New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, among others, frequently forecasts the rise of a centrist candidate or party that will help move the country past its stubborn left-right divide. There’s some intuitive logic to all of this. After all, if the parties keep moving further and further apart, that theoretically leaves a growing cadre of frustrated centrist voters. The party that articulates their concerns should do quite well. Why does it never happen?
A new paper, “Why American Political Parties Can’t Get Beyond the Left-Right Divide,” by Edwards Carmines, Michael Ensley, and Michael Wagner, helps explain why. CONT.
Seth Masket (U. of Denver), Pacific Standard