What's Next? discussion

Great book. Insightful, timely and rooted in historical examples. Rise (or prevention) of demagogues tied to self-interest (or courage) of political parties and democratic leaders, who sometimes cut deals to hold power, diverging from will of the people. Puts spotlight on importance of electing strong, thoughtful leaders and not falling into tribal silos where winning more important than issues impacting our community. Also traces current polarization back to passage of Civil Rights Act, which, augmented by immigration trends, has seen each party increasingly divided b/t white and non-white, raising the stakes for power and control. Lastly, strong democracy depends on norms of mutual toleration and forebearance as procedural principles - “they tell politicians how to behave, beyond the bounds of law, to make our institutions function”.