Author: Zeynep Tufekci
Affiliation: University of North Carolina, School of Information and Library Science (Chapel Hill, NC, USA)
Organization/Publisher: The Atlantic
Date/Place: November 7, 2020/USA
Type of Literature: Opinion
Word Count: 1930
Keywords: Populism, Elite Failure, Republicans, Democrats.
Brief:
With Trump’s election loss, it is unwise to presume America’s run with populism is over. Trump is part of an array of populist state leaders, but he did not have their political savvy and discipline. Trump’s win in the 2016 elections came from a divisive nominee and Republicans who underestimated him in the primaries, but not from a solid vision of his own. Though he acts like a populist, Trump did not govern effectively like others. Different populists managed to placate their people by having large patron networks, boosting their supporters as a credit for the future. With his erratic behavioral pattern, Trump couldn’t get that network going and it cost him the elections. Republicans do not seem to care—Why care when they have the Senate and the Supreme Court in the bag, along with more seats in the House than anticipated? Republicans could use various methods to subvert the Democratic majority in the House, and may use gerrymandering to raise their state legislature representations. Increased Republican power is the best gateway for a more competent version of Trump to enter into politics. The coming populist will be more calculating, careful, and active in pursuing a solid standing, going beyond a single-term presidency. The Democrats and anyone who opposes Trump-like style have to let go of nostalgia if they will face the next populist, as nostalgia only highlights the same mistakes that feed populism. An awareness of present problems and a future vision is necessary to bypass the current crisis in American politics, and recognizing elite failure is crucial to address present issues.
By: Omar Fili, CIGA Research Assistant
