appeals are “unmasked” as racist or xenophobic. We’re often told that “Make America Great Again” really means “Make America White Again.” In these and other ways, our leadership class treats unwelcome political challenges as phobias to be denounced rather than ideas to be grappled with on their own terms. These powerful mental habits are debilitating, making our leadership class less capable of leading, not only because they can’t see reality but also because they transform political opposition to their rule
