Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy

Atlantic writer Frum follows Trumpocracy (2018) with a brisk and carefully reasoned guide to “protect[ing] the American constitutional system from Trump and after Trump.” After rehashing the damage Trumpism has already caused or exacerbated, including congressional dysfunction, the undermining of U.S. foreign relations, and the resurgence of white supremacy, Frum argues that to win in the 2020 elections and beyond, progressives need to back moderate candidates who can find common ground with conservative voters. Once in office, Democrats should, according to Frum, do away with the congressional filibuster, confer statehood to Washington, D.C., “deter gerrymandering,” and pass legislation requiring future presidential candidates to make their tax returns public. He also suggests that by curtailing undocumented immigration, Democrats can “solidif[y] a sense of national belonging” and improve their chances of passing healthcare reforms. He advises liberals to stop attacking the fossil fuel industry for causing climate change, and instead offer solutions “based on social consensus,” such as carbon taxes, solar energy, and wind farms. Frum’s caustic treatment of “Woke messaging” will grate on committed leftists, but he presents a cogent argument for taking the middle path to electoral and legislative victory. Democrats debating how best to beat Trump should consider this well-informed directive. Agent: Jay Mandel, William Morris Endeavor. [em](May) [/em]