The phantom of a polarized America : myths and truths of an ideological divide / Manabu Saeki.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Saeki, Manabu, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Divided government--United States.

Divided government.

Party affiliation--United States.

Party affiliation.

Polarization (Social sciences).

United States.

Political parties--United States.

Political parties.

Polarization (Social sciences)--United States.

Ideology--United States.

Ideology.

Political culture--United States.

Political culture.

Politics, Practical--United States.

Politics, Practical.

Politics and government.

United States--Politics and government.

Physical Description:

xvii, 197 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York Press, [2016]

Summary:

Indicates how the rightward shift in the ideology of House Republicans has been mistaken for a broader "polarization" of both parties as well as voters. There is a widespread belief that American politics is becoming more polarized, in the sense that the Republican Party and electorate are becoming more conservative while the Democratic Party and electorate are becoming more liberal. But is this truly the case? The Phantom of a Polarized America places widely held scholarly assumptions about the "polarization" of American politics under the microscope and tests them to determine their veracity. In the case of Congress, Manabu Saeki reveals that contrary to popular beliefs, polarization is largely due to the rightward shift of Republican legislators without any corresponding leftward shift by Democratic legislators. The conservative shift of House Republican ideology has produced a rightward shift of Republican voters, and conservative voters in the Democratic Party have switched to the Republican Party, resulting in a more liberal Democratic Party overall. Saeki concludes that the so-called "polarization" of American politics is largely a phantom being; in truth, it is a neo-conservative movement led by House Republicans. Manabu Saeki is Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Jacksonville State University. He is the author of The Other Side of Gridlock: Policy Stability and Supermajoritarianism in U.S. Lawmaking, also published by SUNY Press.

Contents:

List of tables and figures

Introduction

Electorate

Congress

Ideology of partisan voters and congressional members

Policy change

Veto and override

Partisanship

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 177-193) and index.

ISBN:

9781438459073

1438459076

OCLC:

940922093