America's CA Label War

Because Foreign Affairs' Levitsky and Way label the U.S. a budding competitive authoritarian regime, American Affairs scholars counter that the framework is misapplied and its thresholds unmet. Control over the regime label seeks to authorize or restrain extraordinary 'defend democracy' interventions. — Regime classification determines perceived legitimacy for emergency measures, lawfare, and civil‑service reforms, shaping coalition behavior and public trust.