… Liberal democratic rhetoric is supposed to unify citizens with diverse perspectives and backgrounds, and make visible previously discounted perspectives (for example, the perspective of women during the struggle for women’s right to vote). Trump’s and Carson’s comments are explicitly antidemocratic. The fact that they seem to have been rewarded […] Read more »
Politicians’ trash-talk about immigration means that Latinos become less politically trusting and more ethnocentric
… When politicians decry illegal immigration, they accomplish two things among Latinos, perhaps without intending to. First, they raise the importance of ethnicity relative to other forms of identity. That is, they make Latinos think of themselves as ethnics, rather than as working class, Catholic, Democrats, etc. Second, they smear […] Read more »
Republican incumbents beware: There’s something happening here, What it is ain’t exactly clear
In times of political turmoil, it’s always good to be able to reach back to the 1960s for some Buffalo Springfield lyrics, and this is political turmoil. Both parties are seeing the conventional wisdom of their nomination fight (Republicans) and nomination coronation (Democrats) turned upside down, not so much by […] Read more »
Gloomy Republican Campaigns Leave Behind Reagan Cheer
To listen to the way some Republicans tell it, America is a pretty awful place these days. … Appeals to voters’ insecurities and anxieties have always been part of politics. But what is striking about the current dynamic inside the Republican Party is how pervasive the sense has become that […] Read more »
The Unwelcome Return of ‘Illegals’
Ten years ago, the political strategist Frank Luntz issued a proclamation about the language of immigration. ‘‘Always refer to people crossing the border illegally as ‘illegal immigrants’ — NOT as ‘illegals,’ ’’ Luntz instructed fellow conservatives. ‘‘Illegals’’ sounds harsh and spiky. As with ‘‘fatties’’ in high school, or ‘‘thugs,’’ it’s a […] Read more »
U.S. Holds Off a World of Economic Trouble
… The economy invariably becomes a political target when there is no White House incumbent running for re-election. The opposition party has to talk about how bad things are and its ideas for change. The incumbent party, in this case the Democrats, must be more nuanced, striving to avoid getting […] Read more »