Few commentators seem to understand the potential for a Donald Trump presidency to profoundly undermine American democracy. In his Nov. 9 column (“Shocking, yes. Dictatorship? No.’’), Jeff Jacoby argues that the new president will be held in check by “entrenched constitutional prerogatives.’’ Not necessarily.

Many of Trump’s campaign proposals are clearly unconstitutional — for now. But Trump will have the opportunity to choose at least one or more new Supreme Court justices. It seems clear that these choices will make the late Justice Antonin Scalia look like a centrist on the issue of executive power.

With a new Trump-picked Supreme Court in place, what is unconstitutional today could easily become standard administration policy tomorrow. This is just one of many changes that will mark the end of the American era.

Ross Gelbspan

Jamaica Plain