How Government Dysfunction Fuels Extremism: Insights from Marc Dunkelman
JUDJ-Prepared Summary from June 25, 2025 | The USA: Why Nothing is Working and How to Fix It. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the speaker.
In a recent America at a Crossroads discussion, Marc Dunkelman—fellow at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and author of Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress and How to Bring It Back—offered a compelling explanation for the rising appeal of political extremism in the United States. According to Dunkelman, Americans aren’t turning to strongmen like Donald Trump despite government dysfunction, but because of it. In a democracy increasingly defined by paralysis, people are drawn to leaders who promise to cut through the chaos and “just get things done.”
When Government Stops Working
Dunkelman began by detailing how broken systems give rise to frustration across the political spectrum. From stalled high-speed rail projects in California to infrastructure that never breaks ground, Americans see evidence every day that government can no longer deliver. And while both liberals and conservatives may disagree on the cause, they increasingly agree on the diagnosis: nothing works. The inability to build housing, update power grids, or complete major public works isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a signal that the system itself is failing.
Trump as a Symptom, Not the Cause
This dysfunction, Dunkelman argued, sets the stage for leaders like Donald Trump. Many voters weren’t drawn to Trump solely because of ideology, he explained, but because he presented himself as a “hammer” who could break through bureaucracy and inefficiency. “Even progressives have lost faith in government’s ability to act,” Dunkelman noted. In that vacuum of authority, Trump’s appeal—his promises to bulldoze the “deep state” and make decisions unencumbered by red tape—became a feature, not a bug, for many Americans.
He pointed to the now-famous example of Trump’s 1980s restoration of the Wollman Rink in New York City, a public project that the city had failed to complete. Trump finished it ahead of schedule and under budget. It was a symbolic victory that foreshadowed his larger political message: government can’t do anything, but I can.
Diffused Power, Delayed Progress
At the root of the dysfunction, Dunkelman explained, is the extreme diffusion of decision-making power. No single person or entity is empowered to weigh the pros and cons of a project and make a call. Instead, agencies, courts, interest groups, and community veto points create a system where even broadly beneficial projects stall under pressure from narrow objections. “We have so many checks in place,” he said, “that no one is actually in charge.”
This vacuum is especially dangerous in the face of long-term challenges like climate change, housing shortages, and energy transitions. When elected leaders defer responsibility or get trapped in political gridlock, it erodes trust and invites demagogues to claim they alone can fix it.
Rebuilding Trust Through Function
To combat this trend, Dunkelman stressed the importance of restoring functional governance—not just through better rhetoric, but by restructuring how decisions are made. He called for empowering trusted bodies—commissions, executive agencies, and expert-led institutions—to weigh competing interests and make the tough calls. While no process will please everyone, he argued, giving someone the authority to act is essential to rebuilding public faith.
“If we want to reduce the appeal of MAGA-style politics,” he concluded, “we need to make government work again.” That means creating systems that can deliver results—on infrastructure, energy, housing, and more—while still maintaining accountability. Until then, the dysfunction will continue to feed public frustration, and with it, the allure of authoritarian shortcuts.
Marc Dunkelman’s warning was clear: political extremism doesn’t thrive despite a broken system—it thrives because of it. To preserve democratic values, we must fix the processes that have made meaningful governance nearly impossible.
About America at a Crossroads
Since April 2020, America at a Crossroads has produced weekly virtual programs on topics related to the preservation of our democracy, voting rights, freedom of the press, and a wide array of civil rights, including abortion rights, free speech, and free press. America at a Crossroads is a project of Jews United for Democracy & Justice.