Journalists Are Calling It a 'Populist' Inauguration Speech, But What Does That Really Mean?

A lot of different things.

Do we know what we’re talking about when we talk about populism? In the exchange between writer and reader, does the one’s use of the phrase match the other’s perception of the phrase?

It’s a problematic term, one whose dictionary definitions (“a member of a political party claiming to represent the common people”/”a believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people,” per Merriam-Webster) give it a positive sheen. And that’s how it’s generally received, this term that sounds like it’s all about the people.

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