Category Archives: political parties

“A Day of Friction Notable Even for a Fractious Congress”

July 12, 2013, 2:46 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

NYT: Even in a Congress where bipartisanship and comity are now officially the exceptions to the regular order, the near implosion on Capitol Hill on Thursday was notable, as both chambers erupted in a furor that went on for much… Continue reading

“Carl Levin Can Save the Filibuster”

July 12, 2013, 2:27 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Jonathan Bernstein writes.

Filibuster Reform Coming?

July 11, 2013, 3:51 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

NY Times: Democrats Poised to Limit Filibusters, Angering GOP Ezra Klein: Mitch McConnell’s problem: How can he threaten to obstruct the Senate even more? Jonathan Bernstein: Why Senate Reform is Needed

“Democrats Plan Challenge to G.O.P.’s Filibuster Use”

July 9, 2013, 8:29 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

NYT: In a move that could bring to a head six months of smoldering tensions over a Republican blockade of certain presidential nominees, Senate Democrats are preparing to force confirmation votes on a series of President Obama’s most contentious… Continue reading

“Should Republicans Just Focus on White Voters?”

July 4, 2013, 9:51 ampolitical parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Interesting Tom Edsall column.

Breaking: Ninth Circuit Rejects Constitutional Challenges to California’s Top Two Primary System

July 3, 2013, 9:38 ampolitical parties, primariesRick Hasen

You can read the unanimous opinion at this link. UPDATE: Richard Winger responds.

“Voting Rights Act Puts GOP in Pickle”

July 2, 2013, 9:20 ampolitical parties, political polarization, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Roll Call: House Republicans face a political dilemma as they consider how — and whether — to rewrite the Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court neutered some of its most powerful provisions last week. Failing to act would undermine… Continue reading

“Democrats say primary law is unconstitutional”

June 19, 2013, 12:30 pmpolitical parties, primariesRick Hasen

AP: “In a federal lawsuit, the Democratic Party of Hawaii claims the state’s primary election law is unconstitutional. Hawaii’s primary system that allows every registered voter to participate in the party’s nomination process is tantamount to forced political association,… Continue reading

“U.S. District Court Strikes Down Tennessee Law Giving Two Major Parties Best Spot on Ballot; and Also Strikes Down Petition Requirement Again”

June 18, 2013, 4:30 pmballot access, political parties, third partiesRick Hasen

Ballot Access News: On June 18, U.S. District Court Judge William J. Haynes ruled that Tennessee’s law, giving the two largest parties the best spots on the general election ballot, is unconstitutional. He also again struck down the law that… Continue reading

“‘Hastert Rule’ Pushed by Insurgent Republicans”

June 14, 2013, 8:07 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Roll Call reports.

Will Boehner Again Ignore “Hastert Rule” on Immigration Vote?

June 11, 2013, 7:43 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

The Plum Line says that a majority of Republicans in the House may want the Speaker of the House to pass immigration reform without support from a majority of Republicans: But either way — however we get there — it… Continue reading

“Old-School Politics Reign in California’s New Primary”

June 10, 2013, 9:24 pmballot access, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Roll Call: “California’s new top-two primary system was supposed to revolutionize the state’s political process. Instead, it’s forcing candidates to revert to an antiquated practice: competing for the state party’s endorsement.” See also Top Two Elections and their Effects … Continue reading

“State Super-Minorities Lead to ‘Lone Ranger’ Movie Trip”

June 4, 2013, 8:56 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Bloomberg: “In a few states, those that are deeply Republican-red or Democratic-blue, the partisan hue is so one-sided that it’s creating super-minorities in some Senate chambers, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.”

“House Republicans broken into fighting factions”

June 4, 2013, 8:45 ampolitical parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

WaPo: Schweikert considers himself a guarded optimist, but interviews with nearly three dozen GOP lawmakers and senior aides revealed plenty of doubt. The majority is “adrift,” according to a longtime conservative. The top five leaders hail from blue states… Continue reading