Another thought-provoking post, Bill. I will most definitely be using this with my Government students next year when we discuss political parties & partisanship. I might even give it to my U.S. History students next year when we start discussing Jefferson & the emergence of political parties in the early 1800s.
An editing note: You said “But by the beginning of the 20th century, the middle had vanished.” Did you mean to say that the middle had vanished by the beginning of the 21st century?
I understand the factors you outline driving partisanship, but you (like much of the press and punditry) give the misleading impression that it’s been basically symmetrical on both sides. Yet, on the Democratic side, the partisans have often lost out, with more centrist contenders like Carter, Clinton and Biden beating more progressive rivals, while the Republicans meanwhile have gone off the absolute, looney-tunes deep end.
Another thought-provoking post, Bill. I will most definitely be using this with my Government students next year when we discuss political parties & partisanship. I might even give it to my U.S. History students next year when we start discussing Jefferson & the emergence of political parties in the early 1800s.
An editing note: You said “But by the beginning of the 20th century, the middle had vanished.” Did you mean to say that the middle had vanished by the beginning of the 21st century?
I understand the factors you outline driving partisanship, but you (like much of the press and punditry) give the misleading impression that it’s been basically symmetrical on both sides. Yet, on the Democratic side, the partisans have often lost out, with more centrist contenders like Carter, Clinton and Biden beating more progressive rivals, while the Republicans meanwhile have gone off the absolute, looney-tunes deep end.
I was not aware that the New Deal programs were unpopular amongst poor, Southern whites. Interesting