In our fourth and final installment of our "Democrats in the Hot Seat" series, political scientist Dr. Michael Bailey shifts the focus squarely onto the Democratic Party—its historic dominance since the New Deal, the vision it set forth, and the serious challenges it faces today. Bailey examines how Democrats built an era defined by international cooperation, inclusion, regulation, and a social safety net, but questions whether those pillars can endure in the age of globalization, inequality, debt, and climate change. Along the way, he unpacks whether Hillary Clinton’s “smugness” was tied to gender, explores why Democrats often stumble in cultural battles, and considers how Trump is disrupting the political order. The episode closes with a playful round of “One State, Two State, Red State, Blue State,” putting Bailey’s knowledge of oddball state laws to the test.

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