Steven Levitsky and Lucan Wey updated their argument in Foreign Affairs magazine: "The United States seems to be moving towards instability in local governments. This situation is characterized by frequent constitutional crises, including controversial elections, serious conflicts between the President and Congress, the judiciary, and state governments... The United States may switch back and forth between dysfunctional democracy and fiercely competitive authoritarian rule, with incumbent leaders abusing state power, tolerating or encouraging violent extremism, and making the election environment unfavorable to their opponents."