There is a much-discussed article in this month’s Atlantic in which David Frum describes a rotting constitutional structure during Trump’s first term. Corruption becomes the norm; administration critics are silenced by pro-Trump internet trolls; businessmen suck up to the President in order to curry favor and stave off misuses of regulatory authority; and the GOP majority in Congress does nothing to stop any of this, as it is too invested in Trump’s success. It is an appalling picture.
Except, of course, that it is way too optimistic. Frum’s nightmare is actually a better case than my best case scenario.
The article assumes the economy is booming as a result of the “Funhouse Reagan” tax cuts. It assumes that there will be no trade wars and no immigration crackdowns. Most importantly, it assumes that there will be no diplomatic revolutions, no large scale domestic terrorist attacks, and no foreign wars. All of this, in my view, is unrealistic.
Trump loves popularity and hates criticism. He is going to try to wrap himself in the flag in order to silence his opponents when the next big crisis rolls around. It is just a matter of time.