For those who believe in liberal democracy, it is sobering to review the events of the past quarter-century. Twenty-five years ago, liberal democracy was on the march. … Liberal democracy had triumphed, it seemed, not only in practice but also in principle. It was the only legitimate form of government. […] Read more »
The economic anxiety that helped fuel Trump’s rise isn’t going away, and neither is Trumpism
… Right now, the most prosperous parts of the United States constitute a small fraction of the country, while large segments experience limited prosperity. In a political system based on geographic representation, the mismatch between prosperity and representation is a recipe for disaster. The sections of the nation experiencing poor […] Read more »
Elites v. Populists: The conflict goes back at least 500 years
How to deal with the Trump-supporting working class? Since the election, that question has rippled through liberal circles. Should white workers be condemned and quarantined, or cultivated and persuaded? The debate is not new. A version of it played out 500 years ago, between Erasmus of Rotterdam, the greatest of […] Read more »
While Most Americans Prefer Democracy, More Than One in Four Express Sympathy for Authoritarian Politics
Americans’ support for an authoritarian leader declined for the first time in two decades, according to a new report from the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group. “Follow the Leader: Exploring American Support for Democracy and Authoritarianism,” nevertheless finds worrying developments among the 29% of Americans who say that an authoritarian […] Read more »
Anti-Democratic Populism Caused the Dreamer Impasse
Trump planted a ticking DACA time-bomb in September and announced that Congress had six months to defuse it with a permanent legislative fix. Americans overwhelmingly want a fix. 87 percent think Dreamers should be allowed to stay in the U.S. Among Republicans, two-thirds support a path to citizenship. In an […] Read more »
The Despot’s Apprentice: Donald Trump’s Attack on Democracy
… A lot of people say to me: ‘Trump is not Mussolini or Hitler.’ That’s absolutely true, there’s no question. … I think because of Trump’s showmanship and his bumbly nature, people falsely believe that he is less insidious. They think, ‘that’s Trump, we can focus on the tax plan,’ […] Read more »