From Denial to Déjà Vu: ‘Toxic Optimism’ and the Making of Trump 2.0

(Photos: YouTube Screenshots\Wikimedia Commons) Last month, actor and Democrat George Clooney reflected, “[E]ventually we’ll find our better angels. We have every other time.” He perceives regaining control of the House as a necessary counterbalance to power.This optimistic sentiment, while appealing, often masks a more urgent reality. The risks facing America’s constitutional integrity are serious, and some voices downplaying these dangers may present a perilous illusion of safety, undermining the gravity of ongoing threats to democracy.