Ezra Klein

But one reason we've selected for so many lawyers, and America has a lot of lawyers, is we became a society that needs a lot of lawyers because we are a society that is stable, affluent, and we've become very into bargaining. You know, Donald Trump is a real estate developer. That's a relational business.

But one reason we've selected for so many lawyers, and America has a lot of lawyers, is we became a society that needs a lot of lawyers because we are a society that is stable, affluent, and we've become very into bargaining. You know, Donald Trump is a real estate developer. That's a relational business.

The way real estate development works in this country, the reason you don't have all that many huge firms building housing in many, many states simultaneously is it requires a lot of relationships in the individual city you're in. And so, you know, if you read, say, Maggie Haberman's great biography of Donald Trump, Confidence Man, which focuses a lot on his time as a real estate developer.

The way real estate development works in this country, the reason you don't have all that many huge firms building housing in many, many states simultaneously is it requires a lot of relationships in the individual city you're in. And so, you know, if you read, say, Maggie Haberman's great biography of Donald Trump, Confidence Man, which focuses a lot on his time as a real estate developer.

The way real estate development works in this country, the reason you don't have all that many huge firms building housing in many, many states simultaneously is it requires a lot of relationships in the individual city you're in. And so, you know, if you read, say, Maggie Haberman's great biography of Donald Trump, Confidence Man, which focuses a lot on his time as a real estate developer.

magnet in New York, you see Donald Trump doesn't build a ton of stuff in other states. He actually builds in other countries sometimes, or more to the point, he puts his name on things built in other countries. But really what he did was build here. And he built here through his relationships with the New York political system.

magnet in New York, you see Donald Trump doesn't build a ton of stuff in other states. He actually builds in other countries sometimes, or more to the point, he puts his name on things built in other countries. But really what he did was build here. And he built here through his relationships with the New York political system.

magnet in New York, you see Donald Trump doesn't build a ton of stuff in other states. He actually builds in other countries sometimes, or more to the point, he puts his name on things built in other countries. But really what he did was build here. And he built here through his relationships with the New York political system.

And so over time, societies that make building and construction and creation something that is the output of negotiations rather than like very clear standards and rules where if you've done it, you can just do it. You get a lot of lawyers. You get a lot of management consultants. You get a lot of finance people because that's what society is selecting for.

And so over time, societies that make building and construction and creation something that is the output of negotiations rather than like very clear standards and rules where if you've done it, you can just do it. You get a lot of lawyers. You get a lot of management consultants. You get a lot of finance people because that's what society is selecting for.

And so over time, societies that make building and construction and creation something that is the output of negotiations rather than like very clear standards and rules where if you've done it, you can just do it. You get a lot of lawyers. You get a lot of management consultants. You get a lot of finance people because that's what society is selecting for.

That's what you've made it possible to have agency and freedom in. That's what you need to do to do big things. This is coming from Nick Bagley, who's a University of Michigan law professor. But Between Walter Mondale and Tim Walz, there's not a single person on a Democratic presidential ticket who didn't go to law school, not one.

That's what you've made it possible to have agency and freedom in. That's what you need to do to do big things. This is coming from Nick Bagley, who's a University of Michigan law professor. But Between Walter Mondale and Tim Walz, there's not a single person on a Democratic presidential ticket who didn't go to law school, not one.

That's what you've made it possible to have agency and freedom in. That's what you need to do to do big things. This is coming from Nick Bagley, who's a University of Michigan law professor. But Between Walter Mondale and Tim Walz, there's not a single person on a Democratic presidential ticket who didn't go to law school, not one.

Like the Democratic Party in particular is a party of lawyers and lawyers look at things from the legal perspective and the legal perspective is that government is legitimate by following process. And Bagley's point is that government attains legitimacy, at least in part, through outcomes. And when you prize process so high over outcomes, you think you're acting legitimately.

Like the Democratic Party in particular is a party of lawyers and lawyers look at things from the legal perspective and the legal perspective is that government is legitimate by following process. And Bagley's point is that government attains legitimacy, at least in part, through outcomes. And when you prize process so high over outcomes, you think you're acting legitimately.

Like the Democratic Party in particular is a party of lawyers and lawyers look at things from the legal perspective and the legal perspective is that government is legitimate by following process. And Bagley's point is that government attains legitimacy, at least in part, through outcomes. And when you prize process so high over outcomes, you think you're acting legitimately.

But actually, it would have made you legitimate in the view of the people. Is it you built the thing you told them you were going to build? You made it possible to live affordably in the city. And so you have this sort of movement then over time to populous strongmen who say, I alone can fix it, because they've kind of given up on this procedural liberalism. Like, they didn't deliver for them.

But actually, it would have made you legitimate in the view of the people. Is it you built the thing you told them you were going to build? You made it possible to live affordably in the city. And so you have this sort of movement then over time to populous strongmen who say, I alone can fix it, because they've kind of given up on this procedural liberalism. Like, they didn't deliver for them.

But actually, it would have made you legitimate in the view of the people. Is it you built the thing you told them you were going to build? You made it possible to live affordably in the city. And so you have this sort of movement then over time to populous strongmen who say, I alone can fix it, because they've kind of given up on this procedural liberalism. Like, they didn't deliver for them.