Summary: Inevitably, Trump’s support crumbles as he becomes a more serious candidate. Millions like him as a fun fantasy football-like candidate, but not as a potential president. If the GOP nominates Trump (as seems likely), this will be a landslide — almost as large as Goldwater-Johnson in 1964 (nowhere near the record set by Nixon-McGovern …
Summary: Hillary is the establishment’s nominee for the Democratic ticket by virtue of seniority, dynastic succession, loyalty to the 1%, and service in the State machinery. An elderly statesman, Sanders, challenges the power of these institutions’ bureaucratic authority by a call to follow traditional authority (unlike in the GOP, where Trump’s appeals with charismatic authority) …
Hillary’s weakness: traditional & charismatic leaders attack her bureaucratic authority Read More »
Summary: Past posts discussed the role of long-suppressed populism in the rise of Trump. But there are deeper forces at work, described a century ago by the philosopher Max Weber. Authority in America has passed from charismatic leaders to traditional leaders to bureaucrats (like Hillary and Jeb), as the Republic’s legitimacy drains away. Now comes …
Max Weber explains Campaign 2016: we want a charismatic leader to restore America Read More »
Summary: A new report by Mercury Analytics explores a new dimension of Trump’s strength, which continues to defy the experts — his appeal to Democrats. Trump has tapped the suppressed force of American populism, which crosses the lines of our low-legitimacy political parties. It’s too late for complacency; he is only 4 steps from winning. …
A new survey shows Trump’s support among Democrats Read More »
Summary: The great and wise believed that Trump was a sideshow fool. Now that he decisively leads in the Republican race, they believe he might get the GOP nomination, but has no chance against Clinton. A simple example shows why that is not correct. If the polls are even roughly accurate, an easily imaginable event …
Trump’s hope: a recession might put him in the White House Read More »
