… Alchemizing media power into political influence, Mr. Carlson stands in a nativist American tradition that runs from Father Coughlin to Patrick J. Buchanan. Now Mr. Carlson’s on-air technique — gleefully courting blowback, then fashioning himself as his aggrieved viewers’ partner in victimhood — has helped position him, as much […] Read more »
Ron DeSantis’ governing strategy in Florida is paying off
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has championed controversial stances that have catapulted him into GOP stardom. From Covid-19 vaccines to critical race theory to the law critics have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay,” DeSantis has annoyed Democrats (and many medical professionals) and delighted his fellow Republicans. He’s played to the GOP base […] Read more »
Building on anti-mask activism, far-right groups pivot from mandates to midterms
… Extremism trackers say the past two years of fighting pandemic restrictions have given far-right groups a new generation of recruits and a blueprint for taking the lead in conservative organizing. The midterm season, they warn, brings a heightened risk of political violence, as armed groups build on those gains […] Read more »
Canadian trucker protests show how the loudest voices in the room distort democracy
What happens when the voices of a few drown out the views of the many? Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images Matthew Jordan, Penn State and Sydney Forde, Penn State After Canadian truckers upset with vaccination mandates made their way to Ottawa, they parked their vehicles near Parliament and started making […] Read more »
There’s a Reason Trump Loves the Truckers
The truckers’ protest in Ottawa is the latest barrage from the world’s disaffected in the revolt that found expression in the 2016 election of Donald Trump; the 2017 Unite the Right march on Charlottesville, Va.; the rise of QAnon; and the Jan. 6 insurrection in the halls of Congress. One […] Read more »
Democrats, Speak to Working-Class Discontent
… Today, the Democrats’ working-class problem isn’t limited to white workers. The party is also losing support from working-class Blacks and Hispanics—a daunting 12 points off their margin since 2016, according to Ruy Teixeira. Even before last November’s election, commentators and analysts were pointing to the erosion of Democrats’ working-class […] Read more »