Historically, Donald Trump will be remembered as the first American president to be impeached twice and indicted. He fed the grotesque myth that the election was stolen and summoned his supporters to storm Congress on 6 January 2021 in a bid to thwart the certification of Joe Biden's U.S. presidential election victory. This volume vividly recounts the dramatic narrative of the January 6 Coup in America and how close we came to losing U.S. democracy. For anyone seeking a comprehensive and multidisciplinary global overview of democracy, an astute analysis of the forces that drive the dominance of the (neo)liberal paradigm of the last decades should look no further than this volume. Yet the volume takes the issue further by vigorously documenting the decline of the U.S. treaty process (America’s dysfunctional diplomacy and the doctrine of unpredictability). There is an urgent need for a massive infusion of strategic support for democracy in the United States. Because come 2024 or thereafter an unfinished work might drag American democracy to a dangerous inflection point. Trump (who has a complete hold on the Republican party, still has a stranglehold on the MAGA base no matter what he does, was instrumental to the breaking of U.S. diplomacy. Undermining the democratic legitimacy of International Law adversely affected U.S. foreign policy. Some federal and lower courts in the judiciary of the United States pose a real threat to Americans’ democracy as well. To that end, when ‘the principle of truth’ loses its relevance and meaning as benchmarks for appraisals and decisions, and becomes a harmful tool for willful propaganda. Everybody should be worried about U.S. democracy. A "real" crisis is coming! U.S. Democracy is at a breaking point. Like a giant modern mirror standing behind democracy itself, this book is a citizen's guide to saving U.S. Democracy. Expertly drawn on global and regional examples and current literature, the volume closes a gap in the multidisciplinary field. Quite useful as a valuable resource as it helps us understand the shifting Trump agenda in diverse areas. Essential reference across a range of subjects, bringing together contributions from scholars, and policymakers alike. This extraordinarily well-researched and practically crafted, culture-inclusive text could not be more relevant or timelier. It is a must for everyone. This volume will help to shape the political landscape of the 21st century and will remain a vital source of inspiration for modern-day scholars and political activists.
Author(s): Adebowale Akande
Series: Springer Studies On Populism, Identity Politics And Social Justice
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Commentary: TruePDF
Pages: 607
Tags: Political Science; Comparative Politics; Political Communication; Electoral Politics; Political Sociology
Preface
United States and The World: The Society of the Spectacle
Introduction
Donald Trump´s Unpredictability: The Reality Show Spectacle
Who Owns the GOP? Koch´s Americans for Prosperity or Donald Trump
It´s Time to Move on from Donald
The Future
References
Acknowledgments
Contents
Contributors
Part I: Introduction: The American Democracy
Donald Trump, Populism, and the Struggle to Save Democracy
Introduction
A Broad Overview of the Area
References
American Presidency: Alternative Facts or Alternative Audiences? Different Media Perspectives on Trump
Introduction and Background
First Case Addiction
Second Case Addiction
The First and Second Case Addiction Explained
The Third Case Addiction: Trump-Related Scholarly Literature
Fourth Case Addiction: Trump a Threat to American Democracy
Discussion and Path to the Interpretations of Meaning
Further Discussion and Overview
References
Part II: Unmasking the Presidency
The Tenets of Trumpism and the Assault on American and Global Democracy
Introduction and Background
How Can We Define Populism?
Populism in Interaction with Democracy
Retrenching Democracy under the Destructive Populism
How Populism Dismantles Democracies and How Trump Followed the Pattern?
Trumpism: The Impact of Destructive Trump´s Populism on American and Global Democracy
Conceptual Framework for Modeling the Rise of Autocracy under Trumpism
Conclusion
References
Trump and Other Nationalist and Populist Leaders: Between Charisma and Trickery
Introduction
The Role of the Charisma, Trickery, and the Mentality of Group
Populism in America: Trump, Lula, and Bolsonaro
Trump: An Endless Populist Brand
Lula da Silva´s Socioeconomic Populism
Bolsonaro: The Captain Who Would Not Become General
Populism in Europe: From Marine LePen to Orbn and Putin
The Several Stages of Orbn´s Political Metamorphosis
Marine Le Pen: The New Image of the Heritage
Putin: The Creation of a New Tsar
Conclusion
References
The Role of Celebrity in the Trump Administration
Introduction
Theoretical Background
Presidential Pardons and ``The War on Drugs´´
The Pardon of Alice Marie Johnson
The Pre-Incarceration and Postincarceration Life of Alice Marie Johnson
Trump´s Use of Presidential Power to Advance Celebrity Agenda
Factors That Contributed to the Pardon of Alice Marie Johnson
How Presidential Pardons Benefit Individuals, Families, and Communities
Conclusion
References
The Post-election Republican Effort to Overturn the 2020 Election Results: Background and Context
Introduction
Trump in Context
The GOP´s Reaction to Election Loss: Denial and Lawsuits
Howling at the Moon: Conspiracy Theories and the Attempt to Overthrow Democracy
Concluding Thoughts
References
Insurrection, Divided America, and a Failed Coup: The Capitol Attack and Its Aftermath
Introduction
The Climax: January 6, 2021
The Aftermath
Concluding Thoughts
References
Part III: Trump´s Diplomatic Learning Curve and the American Evangelicals
From ``Nipple´´ to ``Nambia´´ and Everything In-Between: Donald Trump´s Mental Maps and the Unraveling of the Liberal World (D...
Introduction
Geographic Mental Maps and Foreign Policy-Making
American Mental Maps of the Post-War World
``America First´´ and Donald Trump´s Mental Maps of a Post-Liberal Global Order
Conclusion: Moving Beyond Trump and ``America First´´?
References
Trump and the Performance of ``The Other´´ and Stigmatization: The Twitterization of Newsmaking and Monetizing
Introduction
Trump´s Bio
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
The Other and Stigmatism
The Acceptance Speech
Stigmatizing and The Other
Jan. 6
Why Are Americans Trending toward Narcissism?
Harmful Effects of Narcissism
The Threat of Narcissism and Trump
Discussion
References
Why Evangelical Christian Women Voted for Donald Trump: A Crisis of Conscience and Moral Integrity-The Cognitive Dissonance
Introduction
Theoretical Background
Evangelicalism
Cognitive Dissonance
Method
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
References
Part IV: How Media Coverage, Rhetoric and the ``Fringe´´ Created the President
Trump´s Misogyny Widens Populist Cracks in US Democracy
Introduction
``Trump´´: The Misogyny and Presidency
Trump´s Egomediac Macho Is Front Page News
Businessman Trump: Money, Money, Money
Misogynist Trump vs. Feminist Clinton
Make America Great Again (MAGA)
Trump Loves Iowa and Its Caucuses
Republican Iowa Home to Populist Voters
Presidential Candidate Trump´s First 2023 Campaign Trip in Iowa
Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate Pass Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills
Republican Governor Signs Several Bills to Ban Abortion
Iowans Have the Right to Bear Arms
Iowa Universities Ordered to Stop Teaching Critical Race Theory
Iowa Gerrymanders and Revises Voting Rights
Governor Returns COVID-19 Relief Funds and Prohibits Iowa Government Agencies Requiring Employees to Vaccinate
Iowa´s 2024 Republican Caucus
President Trump: A Political Egomediac
Candidate Trump: Playing Another 18 Holes
Trump: Most Popular Book Title
``Trump´´: The Resurrection of Patriarchal Misogyny
References
Trump´s Rhetorical Way to Presidency
Introduction
Theoretical Framework
Persuasion
Anti-Politics and Anti-Intellectualism
Discussion: The Rhetoric of Donald J. Trump
Make It Simple
Make It Negative
Make It ``Twitty´´
Conclusion
References
How Donald Trump Used Wittgenstein´s ``Language Games´´ as Instruments to Create Own Form of Life and Drive Message Home
Introduction
Language Games as Instrument to Affect Social Practice
How Language Signs Construct Our Own Form of Life
Theoretical Toolkit
Method
Analysis
Abortion
Religion
Terrorism
Promises
Discussion and Conclusion
References
Part V: `A President of the People or a President of His People´?
A Legacy of Harm: Violence Against Women and the Trump Administration
Introduction
Lawfare and Trump´s Enduring Legacy
The Prolife Agenda
Immediate Consequences
Beyond Abortion
Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Protections
Wordfare
Concluding Thoughts
References
Black Lives Matter in the Time of Trump and Beyond
Introduction
Theoretical Framework
Black Lives Matter
Donald J. Trump and BLM
Lessons Learned
Limitations
Conclusion
References
Part VI: Democracy and the Surge of Populist Nationalism
Messianic and Autocratic Populisms´ Waves in the Recent History of the Americas: Continuities, Twists, and Rupture
Introduction
Populism, Democracy, and Authoritarianism
Populist Ruptures in The Americas
Constructing and Performing the People
Populists in Power
Aftermaths
Conclusion
Donald J. Trump in the Whirlwind of Populism and Globalization
Introduction
Patriotism in the Age of Hyper Partisanship
Donald J. Trump: Leader of the New Age of Eurobliviousness!
Trumpian Racial Politics
Avoiding the Second Impeachment: The Personification of the Privilege on Non-pigment
District of Columbia
Conclusion: House Select Committee Investigation
References
Part VII: That´s Not in My American History Book
Authority Shift in a Post-Truth World
Introduction
Background
Concluding Comments
References
Part VIII: Donald Owns the GOP: Winning Again, Believe Me, Witch-Hunt
Alternative Facts, Political Lies, and Lying in Politics: A Paradigm of Bush and Trump Administrations
Introduction
Bushspeak and the Politics of Lying
Donald Trump and the Politics of Lying
The Trump Campaign, Birtherism, and Donald´s Daily Lies
The Trump Presidency, Fake News, and Bullshit
Conclusion
References
Neo-Liberal Populism and Democracy Under Siege: Some Thoughts on Trump(ism)
Introduction
Trump as Political Myth
Trump and Populism
Populism and Conservative Thought
Trump and Violence
Conclusion
Trump and Nihilism: Concluding Reflections
References
Is the President a King? The Unitary Executive Theory and the Presidency of Donald J. Trump
Introduction
The Unitary Executive Theory
The Unitarian Executive before Trump
Trump As Unitary
Unitary Rhetoric
Implicit Unitary Rhetoric
Explicit Unitary Rhetoric
Unitary Actions
Giving Orders
Controlling Information
The Removal Power
Signing Statements
Bold Claims of Power
Lack of Deference to Traditional Judicial Functions
Criticisms of Trump as Unitary
Trump as Non-Unitary
Failure to Control
An Empty Executive
Inconsistency, not Unity
Subordinates´ Support
Subordinates´ Insubordination
Active Resistance
Ignored
Solitary, not Unitary
Not Empirically Unitary
A Different Sort of Unitarian?
Less Unitary Rhetoric
Different Unitary Ends
A Convenient Cover?
Conclusion
References
Part IX: A Tale of Two Paradigms: Politics and Pandemics
Assessing Trump Administration´s National Security Strategy in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case for a ``Common´´ an...
Introduction
COVID-19 and the Trump Administration
The 2017 National Security Strategy of the United States
The Phases of Trump Administration Response to COVID-19
Trump Administration Response to COVID-19: Threat Insensitivity and Policy Overconfidence
Trump Administration Response to COVID-19: Threat Minimization and Wishful Thinking
The Case for a Global Response to Pandemics
Understanding Security: Foundational Issues
The Comprehensive Security Approach
Common Security and Cooperative Security
Common Security
Cooperative Security
Conclusions and Recommendations
References
Une Saison en Enfer: A Psychoanalyst in Trump´s Amerika
Introduction
Preamble
Therapeutic Disclosures
References
Part X: Businessman Trump: A Populist Product of Endless Branding and Endless Possibilities
Donald J. Trump´s Politics: A Mix of European Populism and Athenian Democracy: On Trump ``Backward´´ and ``Forward´´
Introduction
Background
The Democratic Dilemma of Uncoupling and Recoupling
MPS´s Silencing of ``The People´´
Neoliberalism´s Takeover of the Home of ``the People´´
Some Key Figures of Globalizing Neoliberalism
Trump and his People
On the Tension between Populism and Democracy
Trump and Parrhesia
Bringing the Lifeworld Back in
References
Part XI: Same World, Different Planet (Epilogue)
The Road to Unfreedom: White Supremacy, Patriarchy, and Other Forms of Dominant Ideologies
Introduction
When White Men Were Heroes
White Patriarchal Ideology Falls Apart
Along Came Donald Trump
Points for Discussion
Concluding Thoughts
References
