What is your opinion of Thomas Frank?

[Kringla Heimsins]

Thomas Frank is one of my favorite author, and he is the one who got me so interested in American politics in the first place. I listened to pretty much all the lectures he gave on his book tours which are on Youtube. I found this to be an excellent way to keep my mind busy while doing a boring task, like cleaning my apartment or doing the dishes.
This got me around to reading What's the Matter with Kansas?, which was a fascinating read. I also bought Listen, Liberal, his latest book, and will read it this summer.

On a personal note, I agree with him on pretty much everything, and I share his formation (he has a PhD in History, and I'm a History student). He also seems like an all-around great guy, smiling all the time and often laughing and telling jokes during his lectures. So I'm curious what Atlas think of him!

[The Self]

Right analysis, wrong policy prescription. The Democrats would best be served by moving hard and fast towards localism.

[Kringla Heimsins]

Right analysis, wrong policy prescription. The Democrats would best be served by moving hard and fast towards localism.

What exactly do you mean by "localism" here?

[VPH]

One of my favorite authors

[Kringla Heimsins]

By the way, his Wikipedia page now has a line confusing him for the wrong Thomas Frank who resigned from CNN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Frank

I forgot my account and I can't create one because my IP range has been banned (??), so if someone could edit that out, that would be great.

Edit: Thanks to the one who fixed that.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I don't know him at all and I'm sure he's a nice guy, but I should point out that What's the Matter with Kansas? is a frequent punching ball in academic publications.

[Beet]

Democrats 2004: What's the Matter with Kansas?

Democrats 2008: What's the Matter with West Virginia?

Democrats 2012: What's the Matter with Missouri?

Democrats 2016: What's the Matter with Pennsylvania?

...

Democrats 2040: What's the Matter with D.C.?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Democrats 2004: What's the Matter with Kansas?

Democrats 2008: What's the Matter with West Virginia?

Democrats 2012: What's the Matter with Missouri?

Democrats 2016: What's the Matter with Pennsylvania?

...

Democrats 2040: What's the Matter with D.C.?

"What's the matter with Beet?" would be a better question.

[heatcharger]

"What's the matter with Beet?" would be a better question.

How is your man Benoit Hamon holding up? He was re-elected to the Assembly at least, right?

Damn.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

haven't read What the Matter with Kansas?.  But if he (as is my understanding) thinks the reason Democrats have trouble there is some patronizing stuff about unimportant (to Frank) cultural and identity issues causing people to "vote against their (class) interests" ... does he at least acknowledge that the last time Kansas voted more Democratic than the nation as a whole in a presidential election was 1916?  Maybe what the matter with Kansas is that it isn't the late 19th century?

[PoliticalShelter]

Franks argument is still at its heart the same condescending attitude that most other liberals have about the heartland. Frank believes that the WWC are a helpless people who don't know what they really want and need to be guided by the noble liberal to their correct interests. Compare that to other liberals pundits who believe the WWC are irredeemable and are beneath the democrats.

[Technocracy Timmy]

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Haven't read his books, but his articles in the guardian resonate strongly with what I've seen. He seems to actually "get it" unlike the rest of the Democratic operative bubble.