Shining Light on Dark Politics: An Essay and Review

Max J. Skidmore considers the state of anti‐poverty legislation and programs in the United States, as well as the general condition of American politics today. In the course of his essay, he reviews a number of relevant studies and describes the dark forces that are explicitly attacking programs that improve the lives of Americans. He discusses the imposition of “dark money” throughout the American political system that has replaced truth with lies and warped perceptions, and distorted the “will of the people.” Setting aside gentility and the natural tendency to want to avoid giving offense, he directs blame, and concludes that these “dark forces” have brought the country to a perilous position by having distorted and clouded “centrist” opinions. He demonstrates, nevertheless, that counterforces have emerged, and are becoming stronger. He recommends a course of action: citizens must become sensitive to “false equivalency” and other arguments that obscure reality. Moreover, however as counterintuitive as it appears, the dynamics of American politics demand a frankly partisan approach with straight‐ticket voting.