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

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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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,...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
Views
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Mueller Just Invited Congress To Do Its Job: Impeach Trump
Robert Mueller’s public statement today was, apparently, “vintage Mueller”—I say apparently because I don’t know this guy at all, and am relying on the comments of those who do. He was careful, concise, by the book, and delivered with all the dispassion he could muster. Mueller essentially...
Read more
U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters while departing the White House May 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. Trump is traveling to Japan where, according to the president, he will be the guest of honor at Japan's "biggest event that they’ve had in over 200 years," when he meets with the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and new emperor, Naruhito. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Views
Friday, May 24, 2019
Is Impeachment Really Optional? Sometimes a Strong Offense Is the Only Defense
On Thursday, the White House announced that Donald Trump has authorized Attorney General William Barr to unilaterally declassify any documents necessary to perform an investigation of the Mueller investigation. The New York Times headline accurately summarized the move: “ Trump Gives Attorney...
Read more
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in the Rose Garden at the White House May 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. Trump responded to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying he was engaged in a cover up. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Views
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Impeachment Will Succeed If It Demonstrates Very Publicly That Trump Is a Tyrant Unfit for Office and GOP Lawmakers Are His Enablers
The Trump administration continues to refuse all Congressional oversight and make a mockery of the rule of law, while Trump himself continues to denounce the Mueller team and his political opponents as “traitors” and to rally his mobs against “enemies of the people.” Impeachment will draw a line in...
Read more

Pages