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MISCHIEFS OF FACTION
Reflections on Parties and Their Place in Politics
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A dark day
The violent attack on the U.S. Congress put a glaring spotlight on two disturbing features of contemporary American politics.
Matthew Green
Jan 7, 20214 min read
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.
Gregory Koger
Jan 4, 20213 min read
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....
Julia Azari
Dec 31, 20206 min read
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.
Seth Masket
Dec 30, 20204 min read
The politics of governing with a tiny majority
Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats will be tested by their party’s smaller size.
Matthew Green
Dec 29, 20205 min read
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.
Seth Masket
Dec 23, 20204 min read
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...
Amy Erica Smith
Dec 18, 20204 min read
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.
The Staff
Dec 17, 20205 min read
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.
Amy Erica Smith
Dec 16, 20202 min read
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
Dec 16, 20204 min read
Will Pelosi’s Power be Curtailed in the 117th Congress?
House Democrats’ smaller majority will likely have a counterintuitive effect on Speaker influence.
The Staff
Dec 14, 20203 min read
When ideology trumps democracy
Reelection concerns motivated many House Republicans to support the anti-democratic Texas lawsuit -- but ideology did too.
Matthew Green
Dec 13, 20204 min read
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
Dec 9, 20203 min read
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
Dec 8, 20204 min read
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.
Seth Masket
Nov 23, 20203 min read
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...
Amy Erica Smith
Nov 20, 20204 min read
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.
The Staff
Nov 13, 20205 min read
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...
Julia Azari
Nov 10, 20204 min read
The Party of Self-Doubt
The winning party constructs narratives for a loss.
Seth Masket
Nov 8, 20204 min read
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...
Jennifer N. Victor
Nov 4, 20204 min read
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