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That's true. People act like the President has all the power. But that's now how our government work. Power is divided between all the three branches of the

That's true. People act like the President has all the power. But that's now how our government work. Power is divided between all the three branches of the government. The President does not have all the power. Those that fear Trump will become a dictator does not understand the checks and balances of our government.

krapp 10y ago
I'm opposed to Trump, possibly to an unreasonable degree, but I agree he's not going to turn into a dictator. He can still screw things up royally, and destroy what little civility in the political discourse there is in this country by pandering to the alt-right, conspiracy theorist, nihilist fringe and legitimizing them, but a President Trump would probably face more scrutiny and intransigence than even Obama has. Both parties would be trying their hardest to discredit him for a second term, and discredit his attempts at a legacy. Of course people said the same thing about Obama... I'm still waiting for that inevitable socialist coup he's supposed to pull off. Unfortunately, both the Democrats and Republicans have made an art out of convincing people that the Presidency is the only part of the government they should be engaged with.
- DefaultUserHN 10y ago
  Agreed. Even if Trump wins, both parties and Congress, as well as Obama's appointed Supreme Court judge will try their hardest to prevent Trump from doing anything unconstitutional.
dragonwriter 10y ago
> Those that fear Trump will become a dictator does not understand the checks and balances of our government. Or they recognize that the checks and balances of our government are not magic, and that Trump being elected as the nominee of a major party would also reflect a shift in the political landscape which would be reflected, particularly, in the actions of other politicians in that party, especially in the other elected branch -- and that those two branches together have the power to reshape the remaining branch.
- DefaultUserHN 10y ago
  But isn't that what the voters wanted? A political shift to conservatism? Otherwise, the voters would have voted against Trump. And a political shift doesn't mean Trump can become a dictator. It's still unconstitutional and Congress, no matter which side they are on, would never allow that. The well-armed people would never allow that. The armed military would never allow it. The armed police forces would never allow it. The well-regulated armed militia like the Minute Men would never allow it. The armed National Guard would never allow it.
  - dragonwriter 10y ago
    > But isn't that what the voters wanted? A political shift to conservatism? Yes, electing Trump means that a substantial portion of the voters wanted conservative authoritarianism. > And a political shift doesn't mean Trump can become a dictator. A shift in favor of the type of authoritarianism Trump proposes means that the structural mechanisms which permit one branch to check the actions of the others are unlikely to be used to prevent the institution of conservative authoritarianism. > It's still unconstitutional and Congress, no matter which side they are on, would never allow that. The Constitution, in practice, means what people in positions to act decide it means at the time; Congress allows things that are arguably unconstitutional all the time (sometimes later being checked in real time by other institutions, like the Supreme Court, sometimes not.) > The armed military would never allow it. This conclusion is based on...what? > The armed military would never allow it. This conclusion is based on...what? > The well-regulated armed militia like the Minute Men would never allow it. The idea that the "Minute Men" (presumably, referring to the Minuteman Project [0]) are "well-regulated" in any sense is amusing; the idea that they would, as an organized mass, oppose a conservative authoritarian dictatorship with a strong flavor of anti-immigrant white nationalism is even more amusing, and the idea that they would be a substantial check on a dictatorship in any case is perhaps the most amusing element of the inclusion of this claim in your post. > The armed National Guard would never allow it. This conclusion is based on...what? [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minuteman_Project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minuteman_Project
    - 10y ago

krapp 10y ago

I'm opposed to Trump, possibly to an unreasonable degree, but I agree he's not going to turn into a dictator. He can still screw things up royally, and destroy what little civility in the political discourse there is in this country by pandering to the alt-right, conspiracy theorist, nihilist fringe and legitimizing them, but a President Trump would probably face more scrutiny and intransigence than even Obama has. Both parties would be trying their hardest to discredit him for a second term, and discredit his attempts at a legacy. Of course people said the same thing about Obama... I'm still waiting for that inevitable socialist coup he's supposed to pull off. Unfortunately, both the Democrats and Republicans have made an art out of convincing people that the Presidency is the only part of the government they should be engaged with.

DefaultUserHN 10y ago
Agreed. Even if Trump wins, both parties and Congress, as well as Obama's appointed Supreme Court judge will try their hardest to prevent Trump from doing anything unconstitutional.

dragonwriter 10y ago

> Those that fear Trump will become a dictator does not understand the checks and balances of our government. Or they recognize that the checks and balances of our government are not magic, and that Trump being elected as the nominee of a major party would also reflect a shift in the political landscape which would be reflected, particularly, in the actions of other politicians in that party, especially in the other elected branch -- and that those two branches together have the power to reshape the remaining branch.

DefaultUserHN 10y ago
But isn't that what the voters wanted? A political shift to conservatism? Otherwise, the voters would have voted against Trump. And a political shift doesn't mean Trump can become a dictator. It's still unconstitutional and Congress, no matter which side they are on, would never allow that. The well-armed people would never allow that. The armed military would never allow it. The armed police forces would never allow it. The well-regulated armed militia like the Minute Men would never allow it. The armed National Guard would never allow it.
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  > But isn't that what the voters wanted? A political shift to conservatism? Yes, electing Trump means that a substantial portion of the voters wanted conservative authoritarianism. > And a political shift doesn't mean Trump can become a dictator. A shift in favor of the type of authoritarianism Trump proposes means that the structural mechanisms which permit one branch to check the actions of the others are unlikely to be used to prevent the institution of conservative authoritarianism. > It's still unconstitutional and Congress, no matter which side they are on, would never allow that. The Constitution, in practice, means what people in positions to act decide it means at the time; Congress allows things that are arguably unconstitutional all the time (sometimes later being checked in real time by other institutions, like the Supreme Court, sometimes not.) > The armed military would never allow it. This conclusion is based on...what? > The armed military would never allow it. This conclusion is based on...what? > The well-regulated armed militia like the Minute Men would never allow it. The idea that the "Minute Men" (presumably, referring to the Minuteman Project [0]) are "well-regulated" in any sense is amusing; the idea that they would, as an organized mass, oppose a conservative authoritarian dictatorship with a strong flavor of anti-immigrant white nationalism is even more amusing, and the idea that they would be a substantial check on a dictatorship in any case is perhaps the most amusing element of the inclusion of this claim in your post. > The armed National Guard would never allow it. This conclusion is based on...what? [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minuteman_Project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minuteman_Project
  - 10y ago