Tag / partisan
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The Plan To Elect The President By Majority
The United States Constitution is outdated, rigid, and quirky. It is the oldest living Constitution, is notoriously difficult to amend, and it established arcane institutions like the Electoral College, which is so convoluted that no other country decided to emulate it. The Constitution is also unique in that it cedes a substantial amount of legislative…
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Splitting the Ticket: The Gap Between Statewide Races and Ballot Initiatives
Looking past the top line numbers in the House and Senate, one of the most interesting results of the midterm elections is the gap between ballot initiatives and statewide races in red and purple states. The results of the statewide races clearly show the strength of partisan polarization. Incumbent Democratic senators lost in Missouri and…
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When The Other Side Makes No Sense
“Consider the possibility that you’re wrong” is something that very many people need to get into their heads and, consequently, it’s something that well-meaning and frustrated people find themselves saying more and more often. There’re a few ‘add-ons’ implicit in that bit of advice, though. There’s a hidden “try to understand the other side, where…
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Sorting, Polarization, And Gridlock: Policy Finds A Way
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Legislative gridlock hasn’t stopped policy from being made, it’s now just being made outside of the normal channels in ways strain our constitutional and political system.[/su_pullquote]American government is broken. Supermajoritarian institutions in the United States, most notably the Senate, have created legislative gridlock and frustrated majorities. The Senate effectively requires 60 votes to pass…
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Dummymandering: How Partisan Gerrymanders Could Backfire In 2018
It is no secret that political parties draw congressional district lines to benefit themselves. However, this November there are two states in which this gerrymandering could backfire on each party. Recent political trends and unexpected demographic shifts have changed the makeup of districts in many states since the district lines were drawn in 2010. This…
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Russian Hacking and Fake News
On December 30th, the Obama Administration announced sanctions against the Russian government in response to alleged Russian interference in the US election. The act represents a stunning reversal for Obama, who in 2012 derided Mitt Romney for being stuck in the Cold War after Romney correctly identified Russia as America’s number one geopolitical rival. The…
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Fact, Fiction, and the Partisan Divide
As I scroll through my Facebook feed, I see a sponsored article from Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit organization. Then, I see a New York Times article about gun violence in America that my friends have shared. When I “Google” the issue of gun violence, I usually get my facts from organizations like the…
