Tag Archives: elections

Oligarchy is a Symptom, Not the Cause

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September 28, 2026 — The American political system is broken.  We should ask how it got that way and should hope that the answer could contain a clue as to how it might get back on track.

Of course, many factors are at play.   The long list includes things that cry out for reform, like gerrymandering of Congressional districts.  But most will not bear the weight of being identified as a single fundamental exogenous cause of all the others, nor explain why this has happened now, in the early decades of the 21st century. read more

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Do Voters Pursue Their Economic Self-Interest?

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September 29, 2025 — As US President Donald Trump goes further and further off the rails in his demolition of long-standing rules and norms, it remains puzzling why so many Americans voted for him and continue to support him.  It is especially puzzling why so many lower and middle-income Americans support him, since his policies tend to their economic disadvantage.  Cutting federal spending on Medicaid and many other government services while simultaneously extending massive tax cuts for high-income households, does not sound crowd-pleasing populism.  But perhaps this is only puzzling to economists. read more

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