Category Archives: political polarization
“Jeff Merkley Escalates Push For Filibuster Reform”
Give the People What They Want
In my forthcoming Drake Law Review symposium piece on political dysfunction and constitutional change, I take on a number of arguments about whether the current federal government is dysfunctional. Among the arguments I consider is Jonathan Rauch’s argument that the… Continue reading
“Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann Explain Why Congress is Failing Us”
Is the Senate Getting Better?
House Republicans Reject “Helping Sick Americans Now”
“The Filibuster and Reconciliation: The Future of Majoritarian Lawmaking in the U.S. Senate”
Tonja Jacobi and Jeff Van Dam have posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract:
The filibuster has effectively become a supermajority requirement for all lawmaking in the Senate, an effect worsened by ill-conceived attempts at its reform. Once… Continue reading
“Taking on American Political Dysfunction without Changing the Constitution”
FairVote: “In his draft paper on Political Dysfunction and Constitutional Change, University of California-Irvine professor Rick Hasen makes a powerful case for the need for out-of-the-box thinking on American political reform. But he also makes a curious omission. Fair… Continue reading
“On Filibuster, It’s Past Time to End ‘False Equivalence’”
“A red state/blue state chasm”
More Political Dysfunction
I’ve posted a revised draft of my article, “Political Dysfunction and Constitutional Change,” on SSRN. The article has already provoked some interesting reactions from Eric Alterman, Jonathan Bernstein, and Seth Masket.
I plan to write… Continue reading
“Americans love government — as long as it’s their own”
Aaron Blake:
Congress and the federal government continue to struggle with historically low approval ratings, as Americans grow tired of gridlock in Washington and hold both major parties in low regard.
But when it comes to government in general,… Continue reading
“Mitch McConnell is in No Mood for Bipartisanship”
Politico: “The Senate minority leader has signaled privately that he has no interest in sitting in the same room as Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to discuss a possible “grand bargain” on budget and tax issues, Senate insiders tell… Continue reading
‘Washington confronts still-divided America”
Dan Balz: “Bipartisanship and cross-party alliances are suddenly in vogue in the Senate this spring. The question is whether the Senate is a leading indicator of a change in politics or largely an aberration in a nation divided along… Continue reading