^ The United States has not declared war since WWII. Franklin Roosevelt vastly expanded presidential powers, as did Nixon, Obama and -- especially -- George W. Bush in the wake of 911.
The role of our chief executive is much more powerful than the founders intended.
Congress and the courts could reassert their power, but one is too afraid and the other is too beholden to the executive branch.
The United States is now a plutocracy. And a petrocracy (i.e. petroleum). The 10 percent control the national agenda, the economy, and soon education, and environmental safeguards.
Is it any wonder that frightened Americans reach toward fascism? Communism will be next. We've seen all this before, in the 1930s. Widespread hardship opens us up to new econo-power models. When we fear "the other" we turn toward promises of control.
Poor saps. People who are angry about "them" taking our jobs? It's not an overseas trend so much as an industrial paradigm shift, with automation replacing many, many workers.
In short, it's all about the 90 percent vs. the 10 percent. And the 10 percent are so far successfully singing a hypnotic siren song, beguiling the 90 percent to vote against their self-interest. Not only are we willing to give up control, we want to give up control -- to a more powerful father figure, a plain deal maker who will ignore all the little idiot niceties, and instead offer us vicarious strength.