--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are on the precipice of a crisis, a…" description: "\"We are on the precipice of a crisis, a Constitutional crisis. The checks and balances, which have been at the core of this Republic, are about to be ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/anonymous-1_balance_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-co_1366844.jpg" --- # We are on the precipice of a crisis, a Constitutional… ![“We are on the precipice of a crisis, a Constitutional crisis. The checks and balances, which have been at the core of this Republic, are about to be evaporated by the nuclear option. The checks and balances that say if you get 51% of the vote, you don't get your way 100% of the time. It is…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/anonymous-1_balance_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-co_1366844.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/anonymous-1_balance_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-co_1366844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/anonymous-1_balance_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-co_1366844.jpg) > “We are on the precipice of a crisis, a Constitutional crisis. The checks and balances, which have been at the core of this Republic, are about to be evaporated by the nuclear option. The checks and balances that say if you get 51% of the vote, you don't get your way 100% of the time. It is amazing, it's almost a temper tantrum.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constitutional checks are eroding, risking authoritarian overreach when simple majorities dominate. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs safeguards beyond majority rule. Key Takeaway Protect institutional balances. Themes government law democracy Mood concerned urgent Type warning analytical When to use this quote - elections - legislative debates - judicial appointments - civic activism Key Concepts separation of powers constitutional law political stability Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens reinforce checks and balances? - What signs indicate a slide toward authoritarianism? A Different Perspective Changing norms can be hard to reverse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [51 Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/51-vote-4696193/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks/) [Checks and balances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks-and-balances/) [Checks Balances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks-balances/) [Constitutional Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-crisis-1203596/) [Core](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/core/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Crisis Constitutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis-constitutional-4696192/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear Option](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-option-2690386/) [Precipice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precipice/) [Republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic/) [Tantrums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tantrums/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) [Temper tantrums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper-tantrums/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Temper tantrums, however fun they may be to throw, rarely solve whatever problem is causing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/temper-tantrums-however-fun-they-may-be-to-throw-rarely-solve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One flashy kind of commitment device is the “nuclear option.” A friend who enjoys experimenting with strategies of personal productivity used this approach to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-flashy-kind-of-commitment-device-is-the-nuclear-option-a-friend/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I have not taken a position on that nuclear option. My view is I'm not going to do anything until I come to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/i-have-not-taken-a-position-on-that-nuclear-option-my-view-is-i-m-not/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [Your psychotic behavior and constant temper tantrums intrigue me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-psychotic-behavior-and-constant-temper-tantrums-intrigue-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am the MF'n nuclear option!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-abney/i-am-the-mf-n-nuclear-option/) [Hank Abney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-abney/) > [This nuclear option is ultimately an example of the arrogance of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/this-nuclear-option-is-ultimately-an-example-of-the-arrogance-of-power/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Hillary Clinton's plan would trigger a constitutional crisis unlike almost anything we have ever seen before. In effect, she would be abolishing the law-making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-s-plan-would-trigger-a-constitutional-crisis-unlike-2/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [President Donald J Trump and the U.S. media appear now to be split by deep doctrinal differences - of the constitutional crisis kind. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/president-donald-j-trump-and-the-u-s-media-appear-now-to-be-split-by/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [When the President of the United States attacks a movie star it is undignified and it casts a poor light on the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika-brzezinski/when-the-president-of-the-united-states-attacks-a-movie-star-it-is/) [Mika Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika-brzezinski/) > [Watergate was a constitutional crisis of the highest order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/watergate-was-a-constitutional-crisis-of-the-highest-order/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [ \[Hillary\] Clinton's plan would trigger a constitutional crisis unlike almost anything we have ever seen before. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-s-plan-would-trigger-a-constitutional-crisis-unlike/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“This system is called the " system of checks and balances," because each department of the government is supposed to be a check upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-system-is-called-the-system-of-checks-and-balances-because-each/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why should I be scared of an oversized bat who likes to throw temper tantrums?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/why-should-i-be-scared-of-an-oversized-bat-who-likes-to-throw-temper/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“There’s nothing worse than having a fit and no one giving you the proper attention for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-henry/there-s-nothing-worse-than-having-a-fit-and-no-one-giving-you-the/) [Christina Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-henry/) > [My childhood was marked by seizures, which my family interpreted as temper tantrums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-fraser/my-childhood-was-marked-by-seizures-which-my-family-interpreted-as/) [Sylvia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-fraser/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are on the precipice of a crisis, a Constitutional crisis. The checks and balances, which have been at the core of this Republic, are about to be evaporated by the nuclear option. The checks and balances that say if you get 51% of the vote, you don't get your way 100% of the time. It is amazing, it's almost a temper tantrum.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-constitutional-crisis-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-constitutional-crisis-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/anonymous-1_balance_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-co_1366844.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/anonymous-1_balance_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-co_1366844.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/anonymous-1_balance_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-co_1366844.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are on the precipice of a crisis, a Constitutional crisis. The checks and balances, which have been at…” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are on the precipice of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-constitutional-crisis-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-constitutional-crisis-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```