Levitsky and Ziblatt claim on page 36-7 of “How Democracies Die” that “Americans have long had an authoritarian streak [comprising] a sizable minority – 30 or even 40 percent – of the country.” This frightens them, with reason.
But they utterly neglect to point out that a minority of this size can elect a president solely, exclusively, only, for no other reason than that the presidential selection system creates this possibility.
The Founders never had in mind rule by the minority. Indeed, they specifically required majorities and even super-majorities for all important action.