the rule of law has been built over centuries in the western world, but it remains fragile because it s based on a bluff. the bluff is that at the highest level, everyone will respect the rules even though it might not always be possible to enforce compliance. the rule at the heart of the u.s. system is the separation of powers. the founders greatest fear was that too much power in the hands of government would mean the end of liberty. so they ensured that power was shared and that each branch would act as a check on the other. the crucial feature for james madison, the chief architect of the constitution, was giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. as he explained in federalist 51, ambition must be made to counteract ambition. but the system only works if all sides respect it.
of liberty. so they ensured that power was shared and that each branch would act as a check on the other. the crucial feature for james madison, the chief architect of the constitution, was giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. as he explained in federalist 51, ambition must be made to counteract ambition. but the system only works if all sides respect it. congress doesn t have an army or police force at its disposal, nor does the supreme court. these branches rely on the president to accept their authority and enforce their laws and rulings. when the supreme court held unanimously that richard m. nixon could not use executive privilege to withhold the watergate tapes, president nixon immediately agreed to comply even though he knew it would
complian compliance. the rule at the heart of the u.s. system is the separation of powers. the founders greatest fear was that too much power in the hands of government would mean the end of liberty. so they ensured the power was shared and that each branch would act as a check on the other. the crucial feature for james madison, the chief architect of the constitution, was giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. as he explained in federalist 51, ambition must be made to counteract ambition. but the system only works if all sides respect it. congress doesn t have an army or police force at its disposal. nor does the supreme court. tese branches rely on the president to accept their authority and enforce their laws and rulings. when the supreme court held unanimously that richard m. nixon could not use executive privilege to withhold the
of liberty. so they ensured that power was shared and that each branch would act as a check on the other. the crucial feature for james madison, the chief architect of the constitution, was giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. as he explained in federalist 51, ambition must be made to counteract ambition. but the system only works if all sides respect it. congress doesn t have an army or police force at its disposal, nor does the supreme court. these branches rely on the president to accept their authority and enforce their laws and rulings. when the supreme court held unanimously that richard m. nixon could not use executive privilege to withhold the watergate tapes, president nixon immediately agreed to comply even though he knew it would mean the end of his presidency.
authority and responsibility, and that s what the impeachment process is fundamentally for. and the constitution will fail. it s interesting you just told us that feldman did not think impeachment was practical after or during mueller but now does. to the larger issue, though, of abuse of power, which is the words that he used, why is that so important in the historical context? you know, when the foundered created the presidency, they were worried they were creating an elected monarch. because, remember, the revolution takes place to get away from a monarch. and the way they set it up was each branch was designed to check the other. this is a very madison says in federalist 51, ambition must be made to counteract ambition. so the whole point was, if the president does something wrong, there is only one recourse. you remember richard nixon very famously said if the president does it, it means it s not illegal. he was technically right. what he means is the president is immune fro