… This is one of the few times when the leaders, top strategists, and establishments of both parties are panicky, and for good reason. … Some of the best minds in both parties are now questioning their own competence, wondering whether they are losing their touch, having missed an upheaval […] Read more »
Stop Comparing Donald Trump And Bernie Sanders
A lot of people are linking the candidacies of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump under headings like “populist” and “anti-establishment.” Most of these comparisons are too cute for their own good — not only because it’s too early to come to many conclusions about the campaign, but also because Trump […] Read more »
Those Renegade Republicans
Is the Republican Party going rogue? It’s hard to look at the opinion polling in the GOP presidential nomination contest and conclude anything else. As unexpected as many of the developments on the Democratic side have been, it doesn’t hold a candle to what is unfolding among the Republicans. CONT. […] Read more »
Nativism And Economic Anxiety Fuel Trump’s Populist Appeal
Ever since the Tea Party began in 2009, various Republicans have been auditioning to lead this populist revolt. Rand Paul took a chainsaw to the federal budget. Ted Cruz almost shut down the government. Chris Christie and Scott Walker have been bashing Washington elites. But it wasn’t until Donald Trump […] Read more »
The Populist Revolt Against Brain-Dead Politics
… While there are 22 presidential candidates — 23 if Biden runs — most of them are human tape recorders. On the top 25 or 30 issues, each has memorized a paragraph or two; mention the issue and the candidates push the “play” button in their heads. Almost word-for-word each […] Read more »
The Science Behind Trump-Mania
Donald Trump’s startling transformation from reality TV star to serious presidential contender in the eyes of some key Republican voters happened because he’s been able to sell himself as the straight-talker most candidates aspire to be, a Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa Poll shows. A look underneath the poll’s headline […] Read more »