Jeffrey C. Isaac

Jeffrey C. Isaac

Jeffrey C. Isaac is James H. Rudy Professor of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington. His books include: Democracy in Dark Times (1998); The Poverty of Progressivism: The Future of American Democracy in a Time of Liberal Decline; and Arendt, Camus, and Modern Rebellion.

Articles by this author

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) joins fellow House Democrats to mark 200 days since they passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act with a news conference at the U.S. Capitol September 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. Following the release of a whistle-blower complaint about abuse of power, the House Democratic leadership announced this week that it is launching a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Views
Friday, September 27, 2019
Slow Down. The Case for a Deliberate and Focused Impeachment Inquiry
In most aspects of life it is good to be expeditious. Not all. Think of making love. Or relishing a fine wine or meal. Or enjoying a conversation. There are experiences that ought to be savored. But much of what we do is goal directed, and it typically makes sense to be as efficient as possible in...
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US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, announces a formal impeachment inquiry of US President Donald Trump on September 24, 2019, in Washington, DC. - Amid mounting allegations of abuse of power by the US president, Pelosi announced the start of the inquiry in the House of Representatives, the first step in a process that could ultimately lead to Trump's removal from office. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) Views
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Two Cheers—Not Three—for Pelosi's Speech on Impeachment
Nancy Pelosi announced late Tuesday afternoon that an official "impeachment inquiry" is under way. It is a sign of how depressing is our politics and how terrifying is Trump that so many commentators and pundits are now beside themselves with glee. "Finally, she has done it!" Yes, finally. After...
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President Donald J. Trump leaves after speaking to supporters at the Atlantic Aviation Hanger on March 10, 2018 in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. The president made a visit in a bid to gain support for Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone who is running for 18th Congressional District in a seat vacated by Tim Murphy. (Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) Views
Monday, September 23, 2019
The Trump "Whistleblower" Situation Is Very Dangerous for Democracy (and for the Democrats)
I have been writing about Donald Trump’s dictatorial personality and political authoritarianism for over three years now. The list of crimes against democracy, high and low, legal and merely political, is too long and too obvious to require recitation. Everyone in the broad political elite —...
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Antifa is not a threat to U.S. democracy. White supremacists are. And a President who offers them inspiration and encouragement is an even greater threat. But neither is Antifa an appropriate or representative form of democratic response to these threats. (Photo: Alexandros Michailidis | Shutterstock.com) Views
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Antifa Is Not a 'Terrorist Organization,' But That Doesn’t Make It Good
Racism and white supremacism have been part of the history of the U.S. since before there was a U.S. This is made very clear by the current and perfectly-timed New York Times “ The 1619 Project .” At the same time, racism and white supremacism have assumed a new importance with the Presidency of...
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He is responsible for the violence. And he must go. Period. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr/cc) Views
Tuesday, August 06, 2019
Some Banal Thoughts About the Mutuality of Evil in our Midst
Another weekend, another two mass shootings, and murders. El Paso, Texas: 20 dead, 26 injured. Dayton, Ohio: 9 dead and 16 injured. The mind reels. The stomach wretches. According to the Gun Violence Archive , these episodes are the 250 th and 251 st mass shootings of the year. It defines a mass...
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The real political enemy is the Republican party, and nothing is more important than a resounding Republican defeat in 2020. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Views
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
We Must Defeat Trump
It has long been obvious that Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to constitutional democracy, participatory democracy, individual freedom, social and economic justice, and basic human decency. A wide range of people, ranging from Never Trump Republicans to Democrats right, center, and left...
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U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during his 'Made In America' product showcase at the White House July 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. Trump talked with American business owners during the 3rd annual showcase, one day after tweeting that four Democratic congresswomen of color should “go back” to their own countries. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Views
Monday, July 15, 2019
Trump's Latest Tweets Are Not Just Racist, But Part of a Broader Reactionary Attack on the Left
This week Donald Trump, the awful man who currently occupies the U.S Presidency, brought his racist, xenophobic, and authoritarian campaign against liberal democracy to a new low, taking to Twitter both to denounce four Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives, women of color all,...
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., center, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., left, pose for a group photo of House Democrats in the Capitol Visitor Center, who plan to wear "suffragette white" to the State of the Union address to show solidarity for women's agendas on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) Views
Thursday, July 11, 2019
The Perils of Pelosi vs. The Squad
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to be going out of her way not simply to distance herself from but to disparage the more progressive members of her own caucus, recently throwing shade on Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley for their refusal to support recent...
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He is a throwback to an earlier time, a time of liberal retreat. And he seems clueless about how much has changed since then, and how little his service as “Barack’s” avuncular, white wingman did to prepare us for the challenges we face. (Photo: Marc Nozell/cc/flickr) Views
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
On Being Very Much Against Biden Without Demonizing Him
In early April I published two columns opposing Joe Biden’s entry into the Democratic presidential race, arguing that “ he is looking backward at a time when we need to move forward ,” and “ he offers too little, beyond nostalgia, at a time when much is called for .” Everything that has happened...
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Pelosi too boldly declares that Trump is the democratically elected President. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall / AP) Views
Tuesday, June 04, 2019
Trump, Impeachment, and the Question of Democratic Legitimacy
It would seem that Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi agree on one really important thing: Donald Trump is the legitimate President of the United States. Trump declares boldly and angrily that he is President because he won the election; that as President he is entitled to disparage long-standing...
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