Bruce Cain - Back to Compromise

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At the time of our recording, Trump had just received his third indictment for his role in the January 6th insurrection. To give us some greater perspective on the state of politics in our fragile democracy, we turned to Stanford political science professor Bruce Cain who is one of our nation's great political analysts. Cain reflected on Trump's many self-made challenges, the options before the Republican and Democratic parties, the relevance of polling, the vulnerabilities of our democratic system, and ideas to help us get our system of governance back on track. On top of all that impedes our politics, reacting to changes in the climate heightens our need for timely action. We are in a perfect storm. And yet, there is hope. Cain's latest book reflects on how we will likely find ways to decarbonize in the long run, even if we don't move fast enough to avoid the inevitable disruption that climate change will bring in the short run. Cain argues that deniers change their tune when they experience extreme weather effects first hand. He adds that, "...ultimately it is a cultural thing." Our education, our religions and our journalism will be where we find ways to combat the forces that manipulate us. We'll have to find our way back to political compromise, for that is how James Madison envisioned our system must function. Join us.