Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps "Obama, Trump & the Great American Contradiction" with Pulitzer-Prize-winner Paul Starr
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Nov 24, 2025 Paul Starr, a Pulitzer Prize-winning scholar and Princeton professor, delves into the striking contrasts between Obama and Trump. He explores the deep American contradictions that influence voter behavior and discusses how civil rights struggles have created cycles of progress and backlash. Starr traces the transformation of the Republican Party and critiques the cultural conflicts that have arisen since the Cold War. He also addresses contemporary issues like healthcare costs, immigration policies, and the risks of authoritarianism, urging a focus on economic security for a more united political landscape.
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Founding Contradiction Shapes Modern Politics
- The U.S. has a deep founding contradiction between freedom and slavery that shapes modern politics.
- Barack Obama and Donald Trump are different expressions of the same long-running social forces stemming from that contradiction.
Two Republican Transformations
- The Republican Party shifted twice: first to Reagan-era conservatism, then to an authoritarian form exemplified by Trump.
- Reagan-era conservatism tolerated bipartisan deals like immigration amnesty that Trump would reject.
Cold War Energy Became Culture War Fuel
- After the Cold War, Republicans refocused external antagonism inward, creating culture wars as a political mission.
- Newt Gingrich and media like Fox turned cultural conflict into a durable partisan strategy.
