The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Episode: George Packer, Adam Davidson, and Jill Lepore on Short-Term Thinking in America
Host: David Remnick
Date: November 26, 2018
Episode Overview
This episode explores the roots and consequences of short-term thinking in American politics, economics, and society. Host David Remnick is joined by New Yorker writers George Packer, Adam Davidson, and historian Jill Lepore for a nuanced discussion connecting the 2008-09 financial crisis, climate change, the erosion of public trust, and the structural features of American democracy that encourage “short-termism.” The conversation interrogates the challenges of building meaningful long-term policy solutions in a system driven by election cycles, market pressures, and cultural skepticism of expertise.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. From Financial Crisis to Political Division
Participants: David Remnick & George Packer
- Connection of 2008-09 Crisis to Trump Presidency:
- The financial crash undermined Americans’ faith in foundational institutions—government, banks, housing, job security.
- Rising skepticism and the search for someone to blame ("Who took it away from me?") fueled anti-elite sentiment and political polarization.
- Memorable quote:
- "All the things that were like the basis of middle class security were gone almost overnight for a lot of Americans... Who took it away from me?"
— George Packer [01:46]
- "All the things that were like the basis of middle class security were gone almost overnight for a lot of Americans... Who took it away from me?"
2. Climate Change as a Partisan Issue
Participants: David Remnick & George Packer
-
Why Climate Denial Works Politically:
- Climate change became a proxy in the culture war, originating with high-profile advocates like Al Gore.
- It presents a “no-win” scenario: requires sacrifice, lifestyle change, and massive investment.
- Denial provides psychological comfort—pretending it isn’t real is easier than accepting painful solutions.
- Notable moments:
- "It just became in the tribal political world, we live in another way to bash them," George Packer on how climate change deniers see the issue as a way to 'stick it to liberals' [02:54].
- "Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could just convince yourself that it was a hoax?" — Packer [03:36]
-
Public Attitudes Outside Coastal Cities:
- Example of Dean Price, a rural entrepreneur who supports some green ideas but views climate science with skepticism.
- Even those open to innovation may resist the overwhelming implications of climate change.
3. The Limits of Political Action & Bipartisanship
Participants: David Remnick & George Packer
- Necessity of Broad Political Buy-In:
- Highlighted Ryan Costello, a Republican acknowledging climate change, as evidence that bipartisan engagement is essential.
- The deep divide means “single party” solutions are infeasible; collective action is necessary.
- Admission of Irreversibility:
- Remnick: "It's too late in certain respects... what we could have done 20 years ago is now an opportunity lost." [06:19]
- Anticipating adaptation, not prevention: moving communities, building seawalls, facing migration and eroded sympathies.
4. Conspiracy Theories and Erosion of Trust
Participants: David Remnick & George Packer
- The Contagion of Suspicion:
- Climate change denial builds on the erosion of trust post-Iraq war and financial crisis; once expertise is discredited in one area, it spreads.
- "Climate change might be the original conspiracy theory of our time...that kind of softened up the ground for all the others." — George Packer [07:47]
5. The Political System’s Structural Myopia
Participants: David Remnick & Adam Davidson
- Barriers to Long-Term Action:
- The presidency is critical for large-scale change, especially on issues like climate.
- There’s rarely a decisive "do it now or disaster" moment for slow-moving crises; the lack of urgency stymies action.
- Contrast with Financial Crisis:
- Adam Davidson: "Henry Paulson had something that we don’t have yet with the environmental crisis. He had a day...he was able to get everyone into a room and say, if you do X, Y, and Z, we will save the world. If you don’t, the world will end." [10:34]
- Climate change lacks such "sharp and specific" urgency in the public eye.
6. Historical and Structural Roots of Short-Termism
Participants: David Remnick & Jill Lepore
-
Constitutional and Electoral Incentives:
- Lepore argues only the Constitution is a true long-term plan; everything else is short-range and election-driven.
- Lasting change (civil rights, lynching) usually comes from outside elected officials: activism, private sector, social movements, journalism.
- "The nature of our public conversation about climate change really hasn't happened yet, but there's no reason it can't happen now." — Jill Lepore [14:18]
-
Paths Forward:
- Carbon tax seen as rational, possible without constitutional amendment—requires a shared sense of purpose and cross-partisan effort.
- Example: federal income tax took decades, carbon tax could too but needs broad buy-in.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "All the things that were like the basis of middle class security were gone almost overnight for a lot of Americans... Who took it away from me?" — George Packer [01:46]
- "It just became in the tribal political world, we live in another way to bash them." — George Packer on the politicization of climate change [02:54]
- "Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could just convince yourself that it was a hoax?" — George Packer [03:36]
- "Climate change might be the original conspiracy theory of our time...that kind of softened up the ground for all the others." — George Packer [07:47]
- "There is no real solution without having an American president who embraces the necessity for that change." — Adam Davidson [09:35]
- "Only the Constitution is our really only long term plan. Everything else is running for office, Everything else is election driven. Everything else has an incredibly short time horizon." — Jill Lepore [12:35]
- "The nature of our public conversation about climate change really hasn't happened yet, but there's no reason it can't happen now." — Jill Lepore [14:18]
- "Common purpose and shared burden. If we leave you with any takeaways from this program today, let it be those." — David Remnick [15:27]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Linking financial crisis and Trump presidency: [01:16–01:46]
- Climate denial as politics & lived experiences of climate skepticism: [02:24–04:39]
- Consequence of inaction & adaptation vs mitigation: [06:19–07:23]
- Propagation of conspiracy thinking: [07:23–08:40]
- Barriers to solutions: presidency, urgency, and collective action: [08:43–11:23]
- Historical roots of short-term thinking, prospects for change: [12:00–15:27]
Conclusion
The episode synthesizes a sharp critique: American democracy—by design and practice—too often encourages short-term thinking over the collective, long-term action needed for challenges like climate change. Economic shocks, political partisanship, and conspiracy thinking have eroded public trust in expertise and institutions. Facing these issues demands a renewed sense of shared purpose and an embrace of systemic solutions, drawing inspiration from social movements, private innovation, and bipartisan cooperation.