Philip Klinkner's Warning: Democracy Doesn't Defend Itself

"Is American democracy more fragile than we realize?" This question anchors Guy Kawasaki's riveting conversation with Philip Klinkner, professor of government at Hamilton College. Throughout this eye-opening episode, Klinkner dissects the current challenges facing our constitutional system, comparing today's expansion of executive power with historical precedents during the Civil War and Great Depression. What makes our current moment unique, he argues, is the absence of comparable national emergencies to justify such dramatic governmental shifts. Klinkner examines how supposedly fixed constitutional guardrails often exist merely as norms that can rapidly erode, places American challenges within the global context of democratic backsliding, and addresses the troubling normalization of political violence. Despite his sobering analysis, Klinkner concludes with a powerful call for citizen action, emphasizing that this "plastic" moment in American political history offers both danger and opportunity for those willing to engage.

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Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable.

With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy’s questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People.

Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable.

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