Dissent | A Gray/Getty
It is a hard moment to propose that Americans need to put more faith in their government institutions. The current administration has destroyed federal programs people had counted on for decades and refused to abide by the rulings of other branches of government, all while working to enrich their allies and punish their enemies. Asking people to defend and empower the democratic institutions that put in place a would-be dictator is a tall order. Nevertheless, the authors of two new books seeking to chart a path for the left propose to do exactly that.