Political Science 293T - S-Const Dem/Trumpian Times

When a constitutional democracy is defined as a political regime in which the majority of citizens are able to select their governors, the United States' reliance on the electoral college denies this principle. If understood as constitutional norms of separation of power, the rule of law, civility, etc., the current political climate does not fare well either. Many citizens believe that this is a perilous time for the values and institutions that constitute the hallmarks of the American republic. There is also agreement that dissatisfaction with democratic and liberal principles is now a powerful tide in the Western world.

In the American society, scholarly books and countless articles are still attempting to understand how we reached a moment that, for many, is ominous. What are the grievances, anxieties, groups, and policies that may explain our predicament? After two years of the Trump presidency, the midterm elections will be a barometer of how American citizens feel, think, and react to all the changes taking place in our society.