Christian Raver

ENGL 102
Padgett TW 8:30-9:45
February 16, 2016
The Rise of the Political Outsider: Is it Here to Stay?
Ive decided to enter into a line of inquiry about the current state of political affairs in the
United States. Specifically, where did the political establishment go and why are so-called
political outsiders (e.g. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders) dominating the field in 2016? But do
not be fooled; this is not a politically motivated line of inquiry. The thing about political science
is that, like all of the social sciences, it ultimately is a study into human behavior and decisionmaking, and that is what I am looking to do with this research. As a political science major, I am
fascinated by things that others would consider inspiration for a long nap, and I am okay with
that. But as an underclassman political science major, I do not necessarily get the chance to be in

Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:03 PM

Comment [1]: Oh, boy! ;)
Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:03 PM
Comment [2]: Which political
establishment are you talking about?
Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:03 PM
Comment [3]: Im not so sure Sanders is
dominating.

Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:03 PM

Comment [4]: Im not sure what you mean
here.

classes that place the data for questions like this right in front of my face yet. Something else that
peaks my interest is a break from the status quo, and it is hard to argue that the 2016 campaign
has not been anything but that up to now. And so I am, somewhat selfishly, electing to use this
paper as an opportunity to look into a phenomenon that I find deeply interesting. What I am

Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:04 PM

Comment [5]: piques
Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:04 PM
Comment [6]: intended pun?

ultimately looking for is a peek into the mind of the American voter in 2016 so that I can
compare it with the American electorates of the past. Where are they similar? Where are they
different? Does it even matter? A question like this has the chance to inspire further questions,
specifically ones like has the United States entered a major political realignment, something not
seen since the election of 1968? Whether or not I can actually reach an answer on a question like
that will remain to be seen, but it is nevertheless an opportunity. I plan to use the prior and
upcoming primaries and other polls as inspiration and part of my research, along with differing
opinions on the matter to see if I can determine why political outsiders have suddenly surged in

Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:04 PM

Comment [7]: I think this inquiry is really
interesting. But Im not sure exactly what
you will be comparing and if that
comparison will be especially enlightening.

Raver 2
the American political landscape and if their popularity is more than just a dot on the American
political map.
My first source is an extensive piece in The Nation magazine that looks at the condition
of life in Iowa and the political mindset of the states citizens. Conveyed in piece is a sense of
constant worry about the economy and availability of jobs to Iowans. Specifically, the article
cites interviews with several Iowans affected following the passage of the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by the Clinton Administration in 1992, which caused the closure of
several major factories in Iowa, costing thousands of people their income. After events like that,
it is easy to see why Iowans are picky about whom they vote for in January and in November?
The author of the piece is D.D. Guttenplan, an American writer known for his extensive work
reporting on the Holocaust denial libel cases held in the British courts, as well as other issues of

Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:04 PM

Comment [8]: This connection between
Iowans losing jobs and their pickiness
seems arbitrary. You could find any
instances where any politician signed
legislation that cost jobs in any state and say
that is the (or a) reason those people are
especially picky, right?
Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:05 PM
Comment [9]: This question mark seems
out of place.

anti-Semitism and Jewish identity in the last decade. He has a demonstrated ability to write
effectively on the thoughts and words of ordinary people and relate them to very deep, largescale issues.
My second source is an article out of The Washington Post, written by pundit Jim
Tankersley. The article serves as a possible theory as to the popularity of Donald Trump with
middle class republicans (a majority of the republican electorate), and backs up the theory up
with polling data based around the question of whether or not the general public is concerned
with the potential of a decrease in their quality of living. The data indicates that a majority of
voters strongly concerned with a drop in the quality of living overwhelmingly support Donald
Trump. This is not the only reason that Trump is polling as consistently well as he is, but it may
be one of them. Jim Tankersley is a well-respected and known political pundit and analyst. But
more importantly, the Washington Post and ABC News conducted the poll featured in the article,

Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:05 PM

Comment [10]: Okay, but most of this
stuff is largely speculation, isnt it?

Raver 3
two news agencies with well-established polling resources and techniques. It needs to be said
that this in only one set of polling data, but the hope is that other polls with the same line of
inquiry from reputable polling agencies such as Pew research can be found to corroborate the
polls findings.
It is also quite possible, as Joan Walsh points out in her editorial, The GOPs Base
Problem, that the fading of the establishment strength is the result of too many cooks in the
kitchen, at least for the Republicans. Walsh makes an argument that everything that the GOP did
to correct the failings of the 2012 campaign (specifically keeping polarizing figures from
commanding the attention of a campaign) were essentially obliterated as soon as the partys
candidates stopped getting their way in the early debates. This prompted them to take control of
the debates away from the Republican National Committee and in the hands of the collective
campaigns, meaning the candidates such as Donald Trump could do and say whatever pleased
him on a national debate stage. Walsh theorizes that this has allowed Trump to gather almost the
entire Republican base (aging, white, middle-class voters who are angry with the system), while
the rest of the field is trying to reach a much more diverse block of voters to ensure the health
and viability of the party. However, it is possible that trying to secure votes for the future is
losing the establishment candidates votes in the present. Joan Walsh is the national affairs
correspondent for The Nation, as well as a political commentator for MSNBC. She has had years
of experience on covering and forming opinions on political races and national stories. In her
writing and commentary, there is a left-leaning (liberal) bias that is noticeable. However, if you
want to find some of the harshest criticism of one side of American politics, one of the best
things you can do is listen to what the other side is saying about them and understand why they
are saying it.

Adam Padgett 2/22/16 2:05 PM

Comment [11]: Im not sure what this
means in this context.

Raver 4
This question is arguable because it is trying to understand a trend, leaving it open to be
answered in many different ways. There is a chance that it will need refining and much more
targeted research on current polling data from multiple sources, but that can be done with the
right amount of time. As more and more sources emerge on this topic, both my opinion on the
question and the actual answer to the question will most certainly change, which is exactly what
I am looking for in this research. In all likelihood, there is not just one right answer to this kind
of question.
Christian,
I really like the topic you are going with. You writing is really clear and precise and youve
clearly done a good bit of thinking and reading on the topic. I do think this is a big topic. This
could be book-length big. I would like for you to try to narrow your scope some, as best as you
can. Two of the difficulties commenting on ultra-current political events are: 1) the news is
constantly shifting and changing, particularly in an election year, and 2) much of the analysis
will be rooted in speculation. I think you could possibly to a historical/cultural analysis on the
evolution of a particular political party over, say, the last ten or twenty years. That could be a
way to limit your scope. But to explain the rise of Trump or Sanders, would be quite the
undertaking. Explaining why extremist rhetoric is working so well, might either be too easy to
answer or too complicated, depending on the direction you go. So, youll have quite the tightrope
to walk as you move forward. I really do like this idea and hope you stick with it. I enjoyed
reading this. My main suggestion is to consider your scope and read as widely as you can. In
your reading, try to find a manageable thread in the political discussion that you can cover in a
seven-page paper. Good work here.

Raver 5
Works Cited
Guttenplan, D.D. "A Renewal In Iowa?." Nation 302.1 (2016): 24-27. Political Science
Complete. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
Tankersley, Jim. "These Two Issues Explain Why Trump Is Dominating His Republican Rivals."
The Washington Post. 27 Jan. 2016. Web. 4 Feb. 2016.
Walsh, Joan. "The GOPs Base Problem." Nation 23 Nov. 2015: 3+. Political Science Complete.
Web. 11 Feb. 2016.