From The Washington Post September 15, 2020 Professor William Howell Harris Public Policy Professor William Howell and Stanford Professor Terry Moe, coauthors of the new book Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy, recently wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post arguing for presidential power and effective government to combat the forces of populism. Stanford Professor Terry Moe "If the United States wants to safeguard democratic principles and practices, it will need reforms that address the fear of presidential power by imposing new constraints on what presidents can do," they write. "Constraints alone, however, won’t build a more effective government. Our separation-of-powers system is inherently unwieldy. Addressing today’s challenges requires the kind of coherent, problem-solving leadership that presidents can offer." Howell and Moe's op-ed is part of “Rethinking Our Democracy,” a series on institutional reforms to Congress and the presidency. The series is a joint initiative by the Center for Effective Government at Harris and Protect Democracy. Full coverage available at the Washington Post. Other articles in the "Rethinking Our Democracy" series can be found here. Upcoming Events More events Civic Leadership Academy 2026 Virtual Information Session Wed., July 16, 2025 | 12:00 PM Bridging Capital and Communities: Integrating Impact Investing, Real Estate Development, and Public Policy Thu., July 17, 2025 | 7:00 PM Harris Summer Mixer in Beijing Fri., July 18, 2025 | 6:00 PM Maison Flo 18 Xiaoyun Rd Chaoyang Qu Beijing Shi, 100027 China