The uproar set off by legislation in Indiana and Arkansas that sponsors billed as religious freedom measures not only signaled a revival of the culture wars, but also threw into stark relief the expectations and tensions in the coalitions that now make up the two major political parties. The contrasting […] Read more »
Religion, Same-Sex Relationships and Politics in Indiana and Arkansas
The controversy over the state-based religious freedom laws in Indiana and Arkansas highlights the continuing impact of religion on social and policy issues in this country. The laws were an apparent outgrowth of the feelings of highly religious segments living in those states that they were being marginalized and that […] Read more »
Pence’s Problems a Preview of GOP’s Biggest 2016 Hurdle
Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Pence has long been a big fish in conservative circles. And this week he looked every bit the part, raging and writhing like a shark caught in a net after the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” that he signed to cheers from social conservatives provoked a furious […] Read more »
Republican candidates are on a collision course with the American electorate
The good news for Republicans: They have a path to victory in 2016. The bad news for Republicans: They are not on that path. At the moment, in fact, they have wandered into a dense thicket and are picking nettles from their skin while being bitten by mosquitoes. The latest […] Read more »
Indiana and the defining divisions in American politics
The controversy over Indiana’s religious-freedom law highlights the most fundamental divisions that now define American politics. For all the recent talk that foreign policy or income inequality will dominate the 2016 campaign, the firestorm over Indiana is a reminder of the underlying power of values and social issues to shape […] Read more »
Democrats Could Put Indiana Senate Seat In Play In 2016 — Especially If Evan Bayh Runs
The playing field for the 2016 Senate elections just became a bit more friendly for Democrats. Republican Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election. Indiana is a red state, but Democrats have a top-notch candidate for the seat: Evan Bayh. CONT. Harry Enten, FiveThirtyEight Read more »