The book explaining the American political system needs to be rewritten. Everything changed in 2016. Donald Trump’s campaign and victory broke the mold on how we thought politics worked. Meanwhile, Congress's popularity is lower than head lice, root canals, and traffic jams. In light of these political earthquakes, does America's political system still work?

This lecture will put the the Trump presidency into a more historical perspective in order to critically evaluate the ability of the presidency and Congress to function — or not. The system designed by the American framers may have finally met its match. Professor Theriault will argue that the same thing that saved America in the wake of the Civil War, the Great Depression, and the 1960s, will save it again: the vigilance of the American people. But only if they choose to exercise their democratic responsibilities.