SOTU (thread 9), Episode 2: If Andrew Jackson Watched Trump's State of the Union

Imagine old General Jackson watching the modern State of the Union—he’d feel oddly at home with the combative swagger and the constant claim to ‘speak for the people,’ but he’d also know that claiming the people as your own can justify brutal choices.

He’d admire the fight and demand results, not just theater. It’s thrilling in a ruthless way—and a reminder that democracy’s popular energy can be powerful and terrifying at the same time.