by E. J. Dionne
First published 2018
Journalist E. J. Dionne takes the stage at the twenty-first semi-annual Munk Debate, squaring off against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and editor Kimberley Strassel. His ally Andrew Sullivan joins him in arguing that America teeters on the edge of autocracy. Dionne believes the country has never been closer to abandoning democracy in living memory. Trump's presidency threatens democratic institutions and political norms, he contends. His opponents see it differently. Gingrich and Strassel argue that Trump serves as a conduit for justified anger against Washington elites, not the source of democratic crisis. They view his disruption as necessary medicine for a corrupt system. The debate centers on whether Trump precipitates democratic collapse or represents democratic renewal. Dionne must convince the audience that healing requires Trump's presidency to end quickly. The stakes could not be higher as four prominent voices clash over the Republic's future.
Genres: american, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: debate, enemies-to-allies
Setting: United States
Period: 21st Century
128 pages · Paperback · House of Anansi Press