“ Each individual step seems minor—none appears to truly threaten democracy. Indeed, government moves to subvert democracy frequently enjoy a veneer of legality: They are approved by parliament or ruled… Steven Levitsky
“ Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa used this approach. His multimillion-dollar defamation suits and jailing of journalists on charges of defamation had a powerfully chilling effect on the media. Steven Levitsky
“ It was not unusual for figures such as Coughlin, Long, McCarthy, and Wallace to gain the support of a sizable minority - 30 or even 40 percent - of the country. We often tell ourselves that America's… Steven Levitsky
“ The Depression also gave rise to Louisiana governor and senator Huey Long, who called himself the Kingfish. Long was described by the historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. as the great demagogue of the… Steven Levitsky
“ That brings us to a final factor shaping President Trump’s ability to damage our democracy: crisis. Major security crises—wars or large-scale terrorist attacks—are political game changers. Almost inva… Steven Levitsky
“ Yet Ford was also a widely admired, even beloved, figure in the United States, especially in the Midwest. A poor farm boy who made good, the plainspoken businessman was revered by many rural Americans… Steven Levitsky
“ The apogee of 1990s constitutional hardball was the December 1998 House vote to impeach President Clinton. Only the second presidential impeachment in U.S. history, the move ran afoul of long-establis… Steven Levitsky
“ Senator Joseph McCarthy, who used the Cold War fear of communist subversion to promote blacklisting, censorship, and book banning, enjoyed wide backing among the American public. At Steven Levitsky
“ Senator Joseph McCarthy, who used the Cold War fear of communist subversion to promote blacklisting, censorship, and book banning, enjoyed wide backing among the American public. At the height of McCa… Steven Levitsky
“ Beginning with Ronald Reagan in 1980, the GOP embraced the Christian Right and adopted increasingly pro-evangelical positions, including opposition to abortion, support for school prayer, and, later,… Steven Levitsky
“ Backed by a small but growing group of loyalists, Gingrich launched an insurgency aimed at instilling a more combative approach in the party. Taking advantage of a new media technology, C-SPAN, Gingri… Steven Levitsky
“ Day after Hitler became chancellor, a prominent conservative who aided him admitted, I have just committed the greatest stupidity of my life; I have allied myself with the greatest demagogue in world… Steven Levitsky
“ We fear that if Trump were to confront a war or terrorist attack, he would exploit this crisis fully—using it to attack political opponents and restrict freedoms Americans take for granted. In our vie… Steven Levitsky
“ The police can crack down on opposition protest while tolerating acts of violence by progovernment thugs Steven Levitsky
