What can the presidential rematch of 1892 tell us about the campaign of 2024? I compare Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison’s political era with a nation again arguing over inequality, immigration, technology, and individual liberty. Industrial change and digital change produce different conditions, but some of the disagreements are familiar.
The comparison leads to proposals about livable wages, tax credits for small businesses, legal immigration, and the freedom to make personal healthcare decisions. I also consider the long struggle for voting rights and the way new media can spread both information and misinformation. Written in March 2024, this reflection asks what an earlier election can teach us about the resilience of our republic.
Read the essay and sources: https://joelkdouglas.com/2024/03/12/the-rematch/
