THE EXHAUSTED MAJORITY

A political analyst surveys the rise and future of independents in American politics.

“Are we trapped in a partisan doom loop?” Brandon asks in his opening chapter, lamenting how politicians of both parties turn “politics into an endless existential crisis.” Much of the book’s first half paints a harrowing portrait of contemporary politics as the author surveys the ways in which hyper-partisanship—fueled by grifters on both sides of the ideological spectrum and vast amounts of political donations, per Brandon—has exerted a stranglehold on Congress that prevents bipartisan cooperation on the most basic of issues, even those that have significant support among average citizens. Still, the author argues that, for the 45% of Americans who identify as independent, there’s a glimmer of hope for the country’s political future. Backed by a convincing array of both quantitative and qualitative data, Brandon posits the counterintuitive notion that the most salient division in contemporary America is not an ideological split between conservatives and liberals but rather the generational divide between baby boomers (who currently dominate political offices) and millennials and generation Z. The author observes that younger voters “realize the state of politics today isn’t sustainable” and are the most likely to embrace a new political milieu that defies the boomer politics that have shaped America over the last three decades. Brandon also endorses pragmatic reforms, such as open primaries and ranked-choice voting, that disincentivize politicians from embracing extremes. This is a well-researched work supported by more than 160 endnotes—the author balances the book’s academic underpinnings with an accessible, often conversational, writing style, and the text is supplemented by a plethora of graphs and other visual elements. While Brandon is openly critical of both parties, the book features an introduction written by Ed Crane, the co-founder of the libertarian/conservative Cato Institute, and an afterword by former Republican congressman Ken Buck. The author is the former leader of the libertarian think tank FreedomWorks, and he promotes an approach to reform that includes broad criticisms of unions and the federal government.

A persuasive, optimistic case for a future shaped by independent voters.