Liberal Ends, Illiberal Means

American liberal achievements often relied on illiberal actions—Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus, FDR’s court‑packing push, and WWII firebombing—all cited as necessary but not 'liberal' methods. Seeing U.S. history as a union of liberal and illiberal forces suggests today’s illiberal episodes are cyclical, not a decisive break. This lens challenges simple declinist or panic narratives. — It urges analysts and voters to judge 'authoritarianism' claims against a historical baseline where liberal victories frequently used illiberal tools, refining how we assess institutional risk today.