Will Democratic gains in the November midterm elections be squandered by an inopportune bout of party infighting? … Political commentators often suggest that national parties maximize their electoral effectiveness when they push a single policy program or message. But the Democratic Party is organized as a coalition of social groups […] Read more »
How Conservatives Bet Big on Wisconsin and Won
The Fall of Wisconsin: The Conservative Conquest of a Progressive Bastion and the Future of American Politics By Dan Kaufman Hardcore conservatives adore infrastructure, and they’re phenomenally good at building it. This isn’t to say they’re necessarily committed to constructing roads and bridges and dams; it’s the infrastructure of their own […] Read more »
What we buy can be used to predict our politics, race or education — sometimes with more than 90 percent accuracy
The cultural divide is real, and it’s huge. Americans live such different lives that what we buy, do or watch can be used to predict our politics, race, income, education and gender — sometimes with more than 90 percent accuracy. It turns out that people are separated not just by […] Read more »
The Abortion Debate Isn’t As Partisan As Politicians Make It Seem
… The debate over Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to replace Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, is likely to be dominated by discussion about abortion as the court, if Kavanaugh is confirmed, would have five solidly conservative justices, which may mean it’s willing to strike down Roe v. Wade. […] Read more »
If the Supreme Court is Nakedly Political, Can It Be Just?
President Trump was always going to pick a conservative for the Supreme Court. The only question has been whether to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy with a “business conservative” or a “religious conservative.” No one seriously thought that he would consider a moderate, a liberal or an ideologically ambiguous replacement. The […] Read more »
Is the Supreme Court’s legitimacy undermined in a polarized age?
The U.S. Supreme Court. Shutterstock Kevin J. McMahon, Trinity College When I learned Justice Anthony Kennedy would retire, my thoughts went immediately to the confirmation of the newest justice, Neil Gorsuch. The Senate’s confirmation of Gorsuch was unprecedented in the history of the country. Never before had a “minority president” […] Read more »