[scarecrowbob]

Yeah, but there is quite a gulf between possible and even likely.

I can think of very few time seen the state give up extra powers it gives itself in emergencies, and the few places where I see it give up powers are at the behest of industries demanding "de-regulation".

Even, say, cannabis decriminalization can be understood (from the stand point of the legislators) as pro-business.

So serious question: when has the US given up powers? It'd do my brain a lot of good to have a picture of how this has happened in the past so I can be less cynical in the present.

You might site the Church commission, maybe, but that seems to be exactly the kind of thing that is both likely and wholly ineffective beyond a the 5-10 year timescale.

[_DeadFred_]

The end of Reconstruction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstruction_era

[scarecrowbob]

Fair enough I guess. Not exactly the kind of reassurance I'm looking for, though :D !