Laboratories of Democratic Backsliding
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/laboratories-of-democratic-backsliding/0742F08306EFDD8612539F089853E4FE
Abstract
The Trump presidency generated concern about democratic backsliding and renewed interest in measuring the national democratic performance of the United States. However, the US has a decentralized form of federalism that administers democratic institutions at the state level. Using 51 indicators of electoral democracy from 2000 to 2018, I develop a measure of subnational democratic performance, the State Democracy Index. I then test theories of democratic expansion and backsliding based in party competition, polarization, demographic change, and the group interests of national party coalitions. Difference-in-differences results suggest a minimal role for all factors except Republican control of state government, which dramatically reduces states’ democratic performance during this period. This result calls into question theories focused on changes within states. The racial, geographic, and economic incentives of groups in national party coalitions may instead determine the health of democracy in the states.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/laboratories-of-democratic-backsliding/0742F08306EFDD8612539F089853E4FE
Abstract
The Trump presidency generated concern about democratic backsliding and renewed interest in measuring the national democratic performance of the United States. However, the US has a decentralized form of federalism that administers democratic institutions at the state level. Using 51 indicators of electoral democracy from 2000 to 2018, I develop a measure of subnational democratic performance, the State Democracy Index. I then test theories of democratic expansion and backsliding based in party competition, polarization, demographic change, and the group interests of national party coalitions. Difference-in-differences results suggest a minimal role for all factors except Republican control of state government, which dramatically reduces states’ democratic performance during this period. This result calls into question theories focused on changes within states. The racial, geographic, and economic incentives of groups in national party coalitions may instead determine the health of democracy in the states.
Red America is growing because blue America is shrinking
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/30/red-america-is-growing-because-blue-america-is-shrinking/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/30/red-america-is-growing-because-blue-america-is-shrinking/
Make Wisconsin a Democracy Again
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/wisconsin-republican-two-third-majority-gerrymandering/673659/
Why the Government Is Good at Helping Banks but Not
People
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/government-help-crisis-svb-unemployment-food-stamps-medicaid/673620/
The Tennessee Expulsion Is a Glimpse of the Future
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/04/06/tennessee-expulsion-future-democrats-00090911
A legislative supermajority can do what it likes.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/wisconsin-republican-two-third-majority-gerrymandering/673659/
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/government-help-crisis-svb-unemployment-food-stamps-medicaid/673620/
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/04/06/tennessee-expulsion-future-democrats-00090911
A legislative supermajority can do what it likes.
Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire
https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow
https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow
Clarence Thomas’s brazen violation of ethics rules, briefly explained
https://www.vox.com/politics/2023/4/6/23672921/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-propublica-luxury-trips-harlan-crow
https://www.vox.com/politics/2023/4/6/23672921/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-propublica-luxury-trips-harlan-crow
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/04/06/billionaires-dark-money-spending/
‘Buckle up': DeSantis escalates Disney dispute, eyes hotel taxes and road tolls