Nearly one of every four people in the US is unaffiliated, which has prompted speculation that this would increase support for liberal policies. A scholar provides some lessons from history.
Daniel Wirls, University of California, Santa Cruz
Republicans were able to push through a tax plan and a flurry of judicial nominees after the Senate curtailed use of the filibuster. It’s time to go all the way.
Doug Jones has won a tough battle to represent Alabama in the US Senate; meanwhile, the crucial byelection in Bennelong is neck-and-neck, with huge implications for the government if it loses.
The White House is deciding whether or not to stay in the Paris climate agreement. But a large majority of Americans – including Trump voters – want the U.S. to participate and lead.
As America becomes more diverse, many think it will also become more progressive. But one analysis of demographic trends points to gains for Republicans.
Roy T. Meyers, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
A 2010 law that requires the executive branch to set goals and an obscure Senate rule may be the Democrats’ best chance to influence GOP plans to repeal and replace Obamacare.
An analysis of more than 30 years of congressional voting reveals that a few key members of Congress determine whether a president will achieve their agenda. Who are they, and can Trump win them over?
Trump’s noxiousness aside, it remains the economy, and the Democrats’ abandonment of their traditional base that explains Trump’s ascent, according to American commentator Thomas Frank.
As deadlines loom large for Congress, is there any hope for avoiding gridlock? A political scientist examines one common, informal way members build relationships across the aisle.
Ian Anson, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
New research shows that ideological media employ a powerful method to bias partisans’ economic beliefs. In turn, partisans perform mental gymnastics worthy of Simone Biles to preserve those biases.
Trump revisited familiar themes during his economic address in Detroit and offered a few new ones. Two of our economic experts express their takeaways.
Elected officials and the media are in cahoots. Both have succumbed to a two-party system that treats voters not as independent thinkers, but as blind partisans.
Professor in U.S. Politics and U.S. Foreign Relations at the United States Studies Centre and in the Discipline of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney