Book Thoughts: Defectors by Paola Ramos

This book seeks to answer a question: Who are Latino defectors from the Democratic base, and why are they defecting? And how can we extend them empathy and convince them to rejoin us? People have noted that Latino voters in aggregate are shifting right. According to Ramos, a journalist drawing from her interviews, this is because of three themes: tribalism, traditionalism, and trauma. This book relies on these cultural themes to explain political trends, and I'm not so sure I'm completely convinced. I think these themes are a really good insight into an individual's psyche of their core insecurities that are driving them, but is light on the analysis of power and doesn't answer the question of how we're supposed to convince people that living in harmony with everyone is as powerful of a trip as making sure someone is underneath your boot. The three themes can really just be summed up as this: People want to feel like they belong. It's identity turtles all the way down as it always is,…