OPINION:
One of the things we learned in political science class is that the courts have no enforcement authority. The executive branch, via the Justice Department, enforces laws and court decisions on the federal level. It’s not too different on the state level, but states have their own rights and powers independent of the feds.
If a popular president and his administration really decided to go “rogue,” the only way to stop him would be to impeach him (been there, tried that), assassinate him (been there, tried that, too) or simply stop obeying his orders, and that would have to include the Defense Department (you know, the military).
The legislative and judicial branches have given the executive branch a lot of power (thanks to occurrences such as like 9/11 and the pandemic), and it can get pretty weird if you stop to think about it. What’s going on right now is nothing compared to what’s possible. The 2024 movie “Civil War” might give you a glimpse, but I don’t see things going that far.
Just like a marriage, the things that hold this country together are not our laws, but trust, good faith, loyalty, commitment, compromise and cooperation — the basics. Once those are lost, all the laws in the world won’t save us, and I wonder whether both major political parties know that.
ARTHUR SAGINIAN
Santa Clarita, California
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