The order sending armed troops to Portland is consistent with the president’s doctrine of American disruption and decline, (“ Trump says he’ll send troops to Portland, authorizes ‘full force,’ ” Sept. 27). Despite his erratic behavior, we can retain some hope in the knowledge that we’ve been here before.

We’ve seen autocratic leadership, unpopular taxes and severe limits to public representation in governmental decisions. This was the case in 1776 on the eve of our struggle to form a government of the people, protected by a Constitution designed to prevent a return to autocratic rule.

The question before us now is whether our judiciary can retain the separation of its power from this authoritarian administration and a subservient Congress. We’ll soon know whether our system of governme

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