“ Some political scientists worried about the new system. Binding primaries were certainly more democratic. But might they be too democratic? By placing presidential nominations in the hands of voters,… Steven Levitsky
“ Despite popular enthusiasm for his candidacy, Ford was effectively locked out of contention. Senator James Couzens called the idea of his candidacy ridiculous. How can a man over sixty years old, who…… Steven Levitsky
“ Deberíamos preocuparnos en serio cuando un político: 1) rechaza, ya sea de palabra o mediante acciones, las reglas democráticas del juego, 2) niega la legitimidad de sus oponentes, 3) tolera o alienta… Steven Levitsky
“ By contrast, when the government’s approval rating is low, media and opposition grow more brazen, judges become emboldened to stand up to the president, and allies begin to dissent. Steven Levitsky
“ Building on Linz’s work, we have developed a set of four behavioral warning signs that can help us know an authoritarian when we see one. We should worry when a politician 1) rejects, in words or acti… Steven Levitsky
“ White evangelicals—who had leaned Democratic in the 1960s—began to vote Republican. In 2016, 76 percent of white evangelicals identified as Republican. Democratic voters, in turn, grew increasingly se… Steven Levitsky
“ Whether real or not, would-be authoritarians are primed to exploit crises to justify power grabs. Steven Levitsky
“ When gatekeeping institutions fail, mainstream politicians must do everything possible to keep dangerous figures away from the centers of power. Steven Levitsky
“ Two events were critical in this regard. The first was the infamous Compromise of 1877, which ended the 1876 presidential election dispute and elevated Republican Rutherford B. Hayes to the presidency… Steven Levitsky
“ The post-1972 primary system was especially vulnerable to a particular kind of outsider: individuals with enough fame or money to skip the invisible primary. In other words, celebrities. Steven Levitsky
“ The first sign is a weak commitment to the democratic rules of the game. Trump met this measure when he questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process and made the unprecedented suggestion that he… Steven Levitsky
“ One way of tackling our deepening partisan divide, then, would be to genuinely address the bread-and-butter concerns of long-neglected segments of the population—no matter their ethnicity. Steven Levitsky
“ I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They’d be carried out on a stretcher, folks. It’s true….I’d like to punch him in the face, I’l… Steven Levitsky
“ Even well-designed constitutions cannot, by themselves, guarantee democracy. For one, constitutions are always incomplete. Like any set of rules, they have countless gaps and ambiguities. No operating… Steven Levitsky
“ Even if Democrats were to succeed in weakening or removing President Trump via hardball tactics, their victory would be Pyrrhic—for they would inherit a democracy stripped of its remaining protective… Steven Levitsky
“ All successful democracies rely on informal rules that, though not found in the constitution or any laws, are widely known and respected. In the case of American democracy, this has been vital. Steven Levitsky
“ A stunning 385 filibusters were initiated between 2007 and 2012—equal to the total number of filibusters in the seven decades between World War I and the end of the Reagan administration. Steven Levitsky
“ The changing media landscape had a stronger impact on the Republican Party. Republican voters rely more heavily on partisan media outlets than do Democrats. Steven Levitsky
