American Monarchy
Let’s get to the heart of the situation: the American government is not functioning as a liberal democracy. That much is clear. There is no oversight, no communication, and no process. It is all diktat and tyranny. It is neither liberal in that it now supports tyrants around the world. Nor democratic in that its constitutional system is being ignored by those in power.
Why do we know this?
Domestically, members of Congress, those on whom the Constitution bestows the power of the purse and the creation of policy, have no clue what is going on. Massive decisions are being made daily by a swat team of childish techno-bros under the direction of Elon Musk. So distant from active control is Congress that members now have to get updates from Musk himself by giving him a call. Note: they do not get updates from the White House. They have to go directly to Musk.
Even if members of Congress fully support the eradication of various departments of government, it is their responsibility, not Musk’s, to do the deed. Cutting spending is a Congressional role. Not some outsider’s. And the apparent total lack of communication is not just embarrassing, it is a perversion of the American system. The pathetic Josh Hawley apparently reminded Musk that none of the changes were permanent without Congressional assent. And then he did nothing. Not a thing. Grumbling, then caving, is the modus operandi of our Republican Senators.
It is, in short, a constitutional revolution. Trump’s advocacy and embrace of the so-called “unitary executive” — in our terms an unchecked monarchy — has been accepted without even a whisper of opposition by Congress.
Such is Trump’s total control over the Republicans that even when the occasional Senator suggests a hint of suspicion about what’s going on it is swept aside imperiously by Musk who clearly understands the change in power. Senators are there merely to rubber-stamp the executive. That they complain periodically is simply a matter of getting them better information. They need to be prepared for the next major executive action so they can resist popular unrest. It is not a matter of communicating in order to determine the course of action. It is more a matter of keeping them informed enough to tell the public that all is well.
Congress is a puppet show. Nothing more.
Likewise in foreign policy.
America has trashed its alliances and attachments to the international rule of law. It has flipped from being a defender of democracy to being an opponent of it. It has surrendered to its long time Cold War opponent. It has attacked its long time friends. It is creating mayhem in its own longstanding trading system. It is reneging on trade agreements it signed just a few years back. And it is threatening recession or worse on its neighbors whose error was to play by America’s rules. All without a whimper of opposition from Congress.
This is not just a monarchy. It is an absolute monarchy. Its ruling class has become a personality cult.
L’état? C’est Trump.
