I usually push back at claims that the Democratic Party is in disarray, particularly right in the middle of a nomination contest. It’s supposed to be a messy process, after all. Messiness needn’t prevent the party from finding a nominee and rallying around that person. But it seems reasonable to […] Read more »
Sanders Rises, But Socialism Isn’t Popular With Most Americans
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is rising in the polls among Democrats, but questions about his electability against President Trump persist because he self-identifies as a democratic socialist. A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll backs up the idea that the label could hurt him. Asked about their impression of socialism, 28% of […] Read more »
Is the two-party system good for democracy?
Facing extreme partisanship and polarization, America’s two-party system has come under fire. Critics argue that the two-party system runs contrary to the founders’ intent and has created a political system that fails to represent the electorate, concentrates power for the elites, and makes compromise impossible. They say it’s time for […] Read more »
Is America’s Two-Party System Fracturing?
Neither Donald Trump nor Bernie Sanders are conventional leaders in their parties. NPR’s Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to political scientist Diego von Vacano about the breakdown of the two-party system. Weekend Edition, NPR News Read more »
A skeptical party warms to a party-switching billionaire New Yorker, take two
… When Quinnipiac University asked voters how they felt about Bloomberg in December, he was barely above water with members of the party whose nomination he sought. By which I mean his net favorability was only slightly positive; only a bit more Democrats viewed him favorably than unfavorably. Just past […] Read more »
Dems Should Temper Their Disappointments
One of the most amusing things about politics is how binary people tend to be in their thinking. Whether it is partisans and true believers, independents, or political reporters, things are often either wonderful or horrible for any given party or candidate. Gradations in between, important distinctions, or changing circumstances […] Read more »