Dynamics of American democracy : partisan polarization, political competition, and government performance

Democracy is in crisis. Washington is failing. Government is broken. On these counts many politicians, policy experts, and citizens agree. What is less clear is why—and what to do about it. These questions are at the heart of Dynamics of American Democracy , which goes beneath the surface of current events to explore the forces reshaping democratic politics in the United States and around the world. Bringing together leading scholars and practitioners of politics and governance, this volume charts a twenty-first-century landscape beset by ideological polarization and political tribalism; rapid demographic, economic, and technological change; the influence of online news and social media; and the increasing importance of public attitudes about gender and race. Against this fraught background the authors consider the performance of the two-party system, the operations of Congress and the presidency, and the ways in which ordinary citizens form their beliefs and make their voting decisions. The contributors' work represents a wide range of perspectives and methodological approaches and provides insight into what ails American governance, from the practice of politics as tribal warfare to the electoral rules that produce a two-party hegemony, and from the impact of social media—including how differently conservatives and liberals use Twitter—to the significance of President Trump in historical and institutional perspective. Finally, Dynamics of American Democracy goes beyond diagnosis to present and evaluate the value and viability of proposals for reforming politics. Introduction / Eric M. Patashnik andWendy J. Schiller -- The rise of tribal politics in historical perspective / James A. Morone -- Incremental liberalism or prolonged partisan warfare / Matt Grossman -- Legislative stalemate in postwar America, 1947-2018 / Sarah A. Binder -- Challenges of measuring party unity in a polarized era : th 115th Congress / Frances E. Lee -- Polarization and the changing constitutional system : the case of federalism / Nolan McCarty -- She's not my governor : negative partisanship and trust in government in the American states / Kristin Kanthak -- Gender attitudes and American public opinion in the Trump era / John Sides, Michael Tesler, and Lynn Vavreck -- Curating the news : how social media facilitates selective exposure / Samara Klar and Yotam Shmargad -- Charge and retreat : asymmetric patterns of political engagement among liberals and conservatives / Deborah J. Schildkraut, Jeffrey M. Berry, and James M. Glaser -- Politics industry theory / Katherine M. Gehl and Michael E. Porter -- Spoiler alert : why Americans' desires for a third party are unlikely to come true / Lee Drutman, William A. Galston, and Tod Lindberg -- Our "undivided support" : Donald Trump, the Republican Party, and executive-centered partisanship / Nicholas F. Jacobs and Sidney M. Milkis -- Conclusion : reflections and paths forward / Eric M. Patashnik and Wendy J. Schiller "Government is broken. Washington is failing. Democracy is in crisis. Many elected officials, policy experts, and ordinary citizens share a belief that US political institutions are incapable of responding to the concerns of everyday Americans and serving the public interest. What is less clear, however, is why these institutions are falling below expectations and how they might be fixed. The contributors to Dynamics of American Democracy bring their expertise on the various institutions of American governance and political life to examine how we arrived at this point and what might be done to right thd ship. Topics covered include Congressional stalemate, the two-party system, political polarization, social media, gender and public opinion, and the role of the presidency in today's tribal politics"-- Provided by publisher