From Rolling Stone, revenge of the simple: Matt Taibbi on how George W. Bush gave rise to Trump. Michael Tesler and John Sides on how political science helps explain the rise of Trump: The role of white identity and grievances. Peter Levine on why political science dismissed Trump and political theory predicted him. Signs of panic over Trump at top conservative convention. Wall Street readies big Trump assault: Anti-Trump super PAC source says billionaire Paul Singer will make sure it has all the money it needs. Koch brothers will not use funds to try to block Trump nomination. Ronald Brownstein on the Republican Party’s best bet against Trump: GOP leaders had planned to unite behind an alternative to the front-runner, but after Super Tuesday, they now favor a strategy of fragmentation.
Jonathan Chait on Mitt Romney and the probably doomed revolt against Donald Trump. Trump needs to unify the GOP to win in November, but this week suggested he can’t — time for Democrats to get excited. How Trump could blow up the GOP without winning the nomination. Anti-Trump Republicans call for a third-party option. Hamilton Nolan on how Republicans will fall in line. Sara Murray on how Donald Trump plans fundraising blitz if he wins GOP nomination. Okay, so what would a Trump presidency be like? Eric Posner on why it is likely that Trump’s authoritarian tendencies would clash with a legalistic political culture and an individualistic political culture, yielding disruption and gridlock — but that is reason enough to be alarmed.
“My goal is to destroy the Republican Party”: Former Reagan adviser Bruce Bartlett explains his vote for Donald Trump (and more on voting with your middle finger). “Not even my wife knows”: Secret Donald Trump voters speak out. Jenna Johnson and Jose A. DelReal on who supports Trump and why. Scott Bland on 5 myths about Trump supporters. James Croft on why Trump is evangelical Christianity. Charles Lane on how Trump wants to make America more like Denmark. Brent Staples on Donald Trump and Reconstruction-era politics. Eventually a Trump rally is going to boil over — and in the public eye, whoever throws the first punch will be the one who started the violence. They had it coming: The real danger in a demagogic racist’s volatile campaign is that black people might make his white supporters look bad by forcing them to beat them up some more.
Researchers have found strong evidence that racism helps the GOP win. Trump proves racism no longer needs to be subtle. No, the KKK is not and has never been liberal: A historysplainer. From National Review, Jonah Goldberg on how Trump thinks the KKK are conservative. From The Unz Review, up from Buckleyism: Will Trump’s victory spell National Review’s demise?
