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" (2003), and "Arendt, Camus, and Modern Rebellion" (1994).
Articles by this author
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Views Thursday, January 14, 2021 A Second Trump Impeachment Has Not Lessened the Current Danger Last August 11, two distinguished retired U.S. Army officers, John Nagl and Paul Yingling, published a piece in a major military periodical entitled " 'All Enemies, Foreign and Domestic': An Open Letter to Gen. Milley ." The piece argued that "we do not live in ordinary times"; that president Trump... Read more |
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Views Sunday, January 10, 2021 Trump, the Coup, and the Collusion That Made It Possible The U.S. Capitol building was assaulted and occupied this past Wednesday, by an angry and violent insurrectionary mob incited by Donald Trump and his closest family members and cronies. Was it a “coup?” Republican House member Adam Kinzinger said so. Many have called it that. Republican Senator... Read more |
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Views Thursday, January 07, 2021 The United States Is in a Dangerous State of Emergency Yesterday, the "unthinkable" that many of us predicted took place: Donald Trump completed his years-long long incitement of his mob, who came to the nation's capital, as invited, were riled up by Roger Stone, Rudy Giuliani, the Trump boys, and Trump himself, and then marched to the Capitol building... Read more |
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Views Wednesday, January 06, 2021 This Is an Insurrection Incited by Trump Normal political order has broken down. The prescribed Congressional proceeding to confirm the presidential election results has been disrupted. The peaceful transfer of power has been subverted. The Capitol building has been taken over by violent protesters. Pence, Pelosi, and Grassley have been... Read more |
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Views Thursday, December 24, 2020 Illegality Does Not Mean Impossibility, and Seeking Consolation About Trump From Legal Experts Is Stupid Today’s Washington Post features an “analysis” by Amber Phillips whose title provocatively asks: “ Could Trump declare martial law to try to steal the election? ” This question is on the minds of many, and with good reason, because Trump continues to insist that the election was stolen from him,... Read more |
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Views Tuesday, December 15, 2020 The Here and Now Dangers of 'Standing Down' and 'Standing By' for Donald Trump Yesterday the Electoral College voted to officially designate Joe Biden as the President-Elect, in anticipation of his inauguration on January 20, 2021. Yet Donald Trump is not finished trying to overturn the election. The New York Times reported on Sunday what has long been clear, that " Trump... Read more |
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Views Friday, December 11, 2020 What Trump's Doing Is Crazy and Dangerous—and It Ain't Over Yet Ever since November 7, when the election was more or less authoritatively “called” by all major media, a wide range of pundits have spoken as if the election was decided. Some of these pundits have explained away Trump’s consistent and angry refusal of the results as a sign of his narcissism and... Read more |
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Views Sunday, November 22, 2020 Smart Commentators Must Stop Minimizing Trump's Ongoing Threat To This Election The New York Times’s David Sanger, a fine journalist, filed a piece just days ago that clearly stated what every serious commentator and scholar knows to be true: “Trump’s Attempts To Overturned The Election Are Unparalleled in U.S. History.” The headline, which says everything, contains two... Read more |
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Views Thursday, November 05, 2020 Biden Might Just Eek This Out, But Even the Best-Case Scenario Is Pretty Dismal I have never thought this would be easy. I always knew that this was not a normal election, and that it would be deeply contentious during and after “Election Day.” The day before Election Day, i.e., two days ago, I published a piece articulating what I have been saying for some time to friends,... Read more |
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Views Friday, October 09, 2020 Donald Trump Must Be Held Responsible for the Michigan Terrorist Plot “Liberate Michigan!” Thus Tweeted Donald Trump on April 17, as armed militia groups and so-called “patriots” assembled outside the Michigan capitol building and then occupied the capitol itself, denouncing the pandemic response of Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer as “tyranny,” intimidating... Read more |