Where The Right Went Wrong – From Reagan to Trump 2.0
Class | Registration opens 7/20/26 10:00 AM
The course will be a group discussion of Republican politics from Ronald Reagan to the present. The weekly sessions will begin with a short lecture on the relevant topic. The discussions will highlight and contrast the forces leading to where we are as a country today. We will discuss the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, George W Bush, Donald Trump 1.0, Donald Trump 2.0, far right groups, the rise and influence of right wing talk radio and television, and the “hot buttons” that drive people to vote, sometimes, against their own self-interest. Also, we will discuss a pathway back to normalcy in the USA. Relevant readings and videos as well as a list of questions to guide our discussions will be sent before each class. The class will be some lecture, mostly guided discussion, with some YouTube clips.
Books and Other Resources:
Suggested reading:
Buchanan, Pat. Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives Subverted the Reagan Revolution and Hijacked the Bush Presidency. St. Martin’s Press, 2004.
Linde, Renae C. The Great Divide: America’s Political Tug-of-War: Why We Are So Divided—and What We Can Do About It. 2025
Although articles and videos provided by the instructor are not required, they are recommended to enhance class time.
Len Glassman
I have been leading courses for several years at LLAIC. I have led Great Decisions in Foreign Policy and courses I have developed myself. I am a graduate of Northeastern University. I also have a degree from the University of Hard Knocks (fifty years as a business owner, president for twenty years). I enjoy history, politics, and current events. For recreation, I play pickleball, golf, cards, and remain a lifelong saltwater fisherman. I live in Framingham with my wife of fifty-five years, have two grown children and two grandchildren.