| To address your concerns....constitutional amendments are accepted as law regardless of their time - that being said, the process is so difficult that we might see a constitutional amendment in 50 years. Usually, these amendments are sparked by some great change, such as the civil war or the civil rights movement, and are a result of changing public opinion, not the result of a power-grab by the government.
The constitution is designed not to give power to the government, but to restrict it. Regardless of presidential directives and laws, the courts of the United States have a responsibility to stand behind the constitution and precedent at nearly all times.
Finally, Americanism is not determined by the current President - it is defined by the will of the voters who elect the congressmen who hold the real power in American government. Realistically, the President's powers are highly limited - he can use the veto and he can initiate foreign diplomacy. Executive Orders have rarely been upheld by courts, signing statements have never been upheld. Instead, the real power in America is vested in Congress, a body to which it is much harder to attribute fascist values, because fascism requires the centralization of government to be effective.
Therefore, due to the statements above and due to the fact that Americans are generally socially conscious and tend to dislike government interference in their lives, I believe that the American government could not become fascist without a revolution or else a replacement of a majority of congressmen, the President and the Supreme Court. That is, after all, why we have checks and balances. |