When writing in Federalist 51 about the importance of providing guardrails around the powers that “We the People” necessarily grant to government, James Madison famously said in part:
Nobody—thus far, at least—gets to the presidency on his (or her) own. The central question is, to use your own sentence, "Why are people attracted to this man and his ideas that he is 'the one'?" What is it about a large chunk of the American people that has evidently alienated them from American political culture?
Throughout my lifetime, I took it as an article of faith or, maybe as a historical truth, that the U.S. had rejected monarchy. I might disagree with the policies of a Republican or Democratic president (JFK is the first I remember) but each one of them seemed to conceive of, and act on, the idea that they represented the people of the United States. But then in 2016, I saw a Presidential nominee declare on live television that nobody knew the system better than he (who had never spent a day in government) and that he, alone, could fix it (i.e., the government and its perceived ills). Those sounded like the words of a strongman. Soon after I saw a number of my friends (mostly from my Iowa high school) express support for this candidate. I thought, "What gives?" Why are people attracted to this man and his ideas that he is "the one"? That candidate, who became President Trump, has never let up from his authoritarian leanings. Then and now, especially, I wonder, what changed?
Some of us are fighting back. I wrote each member of the Iowa Congressional delegation asking that Russell Vought not be confirmed and to not relinquish budget authority to the Executive branch. I’ve never done anything like that before.
Nobody—thus far, at least—gets to the presidency on his (or her) own. The central question is, to use your own sentence, "Why are people attracted to this man and his ideas that he is 'the one'?" What is it about a large chunk of the American people that has evidently alienated them from American political culture?
Excellent piece, Dennis! Concise, clear and factual; not seeing eonugh of such good stuff these days. Please keep enlightening us.
Throughout my lifetime, I took it as an article of faith or, maybe as a historical truth, that the U.S. had rejected monarchy. I might disagree with the policies of a Republican or Democratic president (JFK is the first I remember) but each one of them seemed to conceive of, and act on, the idea that they represented the people of the United States. But then in 2016, I saw a Presidential nominee declare on live television that nobody knew the system better than he (who had never spent a day in government) and that he, alone, could fix it (i.e., the government and its perceived ills). Those sounded like the words of a strongman. Soon after I saw a number of my friends (mostly from my Iowa high school) express support for this candidate. I thought, "What gives?" Why are people attracted to this man and his ideas that he is "the one"? That candidate, who became President Trump, has never let up from his authoritarian leanings. Then and now, especially, I wonder, what changed?
Some of us are fighting back. I wrote each member of the Iowa Congressional delegation asking that Russell Vought not be confirmed and to not relinquish budget authority to the Executive branch. I’ve never done anything like that before.
👍well said.
Definite lack of courage and cojones.
Great analysis. Unfortunately. it appears many voters are willing to relinquish the republic.