… As a candidate and president, Trump has tested — and in some instances broken — established norms of democratic politics. He has expressed admiration for autocrats and reacted with indifference to violations of democratic principles abroad. Yet his approval ratings among Americans, while low when compared to other presidents, seem to have scarcely budged throughout his presidency.
Do Americans value democracy enough to punish politicians who disregard democratic principles? And specifically, what fraction of the U.S. electorate is willing to prioritize democratic principles when the price of doing so is voting against their policy interests or partisan loyalties? Our research suggests the number is lower than you might think. CONT.
Matthew Graham & Milan Svolik (Yale), Monkey Cage