The politics of fear

Robert Reich
6.15.2016

There are two kinds of politics – the politics of fear, and the politics of hope. For most of my lifetime -- so far spanning twelve presidents (of whom I worked for three) -- the politics of hope has prevailed. Truman, Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama all appealed to our aspirations and ideals, and told us we could do even better.

By contrast, Richard Nixon and George W. Bush based their campaigns and much of their presidencies on the politics of fear – preying on our anxieties, and telling us we could succumb to far worse.

Donald Trump has taken the politics of fear to a new level – stoking our deepest dreads, conjuring up nightmares, suggesting conspiracies, and using every heinous act (such as what occurred in Orlando) as evidence of impending danger. His power has been built on fear, as has the anger and resentment he’s fueled.

But the American creed is based on hope, not fear. And the ugly face of Trumpism will not – must not – prevail.

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