[Qualarrizab]

The president will become a de facto emperor and the US an Empire when:


-Wealth and wealth alone is sufficient to get elected, as was the case with the late Roman Republic. People like Crassus. These will undermine the US democracy untill the below becomes true. (almost) CHECK

-The winner of the elections will always be known in advance with little chance of surprise Not anytime soon, or perhaps ever

-Candidates endorsed by the previous president will win the vast majority of the time. This will only not be the case when a business or military leader will take power or will use a pupet to do this for him. Never

-The Senate becomes a playground for the interests of the mega wealthy (Roman senators owned thousands of slaves while the average free man was living on what we would today call welfare) CHECK

-The Senate becomes viewed by the vast majority of the people as inefficient and unnecessary. Populists will appear who will argue the solution is to reduce the power of the senate and establishment, and will use this mantra to give themselves power. CHECK

-The Presidency and Vicepresidency grows in power beyond its constitutional limits and begins meddling in very heavily in the legislative and judicial branches of power or begins claiming itself above the classical three branches division. CHECK

-Shameless Bread and circuses CHECK