Author Archives: politicaloptic

Trump-Nixon Parallels: Is History Repeating Itself?

Posted on May 25, 2017 by politicaloptic

In the unfolding inquiry into the Trump campaign’s Russian connections, one can’t help but see Trump-Nixon parallels. Trump’s firing of James Comey in the middle of an ongoing investigation bears obvious similarities with Nixon’s firing of Watergate investigator Archibald Cox. Not only do we … Continue reading →

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Asymmetric Warfare: How Is It Working for Trump?

Posted on March 31, 2017 by politicaloptic

As two recent commentators have observed, Trump is a master of asymmetric warfare. Asymmetric warfare is a term used to describe tactics adopted by a weaker force against a stronger one, normally in a military setting. The typical example is of a guerrilla … Continue reading →

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Will Trump Exploit a Terrorist Attack for His Own Ends?

Posted on February 26, 2017 by politicaloptic

Because Trump’s tweets are spontaneous, they provide a useful indicator–a kind of Rohrschack Test–of his fundamental instincts. One recent tweet, reacting to the Federal Court’s  blockade of his immigration executive order, was nothing less than a wake-up call for concerned Americans. Trump tweeted: “Just … Continue reading →

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Hillbilly Elegy: J. D. Vance’s Personal Take on White Working-Class America

Posted on January 31, 2017 by politicaloptic

J.D. Vance’s recent book, Hillbilly Elegy, puts a spotlight on the crisis of white working-class America. It is a memoir of a young man who grew up in a culture of poverty and dysfunction but who, with a little help and some grit, eventually … Continue reading →

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Some Questions for Betsy DeVos

Posted on January 7, 2017 by politicaloptic

Everyone has a right to their own opinions. This statement applies to billionaire Republican Betsy DeVos as much as any American. Nonetheless, Mrs. DeVos’s record as an aggressive lobbyist of tax-subsidized private education and her open hostility to public schools raises obvious questions about her qualifications to … Continue reading →

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Team of Wreckers

Posted on December 22, 2016 by politicaloptic

Donald Trump campaigned as the man who would shake up Washington. He was the anti-candidate, the enemy of political correctness, the scourge of the establishment, the “only one” who could turn things around. With hyperbole and swagger, Trump presented himself as the agent of … Continue reading →

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On Approaching the Coming Trump Administration

Posted on November 30, 2016 by politicaloptic

It’s been a rough few weeks for democrats and progressives in the wake of a shocking electoral loss. It has not been easy to absorb. Part of the reason is that we on the left have been a bit too smug … Continue reading →

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Massachusetts Question 2 on Charter School Expansion: Not Just About Education But Democracy

Posted on October 30, 2016 by politicaloptic

Trump v. Clinton may be the big story of of 2016, but let us not forget some of the critical issues down the ballot this year. A prominent example is Massachusetts’ Question 2 on charter school expansion. The initiative potentially affects not just the … Continue reading →

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Trump Would Likely Do to America What Berlusconi Did to Italy

Posted on September 21, 2016 by politicaloptic

While many of Donald Trump’s supporters concede that he is crude and dangerous, they justify voting for him because they believe he could “shake up” Washington. Trump, they claim, would not act like a typical corrupt politician because he is too rich to … Continue reading →

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Populism and Donald Trump

Posted on August 30, 2016 by politicaloptic

Historically, the term populism described a movement of farmers and workers formed in the 1890s to counter America’s corporate monopolies. Its purpose was to put a leash on unbridled economic power. Spurred on by the anger of common people, the movement spelled out a clear … Continue reading →

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