2020 has taught us a lot about American civics. The three branches of government are totally fake--the legislature, judiciary, and executive are all impotent. The real three branches of government are intelligence, academia, and media.

The only alternative branch (and the real sovereign) is the military. Had Trump issued crackdown/wall building orders directly to lower ranks, you would have seen the chain of command in its real form.

It's easy for us to say he cucked. But if he had pushed these people with belligerent EOs and bypassed decision makers we would have had a formalist revolution.

As it is we got halfway there--he forced the deep state to reveal its hand. Trump has been incredibly consequential.