The Christian Science Monitor

From Goldwater to Trump, the long history of ‘Law and Order’ politics

President Donald Trump is fond of blunt campaign slogans. In 2016, it was “Make America Great Again,” “Build the Wall,” “Lock her up!”

In 2020, it’s “Law and Order.”

With the presidential election barely two months away, President Trump appears to have settled on a defining theme for his campaign – one that has a deep and controversial history in American politics.

“I am your president of law and order,” the president said in June, as law enforcement used chemical sprays and flash grenades to clear Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. “LAW AND ORDER!” has been a staple all-caps tweet for Mr. Trump for months.

On its face the slogan is an appeal to voters unsettled by images of looting and arson in some cities rocked by protest-related violence. It’s hardly a new stance for the president, who has used law-and-order

An appeal to emotionLike motherhood and apple pieCoded language 

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor4 min read
How Bird Illustrators Help Science Soar
When international researchers recently discovered that a population of hummingbirds in South America was actually two distinct species – a finding made after much trekking and tracking and genome sequencing – they called on Jillian Ditner to help ex
The Christian Science Monitor4 min readAmerican Government
Europe’s Worry: Would America Care About Us If Donald Trump Were President?
In the United States, President Joe Biden’s political allies have spent the past week trying to calm Democratic Party anxiety over his stumbling debate performance against Donald Trump. But another set of allies was equally shaken: America’s key over
The Christian Science Monitor2 min readPoverty & Homelessness
Civic Dividends In Debt Reform
More than half of low-income countries as well as five major European nations bear distressing levels of debt. The problem has been exacerbated by the high interest rates many central banks have imposed to slow inflation. Yet agreements reached last

Related Books & Audiobooks