Yuval Levin

Yeah, it's a very important question. And my biggest fear is the administration deciding not to abide by court orders. What they're doing so far is legitimate. Whether you agree with it or not, it's operating within the system, and then a court said no, and they pulled it back, and they're going to try again, and they'll push and pull, and that's how our system works.

Yeah, it's a very important question. And my biggest fear is the administration deciding not to abide by court orders. What they're doing so far is legitimate. Whether you agree with it or not, it's operating within the system, and then a court said no, and they pulled it back, and they're going to try again, and they'll push and pull, and that's how our system works.

It's fine that it makes people uneasy, and a lot of what they're pushing makes people uneasy for substantive ideological reasons, and that's how politics works. But when the boundaries of the system itself are under threat – and again, this is why it's important to think in constitutional terms. It's not about the politics, but it's about the constitutional structure that keeps things in order.

It's fine that it makes people uneasy, and a lot of what they're pushing makes people uneasy for substantive ideological reasons, and that's how politics works. But when the boundaries of the system itself are under threat – and again, this is why it's important to think in constitutional terms. It's not about the politics, but it's about the constitutional structure that keeps things in order.

I think the biggest threat – there are a number of ways that that could be threatened – The denial of an election result, for example, was a very important way in which that was threatened. And I think what happened after the 2020 election should have rendered Donald Trump ineligible for reelection, should have made voters not want to reelect him. And that's not what the American public thought.

I think the biggest threat – there are a number of ways that that could be threatened – The denial of an election result, for example, was a very important way in which that was threatened. And I think what happened after the 2020 election should have rendered Donald Trump ineligible for reelection, should have made voters not want to reelect him. And that's not what the American public thought.

That worries me. But if the administration openly defies a court order, then I think we are in a different situation.

That worries me. But if the administration openly defies a court order, then I think we are in a different situation.

Yeah, it's certainly alive and out there, but I would say that there's... often a tendency on all sides of our politics to attribute so much strength and success to the other side that it justifies breaking the system, that that's the only possible response. That's been a relatively common refrain on the left, too.

Yeah, it's certainly alive and out there, but I would say that there's... often a tendency on all sides of our politics to attribute so much strength and success to the other side that it justifies breaking the system, that that's the only possible response. That's been a relatively common refrain on the left, too.

And there are a lot of people on the left who talk about throwing away the Constitution. Some of them are law professors at Harvard and Yale. And who just talk openly about the need to abandon our constitutional system and the illegitimacy of it. There are certainly voices like that now on the right. I actually would not put J.D. Vance in that category. I don't think that's right.

And there are a lot of people on the left who talk about throwing away the Constitution. Some of them are law professors at Harvard and Yale. And who just talk openly about the need to abandon our constitutional system and the illegitimacy of it. There are certainly voices like that now on the right. I actually would not put J.D. Vance in that category. I don't think that's right.

And I should say I have a lot of respect and regard for J.D. Vance. I think he's a serious person in our politics who we should take seriously. But there are such people.

And I should say I have a lot of respect and regard for J.D. Vance. I think he's a serious person in our politics who we should take seriously. But there are such people.

I mean, it's not exactly what he said, but it doesn't matter. I mean, I would say that reference to that apocryphal Andrew Jackson line points in a very bad direction. I disagree with it. There are a lot of things that he's argued that I don't agree with, but I don't think that you should put J.D. Vance in the category of people who want to throw away the American Constitution.

I mean, it's not exactly what he said, but it doesn't matter. I mean, I would say that reference to that apocryphal Andrew Jackson line points in a very bad direction. I disagree with it. There are a lot of things that he's argued that I don't agree with, but I don't think that you should put J.D. Vance in the category of people who want to throw away the American Constitution.

That's not my sense. I could be wrong, but it's not my sense. There certainly are some people on the right, including younger people as well as older people, who make the argument that we are already in a post-constitutional moment and that, therefore, it doesn't make sense for us to stick to the constraints of the Constitution if the other side's not going to do it.

That's not my sense. I could be wrong, but it's not my sense. There certainly are some people on the right, including younger people as well as older people, who make the argument that we are already in a post-constitutional moment and that, therefore, it doesn't make sense for us to stick to the constraints of the Constitution if the other side's not going to do it.

I think they're wrong about the other side. They're overstating the strength of the left. They're overstating the aggressiveness of the left. They're overstating the success of the left. The left is weak, too, and failing, too, and can't seem to win a durable majority either. And therefore, I also don't think they're right in their prescription.

I think they're wrong about the other side. They're overstating the strength of the left. They're overstating the aggressiveness of the left. They're overstating the success of the left. The left is weak, too, and failing, too, and can't seem to win a durable majority either. And therefore, I also don't think they're right in their prescription.