Aran Dokovna is correct (letters, Feb 13, “Protect Our Democracy”). One of the things we learned in political science class is that the courts have no enforcement authority. The executive branch, via the Department of Justice (the attorney general, FBI and U.S. Marshals all report to the president), 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 really decided to go “rogue,” the only way to stop him would be either to impeach him (been there, tried that), assassinate him (been there, tried that, too), or to simply stop obeying his orders, and that would have to include the Department of Defense and the National Guard.
The legislative and judicial branches have given the executive branch a LOT of power, and it can get pretty weird if you stop to think about it. And no, 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 us 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.
Arthur Saginian
Santa Clarita
