Making Sense with Sam Harris

#460 — When the Center Cannot Hold

February 20, 2026

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  • The primary concern discussed in this segment of "Making Sense with Sam Harris" episode "#460 — When the Center Cannot Hold" is the ongoing, distressing erosion and politicization of American institutions, exemplified by the blurring of personal aims and state demands under a "personalist regime." 
  • The structural problem preventing political sanity is the incentive structure of modern politics, where primary elections reward pandering to the most extreme base voters rather than appealing to the median, swing voter. 
  • A significant schism exists on the American right between conservatives unwilling to tolerate figures like Nick Fuentes (Nazis) and those, like J.D. Vance, who prioritize a broad tent that tacitly defends or aligns with the 'Nazi adjacent' or white supremacist elements. 

Segments

Guest’s Primary Political Concerns
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(00:00:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Jonah Goldberg’s chief political concern is the continued erosion and politicization of federal institutions, citing the penalization of staff economists over tariff findings and the blurring of personal aims with state demands under a personalist regime.
  • Summary: The erosion of institutional norms is highlighted by the case of Kevin Hassett threatening to penalize staff economists for verifying that Americans pay tariff costs. Judges are rescinding the presumption of regularity, meaning they can no longer assume government lawyers are truthful. This violation of norms invites future violations from both sides.
Rebooting Institutional Trust
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(00:04:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Resetting institutional trust after a period of norm violation is extremely difficult because any wholesale staffing change will be cynically perceived by the opposing minority as partisan tribalism analogous to the initial overreach.
  • Summary: The structural issue is that both parties are incentivized to cater only to their most committed base due to primary threats, rather than governing for the majority. The solution requires a return to a system where candidates run toward the center after winning primaries, which is structurally undermined by the current primary system.
Democratic Reset Strategy
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(00:10:35)
  • Key Takeaway: A Democratic candidate running on a platform to reset and diminish executive powers might struggle in the primaries but could be a winning general election message, provided they actually govern as a majority party president.
  • Summary: While a message of reducing executive overreach is quixotic in the primaries, it could be a winning general election theme, similar to Biden’s ‘return to normalcy’ pitch. However, Biden failed to deliver because he made deals with the hardcore base instead of governing for the majority.
Midterm Election Expectations
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(00:13:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Democrats are highly likely to take back the House majority in the midterms, and there is a significant chance they could tighten or win the Senate margin, despite historical averages being skewed by the unique nature of Trump’s second term.
  • Summary: Without overtly crooked actions from the Trump administration, Democrats are expected to gain the House, given the narrow Republican majority. The Senate remains a heavy lift, but a potential Democratic wave puts it in play. If Democrats gain control, Congress should increase oversight, even if driven by partisan interest.
GOP Cowardice and Trump Cult
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(00:15:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The institutional gelding of Congress stems from Republican members’ fear of primary challenges from Trump’s base, leading them to prioritize personal political survival over providing checks and balances.
  • Summary: Republican cowardice is explained partly by a cult of personality where members believe their future depends entirely on Trump’s endorsement. If Democrats take Congress, they will likely engage in oversight and potential impeachment, which risks backfiring if investigations appear partisan or lack serious groundwork.
Right-Wing Schism Over Extremism
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(00:18:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The core schism on the right is between conservatives who reject Nazis and those, like J.D. Vance, who align with or defend the ‘anti-anti-Nazi crowd’ for political expediency, creating a big tent that includes Christian nationalists and white supremacists.
  • Summary: The division centers on whether to disavow figures like Nick Fuentes; Ben Shapiro represents the side demanding disavowal, while figures like Tucker Carlson and J.D. Vance are seen as defending those who are Nazi-adjacent. Defending this broad tent means accepting the association with its most extreme elements.