William Howell and Terry Moe join the Democracy Paradox to discuss the missed opportunities of the American Presidency. This is the 20th episode of the Democracy Paradox podcast. It offers a reflection on the role of the President days before the 2020 Election in the United States.
William Howell and Terry Moe on the Presidency
Millions of Americans are voting for the President of the United States. Some of you will hear this episode before the election is over. Others will likely listen after the election is over. I hope my conversation with William Howell and Terry Moe will have relevance no matter when you listen.
William is Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago. Terry is a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. Our conversation explores their book Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy. These are familiar topics for regular listeners of Democracy Paradox. William and Terry break from many critics of Donald Trump in their defense of the Presidency as an institution. They have tremendous faith in the Presidency to deliver effective governance.
Many ideas have been considered as an antidote to populism. William and Terry believe effective government is the solution to the populist backlash. There is some truth in their argument. But more importantly, democracy must always strive for effective governance. Because unless democratic governance is synonymous with effectiveness, authoritarians have a justification for their rule.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your podcasts. You can find Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy at Amazon or your local library. The music of Apes of the State is featured in the introduction and outro . You can find their music on Spotify or Bandcamp.
Related Content
Thoughts on Adam Przeworski’s Crises of Democracy
Thoughts on Chaisty, Cheeseman, and Power’s Coalitional Presidentialism in Comparative Perspective
