, Columnist
Four Steps to Save American Politics
Even before Trump, the unwritten rules of governance were eroding. Here's how to reverse that.
It's a start.
Photographer: Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Donald Trump has taken a battering ram to longstanding political norms -- the unwritten conventions that make governance possible. But even before he decided to run for president, those norms were under assault. Immediately after the election, one of the most pressing questions will be how to restore them.
To answer that question, let’s assume what philosophers call a “veil of ignorance.” If we didn’t know whether the president would be Democratic or Republican -- if it could turn out to be Clinton or Trump -- what are the minimal norms on which we might agree? Here are four suggestions.