Trump is Permanently Part of America’s Nar rative, COVID-19 Vaccine Politics, and More

November 4, 2020

“What will make the Trump story particularly irresistible for future generations is that it’s not just a comic farce; it’s also of huge significance to anyone who wants to understand the United States in the early 21st century.” No matter the election outcome, Thomas Wright says that President Trump is leaving an undeniable and lasting mark on America.

After Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, there is an increased likelihood that Roe v. Wade will be overturned or seriously weakened, leaving states to decide on women’s right to abortion. To help address the issue of unintended pregnancies, Isabel Sawhill argues that high-quality, affordable family planning services—with access to all forms of contraception—should be provided.

As with an unfortunate number of things related to COVID-19, politics has crept into the vaccine conversation in ways that threaten to derail public confidence in a potential treatment key to halting the pandemic. To mitigate this, Sarah Kreps and Douglas Kriner recommend that politicians leave it to public health officials to relay information about the vaccine to the American people.

Help support Brookings with a donation

Brookings is committed to making its high-quality, independent policy research free to the public. Please consider making a contribution today to our Annual Fund to support our experts’ work.

The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. is currently closed and all events are virtual only. For more information on the Institution’s response, read our full guidance here.

Manage your newsletter preferences | Receive the Brookings Brief less often