American is fortunate, that unlike other countries it isn't ruled by a monarchy that is hereditary and therefore cannot be voted out of power, or by a dictator, or by a military junta, or by a demagogue, or by any other form of government that subverts the rights of the people. However, just because this historically has been the way in America, and just because we live under Constitution government, doesn't mean that America can't suffer the same fates of so many other countries throughout history.
America is blessed, that it's greatest military leader, George Washington, who was unanimously elected twice by the electoral college, was so gracious and so wise as to leave the Presidential office, voluntarily, after two terms, so as to set the example that no one man was greater than the nation that so many had sacrificed so much to create. Unfortunately, in the 20th century, Franklin D. Roosevelt, did not follow this precedent, and probably used the excuse of the pressing concerns of World War II to justify his running for both a third and a fourth term in office. Had, FDR, not died in office, at age 63, one must wonder as to how many terms, or how long in the oval office he would have stayed, as for instance, President Reagan completed his second term in office at the age of 77.
Although since the passing of FDR, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution has been ratified, stipulating that the President is limited to two terms in office; in a nation to which there are so many lawyers, and so many legal interpretations, it would not be a stretch of the imagination that someone acting in the capacity of Executive Counselin conjunction with the standing President might look upon the 22nd Amendment as something that could be circumvented by the nature of the words: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice…" and simply interpret that to mean that as long as there are no further elections, because perhaps of a wartime emergency, or perhaps the declaration of martial law to suppress civil uprising or unrest, or perhaps some other such crisis, that national elections could simply become suspended.
Of course, most people, would state that this could never happen in the United States, but for the most part, most of America is pretty much content with the status quo as long as they get their proper "bread and circuses", to which no President would be fool enough not to provide this so as to maintain their power. Additionally, the American public has been mainly deaf and mute as the Presidency has again and again throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, passed Executive Order after Executive Order, aggregating to the Executive Office certain immunities and privileges which has effectively neutralized and trivialized our Legislative and Judicial branches of government.
The truth of the matter is, if the Presidency is supported by the military-industrial complex of this country, and further that if the President is gifted in charisma, oratory, and has found something that represents that "devil" or evil that must be destroyed or fought against, than that President, representing the avenging angel, will be able to lure the public into his siren's song. Sure, there will be some hue and cry from the public, but that will be drowned out by the sheep of this nation, willing to sacrifice a little freedom, for safety and their American Demagogue.