It’s become commonplace among observers of U.S. politics to decry partisan polarization in Congress. Indeed, a Pew Research Center analysis finds that, on average, Democrats and Republicans are farther apart ideologically today than at any time in the past 50 years. But the dynamics behind today’s congressional polarization have been […] Read more »
Want to Understand the Red-State Onslaught? Look at Florida.
The red-state drive to roll back civil rights is entering a new phase, perhaps best symbolized by Florida’s passage this week of the “Don’t Say ‘Gay’” bill censoring how schools discuss sexual orientation. President Joe Biden’s administration is leaning more heavily into the fight, even as business leaders are retreating […] Read more »
A Potential Rarity in American Politics: A Fair Congressional Map
For years, America’s congressional map favored Republicans over Democrats. But that may not remain the case for long. In a departure from a decades-long pattern in American politics, this year’s national congressional map is poised to be balanced between the two parties, with a nearly equal number of districts that […] Read more »
Abortion Battlefields in a Potentially Post-Roe Political World
Key Points• If the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade later this year, it could hypothetically energize Democratic voters in the 2022 midterms. But it’s unclear whether abortion will become a big enough motivator for Democrats to overcome the historical pattern of unfavorable midterms for the party controlling the White […] Read more »
There Are Glimmers of Hope for Biden. Or Maybe Slivers.
Despite the terrible reality of the war in Ukraine, rising inflation and record gas prices, a faint ray of sunshine has fallen on Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. According to strategists for both parties, the Democrats now have a 50-50 chance of retaining control of the Senate in the […] Read more »
The U.S. has four political parties stuffed into a two-party system. That’s a big problem.
The United States right now has four political parties stuffed into a two-party system — and that’s increasingly a big problem for the country. This reality becomes clear if you set aside the long-standing catchall labels “Democrat” and “Republican” and look at the fissures actually animating our politics. Importantly, by […] Read more »