In this, part 2 of our conversation with Professor Nicholas Jacobs, Associate Professor of Government at Colby College and Director of the Public Policy Lab, we explore the deep disconnect between democratic ideals and political reality in the U.S. Drawing from his acclaimed book The Rural Voter and his forthcoming Subverting the Republic, Jacobs challenges popular narratives about Trumpism, executive power, and rural America. We discuss how state power is being strategically redeployed, why the liberal imagination fails to grasp rural discontent, and whether our current system is structurally incapable of true representation. This conversation is essential listening for anyone serious about reimagining democracy from the ground up.

In this, the first episode of the third season of The TRM Podcast, we sit down with Professor Nicholas Jacobs, Associate Professor of Government at Colby College and Director of the Public Policy Lab, to explore the deep disconnect between democratic ideals and political reality in the U.S. Drawing from his acclaimed book The Rural Voter and his forthcoming Subverting the Republic, Jacobs challenges popular narratives about Trumpism, executive power, and rural America. We discuss how state power is being strategically redeployed, why the liberal imagination fails to grasp rural discontent, and whether our current system is structurally incapable of true representation. This conversation is essential listening for anyone serious about reimagining democracy from the ground up.

In this follow-up conversation, the dialogue deepens around the urgency of action and the ineffectiveness of traditional protest without a strategic political aim. The host, representing the True Representation Movement (TRM), calls for moving beyond awareness and outrage—toward seizing political power. They critique decades of erosion in democratic responsiveness due to corporate influence, war-making without accountability, and the enduring grip of disproven ideas like trickle-down economics.Professor Lisa Silvestri affirms that many Americans feel morally and emotionally disturbed by the state of politics but are disconnected from meaningful political engagement. Her book Peace by Peace urges people to begin from what bothers them, identifying local issues as entry points to action. Together, they argue that anger, when paired with strategic goals—like running for office or reclaiming budget priorities—can convert despair into progress.They also explore why mass protests, like those surrounding Gaza, often fail to produce systemic change: not due to lack of energy, but due to lack of political education, clear goals, and pathways to structural engagement. The solution, they agree, is not just more talk, but tangible local action—grabbing seats, not just protesting policies. Silvestri shares how personal grievance (bike lanes, oversized trash bins) can propel people into city council meetings—and from there, into positions of power.Ultimately, they call for an ethos of action: citizens recognizing their lack of representation, reclaiming agency, and taking steps—from the modest to the bold—to build a just and peaceful society from the ground up.