White Rural Rage - Book Talk | Kirwan Forum Series

Political analysts Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman will discuss their groundbreaking new book, White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy. Their talk explores how rural white voters—despite holding immense political influence—are increasingly alienated, fueling anti-democratic ideologies that threaten the nation's future. White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy, is a controversial account of the misplaced rage amongst white rural voters and the existential threat their anger poses to the country at large. Called a “superb treatment of the regional and political divide that is shaping American politics, governance and society,” the book debuted on both the New York Times and Amazon bestseller lists. The authors argue that white rural voters are suffering by their own hands as they continuously vote in politicians that pay lip service to petty issues to win their votes and fail to deliver meaningful policy changes to improve constituents’ lives once in office. The result is a feedback loop of grievance and resentment that leads to actions like the January 6th insurrection that undermine democracy.