Pitchfork Populism ― Ten Political Forces That Shaped an Election and Continue to Change America

A veteran political analyst examines the forces that led to the rise of populism and considers their continuing influence into the future.

What political, social, and cultural forces led to the election of President Donald Trump? Political analyst Bradford R. Kane explores ten dynamics of American politics and society that played a role in the 2016 presidential election and continue to exert an influence on current politics. The author examines both the present impact of the Trump presidency and the future trajectories of the trends that brought him to power.

Some of these dynamics have deep historical roots, such as the cultural divide between those who define our national identity in terms of rugged individualism versus those who emphasize community collectivism; the author notes that these opposing viewpoints helped craft our national identity as far back as the 1700s. He also considers the effect of changing demographics: trends point to the emergence of a new majority composed of combined minority groups, which will have a profound effect on community relations and politics.

After the Trump presidency, Kane foresees a return to policy and governing principles as opposed to rule based on the president's personal interests. He also predicts greater empowerment of the electorate as more demographic groups are increasingly enfranchised. Other topics discussed are the role of the media, accountability, globalization, the future of bipartisanship, and more.

This astute analysis by a veteran government insider will help Americans understand recent events and provides a roadmap for navigating the future political landscape.

Bradford R. Kane has served in the US Congress as Legislative Counsel to Congresswoman Cardiss Collins; as Counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer Protection; and as a member of President Clinton's Task Force on Health Care Reform. Thereafter, he served the State of California as Deputy Controller, Legislation, and subsequently, as a Deputy Secretary of Information Technology. He was also a member of the Nielsen Media Research Task Force on Television Measurement; created the Bipartisan Bridge (a public policy initiative to advance bipartisanship in American government); was Executive Director of the Coalition on Media Concerns; and developed environmental and economic equity initiatives. In the global arena, he was CEO of the International Commission on Workforce Development; a Strategy Council member of the United Nations Global Alliance on ICT & Development; and Director of International Development and Director of Strategic Initiatives for TechSoup Global.