“Make America Great Again.” That was the slogan that became the brand associated with Donald Trump in his campaign for the Presidency in 2016. But once he was in charge, America became worse, much worse. Now, in his words, he wants to “Keep America Great.” He doesn’t say great for whom, of course, but certainly… More
A Clear and Present Danger
Origin of the Phrase You might think the phrase, “A Clear and Present Danger” is only a movie title. But it’s not. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes, Jr. coined the phrase in a famous opinion on freedom of speech. It defines an exception to First Amendment rights. He concluded that no one has a… More
Donald Trump and the Rise of Populism
Trump’s Brand of Populism Many people have wondered how Donald Trump attracted a hard core of followers despite all that was known about him. There were those who came to his side for strictly ideological reasons. Some were evangelicals who came en masse based on Trump’s promise to appoint conservative judges to overturn Roe v.… More
2020 Democrats — Flashing Warning Signs
Misreading the results It’s easy to understand how a big electoral victory can instill a high confidence level. But such a large victory can also lead to a misreading of its impact on future results. That is particularly true when the warning signs start flashing and many Democrats seemingly ignore them. But history has repeatedly… More
Snatching Defeat from the Arms of Victory
The 2016 Election In 2016 Hillary Clinton was the odds-on favorite to win the presidential election. Yet something happened on the way to the ballot box, and she snatched defeat out of the arms of victory. Granted, Russian interference in the election promoting Donald Trump certainly cost her votes in several key states. As did… More