Much time has been spent arguing why Donald Trump’s proposed policies would hurt the United States from a conservative point of view. There’s nothing conservative, for example, about a massive tariff on Chinese goods or single-payer healthcare, both of which he has advocated. But perhaps the people who pack into assembly halls for Trump like him not for his policies or personality, but rather for the way he would run government.
The variable that best predicts whether someone supports Trump is how inclined they are to view authoritarianism favorably, according to research by Matthew MacWilliams, who is writing his dissertation on authoritarianism. “Trump’s electoral strength — and his staying power — have been buoyed, above all, by Americans with authoritarian inclinations,” MacWilliams writes in Politico. While there are reasons to take MacWilliams’s methods with a grain of salt, the point remains that many of Trump’s supporters like him for the “strength” he wants to instill in the White House.
As a reminder, authoritarianism subordinates individual freedom to the power of the state, specifically the executive. It is undemocratic and evil. Look to the current rulers in North Korea, China and Cuba for examples of authoritarian countries. Thankfully, the U.S. Constitution is strong enough to keep the country from becoming like those regimes.
If you think executive power has been abused under President Obama, imagine how much worse it would be under a President Trump. Remember, Obama has taken the attitude, “If Congress won’t act, I will,” on issues like gun control, immigration reform and Obama’s preferred jobs bills.
Is there much doubt that Trump would take the same attitude to another level? Trump has no endorsements from any members of Congress — how is he supposed to work with them to pass laws if elected? Trump’s aggression and obsession with winning are authoritarian traits, reflecting a my-way-or-the-highway-attitude. “We will have so much winning if I get elected that you may get bored with winning,” he often says. Maybe that would work in foreign policy, but it wouldn’t work when it comes to following Constitutional checks and balances on executive power.
Trump seems more likely to spurn than embrace the Constitution. His proposal to temporarily ban all Muslims from entering the country, with few exceptions, reflects a casual disregard for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. As the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” It goes on to speak of “people,” not “citizens,” meaning First Amendment rights are extended to all people, including foreigners. Trump’s constitutional disdain continues with threatening to shut down parts of the Internet or deport those born on American soil. Trump only preaches the power of the Constitution when it suits him, like in his attempt to stir controversy over rival Ted Cruz’s eligibility for office.
Executive action looks like strength under one president but looks like tyranny under another. But abuse of executive power is abuse no matter who is president. As Lord Acton reminds us, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
The American people are diverse, with vastly different political and economic interests. To concentrate power under one person would be a disservice to a government designed to represent all its people. That’s why we elect Congress — to represent our local views on federal issues in the House of Representatives and our statewide views on federal issues in the Senate. Congress exists to check and balance the president’s ambition.The authoritarian view says the executive branch should be able to bypass the legislature and play by its own rules.
Fans of any president will no doubt say they could have done more had Congress gotten out of the way. Many decry congressional “gridlock,” but it’s necessary to have a deliberative body like Congress to slow down the legislative process and keep bad laws from being passed. Congress also ensures more voices are heard in the legislative process. It’s important to uphold our constitutional republic and elect presidents who want to work with Congress to pass laws (or not), rather than spurn the Constitution and try to rule with unprecedented authority.
It’s not a perfect system, but it’s better than all the others that have been tried.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
