I disagree, the only thing that truly stands between our republic and a totalitarian regime is We the People.
The executive branch has grown so powerful (de jure) and is so pervasive in the lives of everyday Americans that Congress and the SCOTUS are impotent to stop a clever authoritarian. Several amendments are to blame. The 16th enabled Congress to tax citizens directly giving us the IRS, the 17th took away state influence in our federal govt by making Senators popularly elected, 23rd gave residents of Washington DC a say in presidential elections, and the 26th took from states the authority to determine who was a qualified voter.
Additionally several FDR era laws passed by Congress and upheld by the stacked SCOTUS allow the federal government to provide for the individual welfare, bypassing the states, counties, and municipalities dealing directly with the individual.
