Category Archives: political parties

It’s Even Worse Than They Said

August 30, 2013, 9:51 ampolitical parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

WaPo Outlook piece by Mann and Ornstein: Our fantasy: A Congress that gets stuff done By Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein, Published: August 29 [Thomas E. Mann, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Norman J. Ornstein,… Continue reading

“There’s Nothing Special About the Filibuster”

August 23, 2013, 2:01 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Stephen Spaulding of Common Cause has written this Politico oped.

“Eve of Destruction”

August 16, 2013, 8:32 ampolitical parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Allen and Vanderhei channel moderate Republican complaints about the party: “Republicans are all flirting with a fall that could see influential party voices threatening to default on the debt or shut down the government — and therefore ending all hopes… Continue reading

“North Carolinians Fear the End of the Middle Way”

August 14, 2013, 7:22 ampolitical parties, political polarization, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

A-1 NYT. Also Aaron Blake: Swing-state GOP governors seek to wrangle aggressive GOP legislatures

“The Real Price of Congress’s Gridlock”

August 13, 2013, 8:53 pmpolitical parties, political polarization, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Robert Reich NYT oped: Congress’s paralysis has also encouraged the Supreme Court to enter the political fray. Normally the judicial activism of recent years could be checked by Congressional action. But not now. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s opinion for… Continue reading

“How McConnell’s Woes Could Blow Up Washington”

August 9, 2013, 9:04 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Josh Marshall with the key takeaway point from the McConnell controversy and the primary season. I’d only add that in the general election, McConnell could be blamed by voters in the middle for failing to avert a government shutdown (for… Continue reading

House Passes Bill (REINS Act) Requiring Every Significant Piece of Economic Regulation to Be Approved by Congress

August 8, 2013, 12:04 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Commentary here. That’s a way to bring the rest of the government to a screeching halt, no?

Only in America

August 7, 2013, 8:44 pmpolitical parties, political polarization, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Texas defends itself against claims it discriminated against minority voters by claiming it discriminated against Democrats (p. 19): DOJ’s accusations of racial discrimination are baseless. In 2011, both houses of the Texas Legislature were controlled by large Republican majorities, and… Continue reading

“Moderates Nearly Extinct in U.S. House”

August 7, 2013, 7:56 pmalternative voting systems, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

FairVote explains.

“Congress: Divided, discourteous _ taking a break”

August 3, 2013, 10:43 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

AP’s David Espo: “The accomplishments are few, the chaos plentiful in the 113th Congress, a discourteous model of divided government now beginning a five-week break.” More: Legislation linking interest rates on student loans to the marketplace passed, and, too,… Continue reading

“Judging the (un)productivity of the 113th Congress”

August 2, 2013, 8:09 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

“Leahy Eyes ‘Nuclear Option’ Threat to Confirm Judges”

August 2, 2013, 11:13 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Roll Call reports.

“Saboteurs in the Potato Salad”

August 2, 2013, 8:48 amcampaigns, legislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Tim Egan: Just now, a cell of several hundred people has been dispatched into the American summer, to picnics, town halls, radio stations, hospitals and Little League playing fields, with a mission to derail the economic recovery and drum up… Continue reading