Justin Gest, author of the prescient book, “The New Minority: White Working Class Politics in an Age of Immigration and Inequality,” told the 100-plus audience members gathered for a post-election analysis at George Mason University’s Arlington Campus that “we are here to help you find your way into what the American government will look like” in a Trump administration.
The audience of 104 was the largest turnout ever for the “Pizza and Perspectives” issues discussion series at George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government.
Panelist David Rehr, senior associate dean and professor at Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School, noted that “[President] Obama’s eight years in office was the best thing to happen to the Republican Party,” because nearly 1,000 Democratic officeholders have been defeated during Obama’s term.
As for the next president, he said, President Trump “needs to jump-start the economy and keep his main promise” to the voters.
Mason congressional scholar Toni-Michelle Travis, a political science professor, said she believes Trump will have a difficult time in the near future as he becomes familiar with the political process in Washington.
“Congress is a club, often a ‘good old boy’ network, and Trump is not a member,” she said, adding that Speaker of the House Paul Ryan answers to his party—the GOP—“and not the president. Trump will be surprised by that …. They will agree on much early, but then they will have differences. And the press will scrutinize everything they do.”
“Hillary Clinton was part of a dynasty in a bad moment for dynasties,” said Jeremy Mayer, a presidential scholar and author of “Running on Race: Racial Politics in Presidential Campaigns 1960-2000. “It was a bad moment because of current campaign finance laws.”
Mayer cited race and sexism as contributing factors to Clinton’s loss, adding, “[Joe] Biden could have done better with blue collar voters.”
“Hillary is a policy wonk’s dream, but she’s not a good politician,” he added.
Mayer concluded that “as president, Trump can do some positive things, but the low end of what he could do is truly frightening.”
During the question-and-answer session with audience members, Rehr said “I think you will find Trump will be a much more moderate president than you expect. Remember, he’s a deal maker.”
Travis said she believes Republican members of Congress will align caucuses in the near future, with some standing with the president and some “who will have to work things out.” She also noted that Congress is aware of the mid-term elections in two years that will put many seats back into play.
“I’m sure they’re hoping Trump doesn’t do anything really crazy,” she said.