Policy Isn’t Going to Win This Election

Tom Nichols: “One of the great myths of American politics is that detailed policy positions are crucial to winning elections. Yes, policy matters in broad strokes: Candidates take general positions on issues such as taxes, abortion, and foreign policy. Rather than study white papers or ponder reports from think tanks, however, most voters count on parties and candidates to signal broad directions and then work out the details later.”

“In the 2024 election, policy details matter even less than they usually do. Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, seem to have figured this out. Harris has been blasted by Republicans for avoiding the press, and some journalists have griped that she hasn’t sat down for a long interview and didn’t make a major policy speech before this past Friday. But Harris and Walz seem to be making a strategic choice—and for now, a good one.”

“Policy proposals are supposed to differentiate the candidates, but drawing policy distinctions with Trump is hard when he presents almost nothing beyond ‘I will fix it.'”