3. Current state of US politics Flashcards
What does Abramowitz argue?
- public is highly polarised leads to highly polarised elites/politicians
- while divides on issues isn’t new, the way they map onto modern party structure is
- one party has embraced changes of past 50 years, other feels threatened by them
What is McPolitics
parties have become more nationalised in what they offer, rather than being specific to local areas
greater straight ticket voting now
what is the trend in party identification, party loyalty and negative partisanship?
party loyalty: increased
party identification: decreased
negative partisanship: increased
Which divide is the most recent source of difference between the parties and since when?
cultural (social issues) since the 1970s
Which four groups made up FDR’s support base?
Those hit worse by great depression
- white southerners
- heavily unionised white north working class
- north white ethnics
- African Americans
Why did the FDR supporting groups fracture?
- growth of middle class
2. civil rights movement + growing Black electorate
Democratic voters want Dems to be more ___
Rep votes want GOP to be more ___
moderate
conservative
Who’s campaign video demonstrates that GOP voters want them to be more conservative?
Brian Kemp
How did FDR define the democrats?
as a party for working-class people as opposed to big business/the wealthy
when was the period of dealignment?
after the 64, in the 70s and 80s, ticket splitting at an all time high
deep south was solid blue even in a landslide election for ___
Eisenhower
When do we see a sharp increase in party loyalty and what is one of the reasons why?
after the midterm elections of 1994
Newt Gingrich’s aggressive campaign style - nationalising the election
however, the strategy worked only because of the gradual increase over two decades in GOP identification among traditionally Democratic voting groups
since 1990 there has been a sharp increase in the proportion of house contests won by the candidate of the favored presidential party
