Trump and Musk Share the Founder’s Mindset
Most modern presidents take a managerial approach to the job, which is no way to bring radical change.
For the past two months, Americans have watched as two extraordinary and polarizing figures—Donald Trump and Elon Musk—have worked as a team to reduce the size and reach of the federal bureaucracy.
Behind all the criticism, praise and blame heaped on the Department of Government Efficiency, a question lurks: How is it possible that these two men, who barely knew each other before the presidential campaign and who are separated by a quarter-century in age, are able to get along and agree on what to do and how to do it?
The answer is that both men are business founders, with a founder’s mindset and style. This sets them apart from their political counterparts, including many past Republican presidents. It also makes it easier for them to work with other founders, from Silicon Valley tech leaders to cryptocurrency entrepreneurs to venture capitalists.
Politics
National Civitas Institute Poll: Americans are Anxious and Frustrated, Creating a Challenging Environment for Leaders
The poll reveals a deeply pessimistic American electorate, with a majority convinced the nation is on the wrong track.
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Liberal Democracy Reexamined: Leo Strauss on Alexis de Tocqueville
This article explores Leo Strauss’s thoughts on Alexis de Tocqueville in his 1954 “Natural Right” course transcript.
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Long Distance Migration as a Two-Step Sorting Process: The Resettlement of Californians in Texas
Here we press the question of whether the well-documented stream of migrants relocating from California to Texas has been sufficient to alter the political complexion of the destination state.
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Who's That Knocking? A Study of the Strategic Choices Facing Large-Scale Grassroots Canvassing Efforts
Although there is a consensus that personalized forms of campaign outreach are more likely to be effective at either mobilizing or even persuading voters, there remains uncertainty about how campaigns should implement get-out-the-vote (GOTV) programs, especially at a truly expansive scale.
Parliament, Country, and Friendship
James Grant’s delightful Friends Until the End also has much to tell us about the character of statesmen and the power (and limits) of rhetoric.
Why Can’t We Have a Real Filibuster?
The history of congressional reform is the history of unintended consequences.
