Pitchfork Populism: Ten Political Forces That Shaped an Election and Continue to Change America

by Bradford R. Kane

Overview

A veteran political analyst examines the forces that led to the rise of the current form of populism and considers their continuing influence on the future of American politics. What political, social, and cultural forces led to the election of President Donald Trump? Political analyst Bradford R. Kane explores ten dynamics of American politics and society that played a role in the 2016 presidential election and continue to exert an influence on current politics. The author examines both the present impact of the Trump presidency and the future trajectories of the trends that brought Trump to power. Some of these dynamics have deep historical roots, such as the cultural divide between those who define our national identity in terms of rugged individualism versus those who emphasize community collectivism. The author notes that these opposing viewpoints helped craft our national identity as far back as the 1700s. He also considers the effect of changing demographics, such as the trend that points to the emergence of a new majority composed of combined minority groups, which will have a profound effect on community relations and politics. Kane foresees a return to established policy processes and governing principles after the Trump presidency, as opposed to rule based on the president's personal interests. He anticipates greater empowerment of the electorate as more demographic groups are increasingly enfranchised. Kane also forecasts the potential impact of recent developments on the 2020 election and beyond. Other topics discussed are the role of the media, accountability, globalization, the future of bipartisanship, and more. This astute analysis by a veteran government insider will help Americans understand recent events and provides a roadmap for navigating the future political landscape.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633885820
Publisher:	Prometheus Books
Publication date:	10/15/2019
Pages:	376
Sales rank:	1,124,471
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Bradford R. Kane has served in the US Congress as Legislative Counsel to Congresswoman Cardiss Collins; as Counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer Protection; and as a member of President Clinton's Task Force on Health Care Reform. Thereafter, he served the State of California as Deputy Controller, Legislation, and subsequently, as a Deputy Secretary of Information Technology. He was also a member of the Nielsen Media Research Task Force on Television Measurement; created the Bipartisan Bridge (a public policy initiative to advance bipartisanship in American government); and developed environmental and economic equity initiatives. In the global arena, he was CEO of the International Commission on Workforce Development; a Strategy Council member of the United Nations Global Alliance on ICT & Development; and Director of International Development and Director of Strategic Initiatives for TechSoup Global.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction: The PolitiQuake That Is Reshaping American Politics

The political earthquake of 2016 resulted from a convergence of political forces and trends that evolved over many years. They were based in demographics, propelled by previously dormant or disengaged constituencies, and aroused by archaic clarion calls that had been relegated to our country’s antiquated political past. The combined effect was a campaign that reawakened social, cultural, economic, and legal divisions that inflamed passions on both sides, and will continue to reverberate during Trump’s tenure.

The evolution of the ten trends and dynamics that will be discussed created the political environment on which Donald Trump capitalized. They are as deep-seated as our national identity, and as contemporary as our rapidly transforming media channels and challenges. They stem from the diverse racial and ethnic composition of the American people, and lead to increased engagement across the spectrum of constituencies in the political process. They reflect the workings of government and political campaigns, from the role of policy and principles, to the prospects for bipartisanship, and the impact of transparency and accountability. They include major shifts in public opinion on trade and globalization, and the roles of state and federal government. And they culminate in the voter predilections that led to Trump’s 2016 victory, which have been gravitating away from him steadily since then. 

Some of these political dynamics may have been overlooked or minimized in the past, which is at least one of the reasons why conventional wisdom did not envision a Trump victory. But their impact on the election’s outcome mandates that they can no longer be dismissed, negated, neglected, or ignored either during an election or in the process of governing. They are now vividly on display, as prominent indicators of the flow of American public life. People who voted for Trump did so for many reasons, ranging from their concern about the issues that Trump referenced, to their disenchantment with both political parties; and from their genuine affection toward Trump, to their genuine disaffection for Hillary Clinton. Each of these and other reasons are legitimate, and all Americans would benefit by understanding them.

At the same time, the forces that culminated in Trump’s victory are unlikely to permanently transform the electorate. The 2016 election was more of a “perfect storm”, in which an assortment of key variables converged at a unique moment, rather than a wholesale structural realignment of the electorate that has long-running or immutable consequences. The same dynamics that enabled Trump to win, and which drive his tone of governance, can also be harnessed to achieve different outcomes in the future, as long as they are consciously recognized and strategically managed. The pendulum of American politics has a history of swinging in one direction, being halted by the gravity of consequences and new political forces, and then swinging back along a different, sometimes unpredictable, course.It has become a national pastime to try to understand the 2016 election and its implications for policy and governance in the years ahead. Alongside lessons learned from the election, it will be useful to recognize the dynamics which evolved in recent years and contributed to the outcome, as well as new forces that will emerge and influence American life for the foreseeable future. 

Each of the forces that played out during the 2016 election had been gradually building for years. Some of the ten dynamics (e.g., regarding our national identity, racial and ethnic tensions, bipartisanship, and federalism) have deep roots and are the latest incarnation of debates and cultural challenges that date as far back as our country’s origins in the 1700s. Others (e.g., democratization of the political process, new media issues, transparency mechanisms, and trade globalization) emanated from more recent national conditions, political campaigns, global circumstances, socio-cultural divisions, and technological innovations.As they appeared and gained traction in recent years, some lawmakers may have wistfully and wishfully minimized their importance and attributed them to being the product of passing fads and transient waves of popularity. Other decision makers may have chosen conscious, even calloused, disregard for the popular will. 

Sometimes, legislative Band-Aids and stop-gap half-measures were applied to temporarily forestall prominent issues and mute demands from vocal constituencies. More sustainable or comprehensive solutions to popular calls for action were sometimes intentionally deferred, either out of optimism, believing that half-measures would be sufficient and that the problems would just go away, or out of neglect, believing that the social, cultural, or electoral forces that were asking for attention could be disregarded without ramifications.

Regardless of their origins, each of the currently dominant forces and trends has profound implications. Their influence will be injected directly into the political and legislative process during Trump’s tenure, and they will have a continuing impact, to one degree or another, on the socio-cultural and socio-political landscapes for many years thereafter.

Obviously, these emergent factors will be most prevalent in the executive branch, to the extent that Trump and his aides are able to garner political capital to exert their will. At the same time, their impact on the executive branch might be the most short-lived, since the 2020 election could result in a 180-degree change of direction, depending on the outcome. If Trump continues on his path of irascibly offending, irritating, and alienating broad swaths of the electorate, then the likelihood of a 2020 shift to a successor who would reverse course increases commensurately.

However, the legislative branch might be subject to the new forces and trends for longer. This is because the socio-cultural inclinations that fuel them play out differently in various localities across the country, some of which might adhere to Trump-like positions for a long time. Considering that members of the House and Senate sometimes secure very long tenures through many reelections, these forces may become intractable in some districts, and continue to be voiced for many years to come, even if the number of adherents diminishes.

The judicial branch might, in fact, be impacted the longest, since federal justices and judges receive lifetime appointments. Naturally, this will depend upon how many US Supreme Court justices the Trump administration is able to appoint. The administration has already appointed an extraordinary number of judges to federal district courts, courts of appeal, and other specialized courts.Any attempt to contemplate the long-term implications of the 2016 election requires a healthy dose of speculation, since the 2016 outcome has placed our country in uncharted waters, with a presidency for which there is no precedent. Additionally, new counter-trends and forces might emerge that cannot be forecasted, since never before have circumstances been in place of the type that are now exerting their influence on American society and government. Reactions and responses to them might be similarly unforeseeable and sui generis, never before having been necessary or envisioned.

Yet, some things are certain. The emergent trends, the broader forces underlying them, and the new political landscape that they have imposed are very real, and they will have a very substantial impact. They will affect everything including our national identity, our laws, our economy, and the overall stability of our society. They will guide debates over virtually all areas of domestic policy, from environmental protection and civil liberties to workforce preparation and economic growth; and from socio-cultural norms and the sustainability of our social safety net programs to religion in the public domain and the role of ethics in government. Their imprint will be seen on our foreign policy, from the USA’s global geopolitical and economic leadership to preoccupation with our own national security; and from the USA’s role in maintaining regional stability and peace in conflict zones to our funding levels for military and diplomatic operations.

Some of the ten dynamics and trends have already materialized with tempestuous force, weighing heavily into the outcome of the 2016 election. Others among them are still coalescing, and are likely to meaningfully affect American policy, politics, laws, and society during Trump’s presidency. In both cases, just as their roots preceded the rise of Trump, they are sure to play a prominent role in American life for many years to come, beyond the Trump era.

These ten American political dynamics provide roadmaps that will benefit the constituencies who can best harness them to their advantage, to fulfill their objectives. Americans of all ideologies would be well-served to understand these and other forces and trends that are evolving in our country and swaying our collective future. Hopefully, by illuminating them and becoming more aware of their impact, we can find ways to improve our country, respect each other, accommodate each other’s needs, and help each other succeed in achieving our own versions of the American Dream.

Table of Contents

Preface: The 2016 Wake-Up Call ix

Introduction: The PolitiQuake That Is Reshaping American Politics xv

Chapter 1 National Identity: The Expanding Divide in Our Nation's Split Personality 1

Chapter 2 Demographics: The Current and Emerging Status of Racial and Ethnic Tensions 46

Chapter 3 Issues: The Importance of Policy and Principles 77

Chapter 4 Empowerment: The Democratization of Our Political Process 123

Chapter 5 Media: The Battle for Truth and Facts 147

Chapter 6 Conduct: The Era of Increased Transparency and Accountability 171

Chapter 7 Global Economy The Evolving Concerns over Trade and Globalization 193

Chapter 8 Federalism: The Tension between Federal and State Authority 211

Chapter 9 Bipartisanship: The Concurrent Rise of Partisanship and Bipartisanship 231

Chapter 10 Voter Shifts: Exposure of the Real Trump and the Impact on Key Trump Voters 252

Afterword: A Message to Fellow Patriots Who Support Trump 287

Acknowledgments 295

Notes 299

List of Terms and Entities 345

Editorial Reviews

Pitchfork Populism is an important book, one that deserves to be on the bookshelves of all who want to understand who we are as a nation, and just where we are heading. In this profound and persuasive book, Bradford R. Kane digs deep into America’s history and provides insightful documentation that Trump reflects the split personality that was present at the creation of our country and stubbornly refuses to unify except during times of crises.

William S. Cohen

As the pace of change accelerates, and as multiple forces converge to create a disorienting and confounding context for public discourse, it is important that someone asks us to pause, study the runaway currents, and reflect from the vantage point of our history and values. Bradford Kane has done precisely that. As a clear-eyed observer of our national predicaments, he helps us find our own answers to crucial questions: Why is this happening? Where are we headed? And what can we do?

Henry Cisneros

Depending on what side of the current political divide you find yourself, 2016 will mark either the year that the United States began its decline and fall or the moment when America was made ‘great again.’ Many books will yet be written in efforts to understand just what happened in 2016 and what it means. Bradford Kane has written a primer that will be necessary reading for anyone, today or in the future, wanting to understand this tumultuous time. But Kane’s book is more than this. Beautifully written in clear prose, it not only tells the story of how we got to this point in our history and what this juncture might bode for our future but, most urgently, how we might yet ensure the survival of the American Constitution, that great experiment in governing.

David L. Faigman

Rich in detail and analysis, Bradford Kane reprises the trail of political broken glass that leads to the present and reminds us that our principles and national identity are at stake and should not be corrupted by pitchfork populism.

Vint Cerf

If you—like all of us—are asking yourself, What the hell is going on in America? then you need to read this book. In it, Bradford Kane has summarized the ten dynamics and trends that are reshaping American politics. Whether you like President Trump or disapprove of him, you will benefit from understanding the forces evolving in our country. Only then can we the people have the wisdom and courage to direct these forces toward a better America.

Leon E. Panetta

Bradford R. Kane has produced a cogent, reasoned, and contextualized description of how we got to this sorry place and how we might move past it. There’s hope!

Jonathan Alter

A timely and truly fascinating deep dive into the unusual and often strange developments in the current American political system. The book explores whether traditional bipartisanship is even possible in the era of Trump, amid the political earthquake he and others have facilitated. As a long-term politician and former congressman from a state with a deep history of populism, I found myself captivated. This is an important read, given our nation’s often terrifying political climate.

Dan Glickman

Pitchfork Populism puts Trump’s pernicious impact on American politics and society into historical, political, and societal context, using a frame of ten forces that make his impact on America easier to understand and to counter.

Norman Ornstein

Pitchfork Populism is an important book, one that deserves to be on the bookshelves of all who want to understand who we are as a nation, and just where we are heading. In this profound and persuasive book, Bradford R. Kane digs deep into America’s history and provides insightful documentation that Trump reflects the split personality that was present at the creation of our country and stubbornly refuses to unify except during times of crises.”
—William S. Cohen, former Secretary of Defense, former senator from Maine, and CEO of The Cohen Group.

“If you—like all of us—are asking yourself, What the hell is going on in America? then you need to read this book. In it, Bradford Kane has summarized the ten dynamics and trends that are reshaping American politics. Whether you like President Trump or disapprove of him, you will benefit from understanding the forces evolving in our country. Only then can we the people have the wisdom and courage to direct these forces toward a better America.”
—Leon E. Panetta, chairman, Panetta Institute for Public Policy, former Secretary of Defense, former director of the CIA, and former White House Chief of Staff


“Bradford R. Kane has produced a cogent, reasoned, and contextualized description of how we got to this sorry place and how we might move past it. There’s hope!”
—Jonathan Alter, former Newsweek columnist, MSNBC political analyst, and New York Times–bestselling author of The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies

“Pitchfork Populism puts Trump’s pernicious impact on American politics and society into historical, political, and societal context, using a frame of ten forces that make his impact on America easier to understand and to counter.”
—Norman Ornstein, resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute, and coauthor of One Nation After Trump: A Guide for the Perplexed, the Disillusioned, the Desperate, and the Not-Yet-Deported

“Rich in detail and analysis, Bradford Kane reprises the trail of political broken glass that leads to the present and reminds us that our principles and national identity are at stake and should not be corrupted by pitchfork populism.”
—Vint Cerf, internet pioneer, Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist for Google, and former member of the National Science Board

“As the pace of change accelerates, and as multiple forces converge to create a disorienting and confounding context for public discourse, it is important that someone asks us to pause, study the runaway currents, and reflect from the vantage point of our history and values. Bradford Kane has done precisely that. As a clear-eyed observer of our national predicaments, he helps us find our own answers to crucial questions: Why is this happening? Where are we headed? And what can we do?”
—Henry Cisneros, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, former mayor of San Antonio, and co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Commission and Immigration Task Force

"A timely and truly fascinating deep dive into the unusual and often strange developments in the current American political system. The book explores whether traditional bipartisanship is even possible in the era of Trump, amid the political earthquake he and others have facilitated. As a long-term politician and former congressman from a state with a deep history of populism, I found myself captivated. This is an important read, given our nation’s often terrifying political climate.”
—Dan Glickman, senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, DC, executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, former Kansas congressman, and former US Secretary of Agriculture

“Depending on what side of the current political divide you find yourself, 2016 will mark either the year that the United States began its decline and fall or the moment when America was made ‘great again.’ Many books will yet be written in efforts to understand just what happened in 2016 and what it means. Bradford Kane has written a primer that will be necessary reading for anyone, today or in the future, wanting to understand this tumultuous time. But Kane’s book is more than this. Beautifully written in clear prose, it not only tells the story of how we got to this point in our history and what this juncture might bode for our future but, most urgently, how we might yet ensure the survival of the American Constitution, that great experiment in governing.”
—David L. Faigman, chancellor and dean, John F. Digardi Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California Hastings College of the Law

From the Publisher