This is the campus where, through historic debates, presidential and vice presidential candidates make their bones or make their exits. This is the campus where the democratic process is more than an exercise; it’s a point of unity, pride, leadership, scholarship, research, life.
So at such a transformative moment in history, when America’s “Brexit vote” came to pass, where better than Washington University in St. Louis to bring together the thought leaders and experts from disparate fields covering the littered landscape that was, is and forever will be Election 2016?
The day after, we asked some of the brightest minds on this campus and in the world to offer reasoned, forward-looking reactions to this election process. They will continue to give insight and forecasts about where this nation is headed in regard to its politics, economics, election process, religious and sociological affiliations along party lines, and the patchwork of people that make up America.
Immigration, from the perspective of a School of Law expert who once worked with Homeland Security on such issues: The figurative wall may mean longer border fences and the removal as well as barring of individuals from certain countries.
The economy, from an Olin Business School expert who previously worked in Washington, D.C., as well: The world markets began reeling on election night, and the oddest coincidence of the election is that the very people who voted in the president-elect may well suffer the most unless the global economy and trade agreements are handled cautiously and properly.
Gridlock meets filibustering, from the director of the Weidenbaum Center: In a turnabout, the previously stalling Republicans gained control of the White House, House and Senate, but may find tremendous resistance from the Democrats.
1936 is here again, from a scholar of presidential studies: Polling apoplexy such as happened in 2016 is the worst case in some 80 years.
And what went religiously right and wrong, from the director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics: A deep distrust for Hillary Clinton may have pointed Mormon, Catholic and evangelical Christian voters toward Donald Trump — even though their leadership came out against him.
Read more on Election 2016.
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