A major new study shows that political polarization is mainly a right-wing phenomenon. Sean Illing interviews Pippa Norris on how Trump's populist appeal is about culture, not the economy. The all-male photo op isn't a gaffe — it's a strategy. A new poll on Trump's "wiretapping" shows how easily he can spread misinformation. Jeremy Adam Smith on how the science of "blue lies" may explain Trump's support: They're a very particular form of deception that can build solidarity within groups. Why lying is so easy for Trump: For New York developers, blatant deception isn't just good for business — it's completely legal.
Donald Trump has no values: This is what makes my head spin — the president is not a moral figure in any idiom, any land, any culture, any subculture. Donald Trump's embrace of conservative cruelty: As president, he's given up on empathetic populism and bought into Paul Ryan's agenda to punish the poor. America has never seen a party less caring than 21st-century Republicans: We pay our elected officials to take care of our communities and our planet — since Trump took office, the GOP has set out only to destroy. Where are the good Republicans? Many in Washington are shocked and appalled by Donald Trump's presidency, but none have the courage to say so.
Seventy days in, Donald Trump's presidency is flailing: Trump's campaign rewarded him for breaking the rules — his presidency has punished him for it. Obama's legacy is proving far harder to erase than Trump imagined. Nancy LeTourneau on how the extremism of the Freedom Caucus could open a chasm in the GOP. “We must fight them”: Trump goes after conservatives of Freedom Caucus. Trump's agenda is now squarely in Mitch McConnell's, and the Senate's, hands. Rich Lowry on the crisis of Trumpism. Big-money donors mobilize to save Trump's presidency. Trump's a dictator? He can't even repeal Obamacare — we just got hard proof that America's checks and balances are still working. "Weakness in Trump is dangerous, as for all authoritarians. Time especially for all of us to be on guard and prepare for pernicious actions".
Inauguration of the Trumpian Beauty Contest: Jay Baron Nicorvo on the ends of a representative republic. Our delight in destruction: We were surprised by Trump because we assumed both humans and history are driven by reason. The soul-sucking, attention-eating black hole of the Trump presidency: While we endlessly watch for the latest blunder or scandal, America is being pulled dangerously off course. Donald Trump and America's national nervous breakdown: Unlocking your phone these days is a nightmare.
