STRESS TEST

A veteran columnist assesses the state of American democracy in this debut collection.

Donald Trump’s “words, deeds and basic instincts,” this book asserts, “are fundamentally at odds with America’s long-held essential ideals.” And while “American democracy withstood the Trump presidency,” which served as the nation’s titular “stress test,” the United States is not out of the woods given his sustained popularity on the right and the rise of sycophants who follow in his political footsteps. An attorney, Cooper is also an active columnist whose writings have appeared in more than 100 publications. This volume, a compilation of select columns from 2019 through “the first few months of 2022,” argues that Trump represents a dangerous trend in American politics that disregards the rule of law and fundamental constitutional principles; “openly and unapologetically” challenges the outcomes of fair and free elections; and has “descended into a whirlpool of lies, false narratives and abhorrent stupidities.” And while adamant that Trump represents “the foremost threat to American democracy,” the author does not absolve Democratic politicians for actively participating in the “bipartisan race to the bottom.” Most notably, in addition to joining the toxic cacophony of hyperbolic voices that has become a staple in American rhetoric, the Democrats displayed a preoccupation and “overreaction” in their pursuit of Trump’s first impeachment that lowered the standards of the process in a way that jeopardized its legitimacy. Covering topics that span criminal justice reform to the Jan. 6 insurrection, Cooper’s columns, which are organized thematically and accompanied by short, introductory essays, are well balanced and soundly argued as individual pieces. Stuffed together in a book, the columns make for a sometimes disjointed read. Given the nature of newspaper columns, the volume also lacks references and a bibliography. Some readers may also be skeptical of the work’s idealized version of American democratic history, backed by an ample use of inspirational quotes from Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and other luminaries. Nevertheless, the book’s reasoned tone and bipartisan critiques are a welcome perspective in an increasingly polarized and heated political landscape.

A compelling and sensible overview of America’s emerging democratic crisis.