In 2017, The Weekly Standard’s Jay Cost asked: “How do we oppose the current wielders of authority while affirming that their possession of that authority is legitimate?” It’s a question with no easy answer, but it recognizes that democracy requires that those with opposing viewpoints be able to argue — even to the point of incivility — without their disagreement jeopardizing democracy’s survival.
Loyal opposition, in other words, is the idea that the conflicting sides can compete and debate without seriously challenging the legitimacy of the system.
The question of loyal opposition has posed a dilemma for Democrats since Trump took office. Early on, some suggested that they could work with the president on shared priorities. Others questioned the legitimacy of his presidency because of the sexual misconduct allegations that have been made against him, the policies of his administration, and the circumstances surrounding his election. But in the shutdown debate, we saw this dilemma come to life in a new way.
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