Left, Right & Center From health to prosecutions, retribution defines the moment
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Sep 26, 2025 Join Elizabeth Brunig, a staff writer at The Atlantic, and Will Swaim, president of the California Policy Center, as they dive into the contentious landscape of political retribution. They explore how Trump's vengeance-driven politics shaped the current climate and discuss the backlash against health authorities during the pandemic. The conversation touches on vaccine skepticism, the role of nostalgia in political movements, and strategies for engaging with those who hold opposing views. It's a provocative look at how health, politics, and personal beliefs intersect.
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Retribution Shapes Today's Politics
- Retribution is a defining theme of the current political moment, openly embraced by President Trump.
- That dynamic reshapes institutions and public expectations about how power should be used.
Rhetoric Normalizes Political Vengeance
- Trump explicitly framed himself as 'retribution' and 'justice' for supporters, normalizing vengeance language in politics.
- That rhetoric forces questions about norms, Christian ethics, and the limits of presidential conduct.
Big Government Becomes A Political Weapon
- Expanding government institutions makes them attractive tools for political fights by whoever controls them.
- That structural growth helps explain why both parties increasingly use legal and regulatory levers against opponents.
