A big theme of MacLean’s book is that Buchanan inspired an effort to promote an anti-democratic putsch by the Koch Brothers. As Ilya Somin has explained, her conception of democracy doesn’t make any sense, at least if one assumes that she supports standard limits on democracy widely supported by progressives. But other historians have come to the rescue, arguing that the United States is a democracy when it follows the will of the people, as opposed to the will of organized reactionary interest groups. The U.S., for example, was democratic in the 1930s and 1960s, but not in the 1950s or 1980s. Democracy, in other words, means “progressive politics are winning out.” Lack of democracy means “progressive politics are not winning out.” Because in a true democracy, the will of the people wins, and the will of the people is naturally liberal-democratic-socialist. So Roe v. Wade is a “democratic” decision, even though it overturned the abortion laws of almost every state, because progressives approve of it. I kid you not.
The leftist narrative must triumph over truth or logic.
Ignoring the absurdity of the overreach of yet another single district judge making a decision for the entire country, the administration needed no other reason than that DACA itself was an unconstitutional and illegal executive order. And as Mike points out, the three branches are not in fact co-equal. Ultimately, it is up to Congress.
Yes. This time it is a war between those who revere the Constitution, and those who hate it.
[Evening update]
OK, let me amend that. It’s a war between those who revere the principles underlying the document (limited government), and those who hate them. Because they are totalitarians. Anyone who thinks (like Elena Kagen) that it would be a “bad idea” (it would actually be a good one, nutritionally) to compel the American people to purchase and eat broccoli, but constitutional, is completely clueless about the philosophy and principles of the document. “Totalitarian” doesn’t have to mean concentration camps. What it means is that there are no limiting principles, and that the personal is political.