The Right-Wing Idea Factory

An incisive analysis of one of the most disruptive forces in modern American politics, The Right-Wing Idea Factory is essential listening for anyone seeking to understand the fundamental transformation of conservatism in the Trump era and beyond. While Donald Trump's 2024 re-election was hailed by many as a personal triumph, political scientist Donald F. Kettl argues it marked the apex of a movement that began long before Trump entered politics—and one that will continue to shape the American landscape long after he's gone. In The Right-Wing Idea Factory, Kettl traces the rise of a revolutionary political force that has redefined the American right. Fueled by soft money and amplified by social media, a network of determined activists and organizations worked to dismantle traditional free-market conservatism and replace it with a populist agenda rooted in cultural and social issues. From abortion and gender to critical race theory, book bans, immigration, and the "deep state," this move