We should worry when a politician 1) rejects, in words or action, the democratic rules of the game, 2) denies the legitimacy of opponents, 3) tolerates or encourages violence, or 4) indicates a willingness to curtail the civil liberties of opponents, including the media.19 Republicans in the Donald Trump era are guilty of all four. A review: 1. Rejects, in words or action, the democratic rules of the game. Like much of civil society, American democracy functions under a combination of specific laws and assumed norms. As the Mueller Report makes clear, Trump would likely be indicted for
...more
