Over at his Substack “Americana,” historian Jim Cullen explains the difference between republicans, populists, and democrats. Here is a taste: There is, however, a stratum in our political culture between the republican and the populist: the democrat. Democrats in effect […]
democracy
Trump: “I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do.”
Here is the Associated Press story on Trump’s call for the impeachment of a U.S. District Judge: President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a federal judge who tried to stop his deportation plans should be impeached, escalating his conflict with […]
David Brooks: “How the Elite rigged Society”
A lot to think about here:
The Author’s Corner with Jeffrey Boutwell
Jeffrey Boutwell is a retired independent historian with a B.A. in History from Yale and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This interview is based on his new book, Boutwell: Radical Republican and Champion of […]
The Author’s Corner with Eran A. Zelnik
Eran A. Zelnik is a Lecturer in the Department of History at California State University, Chico. This interview is based on his new book, American Laughter, American Fury: Humor and the Making of a White Man’s Democracy, 1750–1850 (Johns Hopkins […]
“Reelecting Donald Trump after January 6 is the greatest dereliction of civic duty by the electorate in the history of the United States.” Now how do we move forward?
Here is Nick Catoggio at The Dispatch: Reelecting Donald Trump after January 6 is the greatest dereliction of civic duty by the electorate in the history of the United States. We’ll pay for it in years to come, over and […]
Post-election reading list: books to encourage and discourage
A short, idiosyncratic, and utterly eclectic post-election reading list of books that might encourage or discourage.
“If Democrats are keen to defend democracy they would do well to stop talking about it”
Everyone is saying that the 2024 election is a referendum on the fate of American democracy. Some progressive Christians are currently traveling through swing states on a “Faith and Democracy” tour. Based on the scholarly interests of the academics involved […]
The Author’s Corner with Connie Goddard
Connie Goddard is a journalist and independent scholar. This interview is based on her new book, Learning for Work: How Industrial Education Fostered Democratic Opportunity (University of Illinois Press, 2024). JF: What led you to write Learning for Work? CG: […]
The Author’s Corner with Nathan Perl-Rosenthal
Nathan Perl-Rosenthal is Professor of History, French and Italian, and Law at the University of Southern California. This interview is based on his new book, The Age of Revolutions: And the Generations Who Made It (Basic Books, 2024). JF: What […]
Bono for mayor of Dublin?
Over at Zocalo Public Square, Joe Mathews tries to convince Bono to run for local office. Here is a taste: Dear Bono, Now that U2’s residency at the Sphere in Vegas has successfully concluded, it’s time for you to get […]
“At the end of the day, who we are is who we were”
Here is a short snippet of historian Allen Guelzo’s interview with Jonah Goldberg on The Remnant Podcast: Watch the entire interview here.
The Author’s Corner with Brian Judge
Brian Judge is a Policy Fellow at the Center for Human-Compatible AI at the University of California, Berkeley. This interview is based on his new book, Democracy in Default: Finance and the Rise of Neoliberalism in America (Columbia University Press, 2024). JF: […]
The Author’s Corner with Scott Gac
Scott Gac is Professor of History and American Studies at Trinity College. This interview is based on his new book, Born in Blood: Violence and the Making of America (Cambridge University Press, 2024). JF: What led you to write Born […]
The Author’s Corner with Ralph Young
Ralph Young is Professor of Instruction in History at Temple University. This interview is based on his new book, American Patriots: A Short History of Dissent (NYU Press, 2024). JF: What led you to write American Patriots? RY: What inspired […]
Chicken-fried democracy
South Dakota’s legislative Cracker Barrels show democracy at its best.
February 8, 2024 revealed a democracy about to fall off a cliff and the American people didn’t bother to “get off the couch.”
Here is Will Bunch of The Philadelphia Inquirer: Some night around the year 2064, when the ragtag children of the last historians huddle around a cave fire and mix up some berries and the blood of their groundhog dinner to […]
Donald Trump’s gut and the fate of American democracy
What will happen to truth if Donald Trump is our next president? Here is Megan Garber at The Atlantic: “I have a gut,” Donald Trump announced in 2018, “and my gut tells me more sometimes than anybody else’s brain can ever […]
“When, if ever, can a democracy exclude anti-democratic politicians and parties from democratic elections?”
This is a question that Joe Mathews tackles today in the context of an argument for removing Donald Trump from the ballot in 2024. Here is a taste of his piece at Zocalo Public Square I was in favor of […]
Liz Cheney, one of the most conservative politicians in the United States, is pulling for Democrats in 2024
Here is Kelly Garrity at Politico: Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney would rather cede power to Democrats than see members of her own party win in 2024, she said, calling a Republican majority a “threat,” and warning of an existential […]