(Sept. 26, 2016) The train of American electoral politics has gone further and further “off the rails” in recent decades. A number of suspected culprits have been identified as the specific fundamental flaw in the system that needs to be fixed. Gerrymandering. Campaign finance. Economic inequality. “False balance” in the media.
(Sept. 2, 2016) One can’t blame the Financial Times for publishing an opinion piece by Wilbur Ross, if he is indeed a senior policy adviser to Donald Trump (“Trump campaign benefits from criticism of trade imbalances,” 29 Aug.).
(Aug. 26, 2016) This year’s US presidential election campaign differs radically from past patterns, including in the departure of the Republican nominee from many of the policy positions traditionally taken by his party. Examples are his lack of support for international trade, military alliances, or the institution of marriage. But when Donald Trump released some positions on tax policy recently, the differences with Hillary Clinton’s proposals fell very much along usual party lines. His is the kind of tax policy that has long been favored by Republican presidential candidates and congressmen: tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the rich and that are not accompanied with any plans to pay for them.