Summary: President Trump’s approval numbers are low and controversies are high, nevertheless some good things are happening in our democratic system. Congress, for example, is stepping up to its responsibilities to debate and decide policy. With Trump less interested in policy particulars, Congress can become what the founders intended, the first of the branches of government. They are debating health care, tax reform and war powers instead of waiting for the president. Federalism is also flourishing, with states and cities becoming more proactive in policy affairs. I don’t always agree with them, but California and other states have figured out that they can make decisions about immigration or the environment. Again, that’s how the republic is supposed to work. There’s even a new appreciation for checks and balances and separations of power as the Constitution established them. Call them unintended good consequences of Donald Trump’s presidency, perhaps, but these are healthy signs for our democratic system.
