KQED's Forum Heather Cox Richardson on Trump's Impact on Democracy
Jan 26, 2026
Heather Cox Richardson, a political history professor and author known for the newsletter Letters from an American, outlines how current events reflect long-term democratic strains. She connects historical parallels to modern unrest. She examines federal deployments, civil resistance tactics, voting rights threats, and how institutions and narratives shape political loyalty and reform.
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Moment Of Choosing For Democracy
- Heather Cox Richardson frames the moment as a binary choice between defending democracy and enabling an autocratic project.
- She watches events unfold "domino by domino," emphasizing urgent public decisions.
Historical Parallels Signal Realignment
- Richardson compares today to 1850s and 1870s political realignments where parties fractured and new coalitions formed.
- She argues overreach can provoke broad public backlash and produce long-term political shifts.
Analyze Administration Factions Strategically
- Identify distinct factions within the administration to understand its multiple agendas and threats.
- Treat actions like grabbing institutional levers as deliberate attempts to disable democratic checks.
