U.S. Presidential Election Archives

Democracy

The Democrats’ Four-Year Reprieve

How did Donald Trump manage to win an even larger number of votes than in 2016, despite lies, corruption, and a bungled pandemic response?

November 19, 2020 • by Dani Rodrik

As Joe Biden eked out a victory in the U.S. presidential election after a few suspenseful days, observers of American democracy were left scratching their heads. Buoyed by polls, many expected a landslide for the Democrats, with the party capturing not only the White House but also the Senate. How ...

Democracy

Why Polls Can’t Satisfy Us

What we want from this troubled industry may be impossible: the ability to know our political future

November 12, 2020 • by Claire Potter

That wasn’t what the polls were saying – but could the polls be wrong? Outlier Quinnipiac had Gideon up by 14. The poll that came closest to what I was hearing was the Bangor Daily News, which had her in a statistical toss-up that Gideon would win with ranked-choice voting. Most gave ...

Democracy

The Day After?

We have much work yet to do

November 9, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Isaac

The votes have been counted, and Joe Biden is now the President-elect. On Saturday night, he gave a Victory Speech, following a speech by his running-mate, Kamala Harris. I have been very cautious, very concerned that Trump might obstruct the electoral process and cling to power. I remain concerned, about the ...

Democracy

The Unfinished Project of Defeating Donald Trump

Reflections on the elections in the United States

November 6, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Goldfarb

I have voiced my judgment over the past four years, and I have facilitated and organized others’ opinions, reports and analyses of Trumpism and global authoritarian trends here at the Democracy Seminar. Yet, a week ago, I exercised the real power of my vote. It was gratifying. And I didn’t only vote ...

The Unfinished Project of Defeating Donald Trump

North America

After Trump

Towards democracy and social justice

October 23, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Goldfarb

That, of course, is the problem. And the problem is grave. In 2016, we were worried about what Trump’s victory might mean. Now we know that things have become much worse than most of us ever imagined, and not only for us in the United States. Trump has been a revolutionary—he ...

Democracy

The United States Post Office is in Trouble

The strange fate of the United States Postal Service

September 16, 2020 • by Ryan Yursha

As I turn onto the northbound entrance for the New Jersey Parkway and speed through the EZ-Pass lane, I take a look at my clock--I have less than two hours to make the 60-mile journey from Brick, New Jersey to Newark Penn Station, find parking, hop on the train, and ...

The United States Post Office is in Trouble

Democracy

Joe Biden’s Message of Healing

September 2, 2020 • by Robert Ivie

Joe Biden went to Pittsburgh on August 31 to make a campaign speech condemning the violence Donald Trump incites. That was the immediate reason for speaking out, but it was also an occasion to speak up for a better America, one that most citizens can affirm and from which no ...

Democracy

Now Is Not the Time to Polemicize Against A Broad Anti-Trump Coalition

August 21, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Isaac

The next three months will be crucial for the fate of democracy in the U.S. And the outcome of the November election will determine whether the American system of government can furnish even minimally decent and effective responses to the pressing challenges of COVID-19 and racial and economic injustice. As more ...

Democracy

Is Some Version of Our Future Now Playing Out on the Streets of Minsk?

August 17, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Isaac

A contest over the legitimacy of an election and the illegitimacy of an autocrat is currently playing out on the streets of Minsk and throughout Belarus. I have no particular expertise about Belarus and nothing profound to say about this conflict. Belarus’s longtime President Alexander Lukashenko is a dictator who rose to ...

Is Some Version of Our Future Now Playing Out on the Streets of Minsk?

Democracy

Pandemic Politics

Reflections on the first appearance of the Biden – Harris team

August 16, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Goldfarb

“Kamala is killing it!” “The two speeches, of Biden and Harris, affectively expressed compassion and warmth, as they made sharp political points.” These were my Facebook responses to the coming out of the Biden – Harris team. Although I generally don’t use Facebook to express such judgments, I couldn’t constrain myself, struck as ...

Democracy

Securing the November U.S. Election

The urgent task for all democrats

July 21, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Isaac

“To support the Ins when things are going well; to support the Outs when they seem to be going badly, this, in spite of all that has been said about tweedledum and tweedledee, is the essence of popular government. Even the most intelligent large public of which we have any ...

Democracy

Rebirth of a Nation?

There is a dangerous method to Trump’s racist madness

July 20, 2020 • by Jeffrey C. Isaac

Donald Trump is doubling down on his racism and xenophobia. This is widely acknowledged, and condemned, by many commentators. It is viewed, correctly in my judgment, as both a resort to the rhetoric with which Trump is most comfortable, racist and xenophobe that he is, and as a campaign strategy. ...