The Role of Citizens

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/21/opinion/the-role-of-citizens.html

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To the Editor:

Paul Krugman is right as far as he goes — that President Trump is “blatantly telegraphing his intention to use national misfortune to grab even more power” and that American citizens must stand against him if and when that happens (“When the Fire Comes,” column, Feb. 10).

But Mr. Krugman doesn’t go far enough. First, Mr. Trump is more than telegraphing his intention: He instead has been trying to provoke the very crisis that would allow him to declare a state of emergency or war, thus permitting him to grab more authoritarian power. How else to understand his provocations to radicalized Muslims and to many foreign countries?

Second, Mr. Krugman — in urging citizens not to jump on a patriotic bandwagon behind the president in a time of crisis or war — fails to describe in detail what taking “a public stand” would involve. In our hearts, we want to do so. In our actions, what does Mr. Krugman suggest would be effective? More marches? More letters to The Times and calls to Congress? Would these really stop an authoritarian president in a time of crisis?

What citizen actions does Mr. Krugman believe could put out this terrible fire burning down our democratic republic?

JAMES S. BERKMAN

Boston