politics

Conflicting Values Explain Political Differences

by Walter G. Moss

From climate to war, differences in basic values are expressed in political conflict. 

Fear Was on the 2022 Ballot, with More in Store for '24

by Joe Renouard

Political advertising in the midterm campaigns focused on fear. There's little reason to expect anything different in two years. 

Fed Up with Emails from Democratic Pols? You're Not Alone

by Lara Putnam and Micah Sifry

The Democratic Party's strategy of electronic communications to raise fear and money is backfiring, as voters see little change despite their contributions. The party must reach people at their doorsteps, not through their inboxes. 

Should Black Northerners Move Back to the South?

by Tanisha C. Ford

Historian Tanisha C. Ford reviews Charles M. Blow's book, which advocates for a Reverse Great Migration to empower both Black Americans and progressive policies. She concludes it's an intriguing idea but oversimplifies the history of migration, disenfranchisement, and activism by Black southerners and their allies.

The Political Scientist Who Warned Us About Polls

by David Greenberg

Political scientist Lindsay Rogers had been warning about the inadequacies of polling for years before the famous "Dewey Defeats Truman" prediction. It appears the news media has failed to learn from his advice. 

Veterans Go to Washington--So What?

by Nan Levinson

Speculation about the effects of electing veterans to national office is seldom historically informed. Although it's assumed military experience and leadership would shape a legislator's vote, today's partisanship is probably the biggest influence. 

How Martin Luther King Jr.'s Groundless Traffic Ticket Changed History's Course

by Michael Warren

The incident, that took place on this day 60 years ago, proved to be the catalyst for electoral change.

There’s a Question My Confederate Ancestors Taught Me To Ask

by David French

Tribalism affected both abolitionists and Confederates during the Civil War. How does it impact modern politics?

Republican-Led Senate Panel Confirms That Russia Backed Trump in 2016

The intelligence committee refutes the president’s unfounded claims by giving an Obama-era report its seal of approval.

Did Gender Keep Democratic Women From Winning The Presidential Primary?

Gender was definitely a factor in this year's Democratic primaries. How could it not be after what the party has seen over the past four years? But the ways in which attitudes about gender impacted the outcome are varied and, of course, more than a bit complicated.

How the Coronavirus Might Upend the November Election

Author David Daley on coronavirus and the threat to voting rights.

What the Anti-Stay-At-Home Protests Are Really About

They’re part of a Trumpian strategy from some conservative groups to reshape public opinion.

We’re Living in Phyllis Schlafly’s America

The striking new Hulu miniseries "Mrs. America" reveals the conservative author’s deep impact on contemporary politics.

How Americans Have Voted Through History: From Voices to Screens

From shouting candidates' names, to hanging chads to electronic scanning, the nature of voting has a long, sometimes bumpy history in the United States.

Might the Coronavirus Be a Peacemaker?

Historian Tom Engleheart uses his past book "The End of Victory Culture" to propose how politics may function in a post-coronavirus world.

The Ditherer-in-Chief

by Edward J. Larson

Previous presidents have cemented their legacies by acting decisively in times of crisis. Trump… not so much.

Presidential Approval Rating

by Lindsay M. Chervinsky

George Washington tries to give the public what it wants.

Prudence in a Storm

by Yuval Levin

Restrained action in a crisis is no wiser than panic in normal times.

What People Power Looks Like in a Pandemic Democracy

by Corey Robin

How will democracy function under quarantine? History may have the answer.

The Second-Most-Dangerous Contagion in America: Conservative Irrationality

by Max Boot

Trump and the conservative media's rhetoric around coronavirus poses a threat to the general welfare of Americans.