America's 'House of Cards' Mentality (with David Frum)

In this episode of The Bulwark's Focus Group podcast, host Sarah Longwell engages political commentator David Frum in a deep exploration of democracy, political violence, and ideological realignment in contemporary America. Frum challenges the myth of the rational, informed individual voter, arguing instead that democratic strength lies in collective wisdom and self-defense against concentrated power. Drawing on Edmund Burke and the book 'Democracy for Realists,' he emphasizes that faith in democracy should be rooted in protecting the many from the few, not in individual infallibility. The conversation shifts to the current political climate, where Frum reflects on his own ideological evolution—supporting policies he once opposed, like student loan relief, to oppose Donald Trump’s threat to liberal democracy. He stresses that the core divide is not left versus right, but liberal versus illiberal, with moral principles like opposition to anti-Semitism, misogyny, and violent rhetoric serving as non-negotiable lines. The episode also unpacks the controversy around James Comey’s Instagram post of '8647,' clarifying its likely origin in restaurant slang rather than a violent threat, highlighting how language and context shape perception in a polarized information environment.