Toggle Menu

Rick Perlstein: Republicans, Crazy; Democrats, Stupid

How did American politics degenerate into the two opposing worldviews that govern the country today?

The Nation

April 12, 2012

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

How did American politics degenerate into the two opposing worldviews battling for control today?

Contrary to popular belief, Republican crazies are not a new phenomenon, said writer Rick Perlstein when he dropped by The Nation‘s offices recently. So why does it seem that they have only recently polarized America’s political and social atmosphere? Listen to this week’s episode of Nation Conversations for Perlstein’s explanation of the degeneration of the American political scene.

Subscribe to Nation Conversations on iTunes for exclusive audio of Nation editors and writers digging into the topics and issues that shape the magazine. Check back for a new episode each Thursday.

—Elizabeth Whitman

The NationTwitterFounded by abolitionists in 1865, The Nation has chronicled the breadth and depth of political and cultural life, from the debut of the telegraph to the rise of Twitter, serving as a critical, independent, and progressive voice in American journalism.


Latest from the nation