciary in protecting the Constitution
One example of the judiciary's role in protecting the Constitution is seen in the actions of US District Judge John Coughenour, who indefinitely blocked Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship. Coughenour, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, maintained that Trump was playing "policy games" and ignoring the rule of law for political or personal gain.
The judiciary also serves as a check on the executive branch, ensuring that the President does not exceed their constitutional authority. This was evident during Trump's presidency, when the judiciary pushed back against his attempts to erode constitutional norms. However, some argue that the Supreme Court gave Trump immunity, allowing him to act with impunity.
The electoral college, which is designed to protect against the "tyranny of the majority," also plays a role in safeguarding the Constitution. Democrats have threatened to abolish the electoral college, which could lead to marginalising Americans who do not support their agenda. However, thanks to Trump's electoral college victory, Republicans have been able to confirm two Supreme Court justices and secure a conservative majority.
Overall, the judiciary plays a vital role in protecting the Constitution by interpreting and applying the law, checking the power of the executive branch, and ensuring that the government respects the fundamental rights of citizens.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Trump has been accused of eroding constitutional norms and playing "policy games".
Hillary Clinton is a Democrat and Democrats have been accused of declaring war on the Constitution.
Trump has been accused of using the Supreme Court's immunity as a blank check.
Leading Democrats have promised to abolish the electoral college and pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices.
