What is work going to look like in the future? How are Democrats going to be able to give people a sense that they can have good jobs, or if they don't have good jobs, maybe they have to have universal basic income - we have to have a longer discussion about the future. This is not just an intellectual exercise; it's an exercise about giving people hope.
Michael KazinThe arrogance and brutality of empire are not repealed when they temporarily get deployed in a just cause.
Michael KazinI hate to say, I kind of hope so, in the sense that, yes, Donald Trump will be terrible, but I want the Republicans just to remain divided. It's not good for the country, but I think in the end I want people to realize what a terrible guy this is, and I'm afraid that that's not going to happen if somehow he resigns or somehow gets impeached and we have Pence instead.
Michael KazinAmerica is a divided country; we have always been a divided country, but even more divided now, thanks to Trump and a lot of other things, as well.
Michael KazinTrump's dividing us. Yes, but people were already divided; Trump just expressed that division. And we have to find a way to, within a very heterogeneous party, even though we're the minority, we're a much more diverse party, of course, than the Republicans are. How do we talk about universal programs, have a universal message, and make sure we're talking about recent immigrants and non-immigrants, African-Americans, Latinos, LGBT people, as well? To me, that is a serious problem.
Michael KazinWe have to think about what the future is going to look like for people. People are afraid of robotization; they're afraid of globalization; they're afraid of all these things. And Trump's solution to that is: shut the borders; America first; everything's got to be made here, which is of course, not realistic - in his own companies everything's not made here at all - but I think we have to engage in issues that do cross these demographic boundaries.
Michael KazinWhat is work going to look like in the future? How are Democrats going to be able to give people a sense that they can have good jobs, or if they don't have good jobs, maybe they have to have universal basic income - we have to have a longer discussion about the future. This is not just an intellectual exercise; it's an exercise about giving people hope.
Michael Kazin