A dark day
The violent attack on the U.S. Congress put a glaring spotlight on two disturbing features of contemporary American politics.
MISCHIEFS OF FACTION
Reflections on Parties and Their Place in Politics
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Gregory Koger
The Origins of the 1887 Election Count Act
The 1877 filibuster of the electoral vote count exposed a flaw in the presidential election process. The Electoral Count Act was the result.
Julia Azari
The year everything changed, and nothing did
In 2020, the year in review genre feels especially challenging and fraught, with high stakes for being either too depressing or too glib....
Seth Masket
They're in power. They *are* power.
The "V" miniseries reminded us of those who are happy to help authoritarians seize and remain in power.
The politics of governing with a tiny majority
Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats will be tested by their party’s smaller size.
Seth Masket
Lessons from 2020 (that I can't yet prove)
Some political lessons we can learn from 2020, even if we don't have all the evidence yet.
Amy Erica Smith
How the Venezuelan Opposition Lost a Golden Opportunity and the International Community Let it Do So
Last Sunday, the world watched silently as the Venezuelan governing party (PSUV) won back control of the National Assembly. The outcome...
The Staff
To Boycott or not to Boycott Elections in Non-democracies – Lessons from Venezuela
Should the opposition in authoritarian regimes participate in elections or boycott? The answer depends on the larger opposition strategy.
Amy Erica Smith
Symposium: What does political science teach us about opposition boycotts in Venezuela?
Four political scientists weigh in on what we know about opposition boycotts in authoritarian regimes such as Venezuela.
The Staff
When Opposition Boycotts Don't Work: A Venezuelan Story
Boycotts increase the likelihood of democratic reform--but only if the non-democratic regime is somewhat weak.
The Staff
Will Pelosi’s Power be Curtailed in the 117th Congress?
House Democrats’ smaller majority will likely have a counterintuitive effect on Speaker influence.
When ideology trumps democracy
Reelection concerns motivated many House Republicans to support the anti-democratic Texas lawsuit -- but ideology did too.
Seth Masket
Trump Will Still Lead the GOP
Do not expect Trump's influence over the GOP to wane once he's out of office.
Seth Masket
The Conversation Republicans Don’t Want to Have
The GOP needs to have a fight about whether Trump cost them the White House in 2020.
Seth Masket
Trump's Achievement - The Complete Delegitimization of the Electoral College
By showing the abuses possible with the Electoral College, Trump has created a situation where both parties should want to kill it.
Amy Erica Smith
Anti-democratic 💩 happens. Is it a coup? *
In which the author ponders a better vocabulary to describe authoritarian power grabs. Amy Erica Smith A funny thing keeps happening. It...
The Staff
Who will lead the House Democratic Party?
A lowdown on upcoming races for leadership posts in the U.S. House -- and why the speakership isn’t among them.
Julia Azari
For 4 years I've written that Trump was a disjunctive leader. Now I'm not so sure.
(photo credit: Ted Eytan) The 2020 election has, for the most part, concluded, and we’ve entered the phase where, as anticipated, the...
Jennifer N. Victor
Democracy is failing. Here’s what to do about it.
Read the room. Forget about Biden and Trump for just a moment. Look around and take stock of what’s happening. Regardless of which...