Trump’s “madness will be contained”

This is a short excerpt from Robert Reich’s excellent Substack. For the full post or to subscribe, on paid or free plans, click here.

      The day on which we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday will also be one of the darkest and most shameful days in the history of this nation, when the man who attempted a coup against the United States will be sworn in for the second time as president.

      Let me reassure you about a few things.

      First, if you’re outraged, disgusted, or depressed by this, you are hardly alone.

      Even though Trump got the most votes, his margin of victory was razor-thin. More than a third of eligible voters (many of whom voted for Biden in 2020) didn’t even vote. According to yesterday’s New York Times/Ipsos poll, most Americans are either worried or pessimistic about Trump’s second term. Half of America hates him.

      I also want to assure you that although Trump is bonkers, his madness will be contained.

      The federal courts — most of whose judges were nominated by Democratic presidents — will help limit his illegal or unconstitutional recklessness. (The Supreme Court reviews fewer than 1 percent of federal cases.)

      Trump’s own obsession with the stock market will limit his wilder economic ideas, such as imposing tariffs on all nations, which would cause the market to plunge.

      The Republican majority in the House is so narrow that a couple of members can derail or kill anything Trump wants.

      I’m also confident that the essential goodness and common sense of the American people will limit his cruelty — such as splitting up families and putting undocumented people into concentration camps. . . .