Jonathan Turley vs. the Mob

 Jonathan Turley reveals the threat that mobocracy embodies against a healthy, stable republic

The MSM, radical left Democrats, and progressives like Hillary Clinton, spout that we are experiencing an 'existential threat to democracy.' For example, Dr. Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way wrote, "U.S. democracy will likely break down during the Second Trump administration in the sense that it will cease to meet standard criteria for a liberal democracy -- full adult suffrage, free and fair elections, and broad protection of civil liberties."

Hillary says, "Our democracy is in crisis..." Her claim sounds ominous, worthy of further investigation.

Demosthenes (384 BC -- 322 BC) was a Greek statesman of ancient Athens who was a staunch defender of Athenian democracy. He also saw how democracy could easily descend into mobocracy, then into anarchy.

Ever hear of 'mobocracy?' It's a term that refers to the direct democracy of ancient Athens -- a system of 'majority power.' Athens' democracy frequently encountered mob demands that caused democracy to evolve into mobocracy, then anarchy. Anarchy and mobocracy are different government concepts. While both involve a lack of formal governance, anarchy refers to the complete absence of government. Mobocracy refers to governance by the desires of the majority, which often leads to anarchy.

Dr. Jonathan Turley, attorney, legal scholar, historian, writer, and commentator, is a professor at George Washington University Law School. Turley, in Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, wrote the following about Athens' democracy and its descent into mobocracy:

"...The descent into mob justice was accelerated by intellectuals or orators who sought to ride the passions of the public. As Demosthenes warned, "This breed of orators appeared who ply you with such questions as 'What would you like? What shall I propose? How can I oblige you? The interests of the state have been frittered away for a momentary popularity. The natural consequences follow, and the orators profit by your disgrace." As new leaders were brought to power by mobs, prior rabble-rousing orators were often tried for misleading the public. The one thing that remains consistent in mobocracies throughout history is that the mob itself was never wrong, but rather misled. ..."

That's what Democrats are doing today: appealing to the mob, trying to create a mobocracy. For example, Democrats went wild when Trump said, "It's not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things. They can do it on a state basis. You can't do it on a federal. We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country."

Representative Ro Khanna, D-CA, responded, "Trump says we can pay for war in Iran but can't afford childcare. Mr. President, the billions you wasted in Iran could pay for $10 day childcare for every American family with childcare workers paid $25 an hour." Senator Andy Kim, D - N.J., wrote, "For the cost of 3 weeks of this war, we could provide vision, hearing, and dental coverage to every senior on Medicare for a year. It is possible. Trump just doesn't care to do it."

Turley wrote, "...mob rule is dangerous because passion replaces reason, wild conspiracy theories are accepted as truth, blind obedience by the masses enables demagogues' quest for power, and institutions designed to tame the foibles of human nature -- such as separation of powers and the rule of law -- are shredded when they are perceived to be 'in the way' of objectives desired by the mob."

Demosthenes (and Turley) conveyed what Democrats mean when they say 'democracy.' They mean 'mobocracy,' their version of democracy. When a national debt increase is not spent as they want, Democrats are offended. Theirs is the only correct way to spend it.

Democrats are never wrong despite evidence to the contrary. When affairs don't go as they expect, the Democrats and the MSM say they weren't wrong, just misled. Democrats and the MSM were misled by what Iran has shouted since 1979, its nuclear capability, its actions such as firing missiles at Israel, selling oil to China, and supporting terrorist organizations.

As Turley wrote, "The irony is that many on the left use the threat of Trump to call for radical changes in the political system, to unleash more direct democratic change. They are seeking to remove the very elements that brought us to this day, recreating the very conditions that have led to mobocracies or democratic despotism elsewhere."

One organization to use the threat of 'Trump killing democracy' to call for changes in the political system is the Brookings Institution. Coincidentally, the Brookings Institution is run by Strobe Talbott, a close personal friend of the Clintons.

The Institute's Governance Studies program has "scholars" dedicated to strengthening democracy through research. The Institute maintains that the United States faces a significant democracy crisis in the form of Donald Trump. Brookings says it has concerns about protecting elections, defending the rule of law, and fighting corruption.

Protecting Elections

Efforts by the Trump administration to diminish voter access will hinder free and fair elections and pose a significant threat to U.S. democracy. This hypocrisy requires the institute to ignore vote-buying, open borders, and Democrats' efforts to defeat the SAVE America Act.

Defending the Rule of Law

Comatose Joe Biden stated that he'd ignore the Supreme Court ruling banning his cancellation of student loans. No one on the Left ever complained about Biden not defending the rule of law or of being a dictator.

Concerns about Trump weaponizing government weren't eliminated in the opening days of his presidency. More hypocrisy and/or ignoring facts -- Obama weaponized government. Brookings ignored (on purpose?) the weaponization actions by Obama and Biden.

Fighting Corruption

Brookings reported that Trump's ethics are problematic, alluding to his not signing ethics rules on the first day of his second term, insinuating that he has an ethics problem.

Yet the institute chose to overlook corrupt actions by incoherent Joe Biden and his family. Turley wrote, "If the president knew his family was engaged in 'influence peddling,' the president by definition is corrupt."

Hillary says her political philosophy blends domestic reforms with expanded government intervention in areas like healthcare and welfare. She has backed stronger government roles in social programs, education, and environmental regulation. This approach, she maintains, reflects a 'third way' that emphasizes more progressive priorities such as comprehensive immigration reform, stricter gun control, and aggressive climate action.

Looks like Hillary's saying 'Trump put democracy in crisis' is actually her searching for an opportunity to do away with democracy and implement 'mobocracy.' Brooking, what say y'all? But know Strobe is watching.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/05/jonathan_turley_vs_the_mob.html