Actions that infringe on the Constitution and compromise civil liberties are now a troubling feature of American public life. Most derive from the collective terror psychosis; others are associated with the undue influence of financial interests. The overall weakening of the country's dedication to principle and the drifting attention of our political class are critical facilitating factors. Theoretically, the checks on abuse of office in the American system are four-fold: socialization into a political culture whose norms are upheld communally by other participants, the media and the general public; enforcement of legal stipulations by the courts; periodic elections; and, ultimately, the...
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