The current polarization of elites in the U.S., particularly in Congress, is frequently ascribed to the emergence of cohorts of ideologically extreme legislators replacing moderate ones. Politicians, however, do not operate as isolated agents, driven solely by their preferences. They act within organized parties, whose leaders exert control over the Read more…
The New York Times quoted Christian Grose of the USC Dornsife College about California’s top-two primary system. Christian Grose, a professor of political science at the University of Southern California, who is writing a book on the top-two system, said the concern was “overblown” and the scenario feared by critics Read more…
We’re six months away from one of the most consequential midterm elections in modern history, and Americans are fed up with Congress. Politicians have gotten a bad rap throughout history, but today’s legislators are setting record lows in approval ratings and public trust. What gives? Why do they disappoint us so often? Are they really ignoring our needs and demands, or are we misunderstanding the challenges they face?
In this episode, Sarah Anderson shows that it’s a little of both: politicians don’t listen to all constituents equally, but they also can’t just snap their fingers and fulfill our wishes.
To listen to this episode of Our American Discourse, click the arrow in the player here. Or download it and subscribe through ApplePodcasts, Soundcloud, Google Play, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting app – click the links or search “usc bedrosian.”
Congressional primaries, like primary elections in general, are imagined to give voters, rather than party elites, the ability to choose which candidate wins the nomination. Indeed, we might expect primary election outcomes to reflect the preferences of the median primary voter, in roughly the way we expect general election outcomes to reflect the preferences of the overall district median.
We challenge this conventional wisdom.
Fox & Hounds Daily published commentary by Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the USC Price School and Doug Jeffe on how President Donald Trump’s approval ratings will impact Orange County, California, elections.
by Patricia Quintero Estades A couple of months ago, I wrote a piece on partisanship in Puerto Rico and its detrimental effects on governance. In it, I mentioned how bipartisanship and cooperation is something that the U.S. needs as well. Nothing drives a wedge between people of different ideologies like an Read more…
Governance Salon featuring Stefaan Walgrave, University of Antwerp Issue ownership refers to the association of particular public policy issues with particular political parties. Walgrave examines the concept in an international comparative context. Stefaan Walgrave is a professor of Political Science at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). He received his Ph.D. Read more…
