Checks, balances, and how we save our system of government

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Jason, Checks and balances are a concept most Americans learn in grade school and typically don't need to think much about again.  That's the luxury of living in a functioning democracy. In the past, when crises emerged, our branches of government held one another in check. Congress stood up to a corrupt president in Nixon, and he resigned. Even during Trump's first term, Congress and the courts put guard rails on what the White House could get away with.  What we've seen in the first three months of Trump 2.0 is different and alarming. Just in the last few days, we're getting a taste of what happens when the system breaks down.  The White House is thumbing its nose at the courts. Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the administration must facilitate the return of a legal U.S. resident who had been mistakenly deported to El Salvador. The White House shrugged.  They're refusing to comply with a lower court's orders, and now they're saying they have "no duty" to bring him home. It's just horrifying — after ripping a father away from his family and sending him to a foreign prison camp, these guys have the gall to refuse to lift a finger to fix their mistake. Trump is making a mockery of Congress, too. We all saw the chaos that Trump's erratic tariff policies have brought on the world and our economy. Anyone with a 401(k) can tell you how ugly it is to check your balance when you live in a country fighting a trade war with the whole world. Here's the thing: The president doesn't really have the authority to just make up all the trade rules. He's using a laughable interpretation of a law designed to give the president latitude to set tariffs during an international emergency. Congress didn't intend for it to be used this way, and they know they can rip it back any time. Instead, they're getting bullied by Trump and they're forking over their lunch money. This isn't going to go away on its own. Trump is openly anti-democracy. His role models on the global stage are all authoritarians.  Our founders designed checks and balances as our protection from people like Trump. But at the end of the day, it's just an idea written down on a piece of paper. It can all fall apart if our leaders let it.  There are two things we can do right now to prevent the worst from happening:  Remind our elected officials and our judges at every turn that they took an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Shame might not always be effective, but it is certainly deserved. Tell them to find their backbone. Elect people who take their responsibility seriously and do it as soon as humanly possible — we need more people willing to fight back against a president trying to break America.  We're working now to make the next election the most effective check possible on this president. Will you chip in what you can to build this grassroots operation? Thank you,  Amy DONATE   PAID FOR BY DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY ACTION (DMAPAC.COM) NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE. Democratic Majority Action 814 Main St Paris, KY 40361 United States These emails are the single best way to stay up to date on how you can help Democratic Majority Action win elections for Democrats. We know you receive a lot of emails—that's why we strive to treat every supporter's inbox with respect, to always tell you the truth, and to never inundate you with unwanted messages. If you believe you received this message in error or no longer wish to receive these email updates, please can unsubscribe.