partisanship

Could One Party Dominate America Again?

by Michael Kazin

A party that can offer a compelling explanation for a crisis and move the government to an effective response has a chance to cement its dominance. It's not clear that one will. 

Are Conservatives Really Pulling Ahead in the Comedy Race?

Does a ratings boost for Greg Gutfeld's late-night show mean that today's conservatives are the funny ones and liberals are too "woke" to laugh? Answering the question means looking past party loyalty to ask what makes humor, says humor historian Teresa Prados-Terreira. 

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. 

The Erosion of the Concept of Legitimate Opposition Undercuts Democracy

by Jeff Kolnick

The rising tendency to see partisan opponents as enemies of the nation justifies action to weaken democracy. 

Bob Dole: RIP to an Organization Man and Veteran

by Matthew Cooper

A veteran political reporter acknowledges that the late Senator and presidential candidate could be a tough partisan, but was devoted to fighting within the rules of procedure. 

Dems Worry Not Passing Biden Agenda Will Kill Them in the Midterms. Does Legislation Actually Matter?

Ronald Brownstein, with help from Julian Zelizer, explains that even big wins for presidential priorities seldom save the party in power from a big beating in the midterms, a "second year curse" of modern presidencies.

Ron Brownstein: What Manchin and Sinema Can Learn from Lincoln Republicans on Voting Rights

It's increasingly clear that the choice isn't between partisan and bipartisan legislation to protect voting rights, but between partisan legislation and none. But the 14th and 15th Amendments were themselves partisan. 

Disregard for the Electoral Process is New and Alarming

by Donne Levy

How did the nation reach the point where one party is openly rejecting the democratic process? 

The Post-Trump GOP: Rebirth or Stillbirth?

by Michael A. Genovese

The Republicans are betting that sticking with Trump's MAGA posture will usher in a political realignment with a broader GOP base. History shows that with anger and resentment standing in for a substantive policy agenda that meets the challenges of the times such a realignment is unlikely.

"Hamilton" and Politics Today

by Donald J. Fraser

The phenomenally successful "Hamilton" takes some liberties with its subject, but it still offers some valuable perspective on our politics today. 

In America’s ‘Uncivil War,’ Republicans Are The Aggressors

Thomas Zimmer and Joanne Freeman represent historians among the scholars commenting on the asymetric polarization of American politics. 

What Lincoln Understood About Unity

by Harold Holzer

"The fact is, even the most eloquent calls for harmony seldom repair a house divided — not without the accompaniment of painful but unavoidable choices about national policy and purpose."

Just Forget About Donald Trump

by Peter Wehner

It may be difficult for many Americans to let go of deep anger at Donald Trump and the political movement he represents, but it will be necessary. 

Post-Election America Will Still Be Deeply Divided

by Joe Renouard

Congressional gridlock, eroding public trust, and partisan polarization are not media creations; they are observable and measurable realities.

How SCOTUS Nominations Became All-Out War

by Robert L. Tsai

The rise of national parties, the use of the judiciary to advance policy goals, and the decision of Republican leadership to consolidate a narrow electoral base have made judicial nominations a partisan battle the Founders did not adequately anticipate, according to American U. Law professor Robert Tsai.

Trump Turns Shared American Experiences Into Us vs. Them

Nostalgia for a time when Democratic leaders could embrace Republican leaders in a moment of crisis — and when a bipartisan group would gather for an annual roasting in Washington.

We Can Finally See the Real Source of Washington Gridlock

by Adam Serwer

Washington gridlock stems from the ideological conviction, held by much of the Republican Party, that the Democratic Party is inherently illegitimate and has no right to govern.

Deep Political Fissures May Worsen the Coronavirus Outbreak

by Jordan E. Taylor

During a massive outbreak of yellow fever in the nation’s then-capital city, Philadelphia, members of the earliest parties in the United States took advantage of medical uncertainty to advance partisan agendas.

‘I’m Not a Traitor, You Are!’ Political Argument from the Founding Fathers to Today’s Partisans

American history is filled with examples where one partisan side alleges that some idea embraced by the other side threatens to compromise American national strength or sovereignty.

Historians on Impeachment

Can impeachment appear legitimate in a hyper-partisan universe?