GRAPH: Republicans Responsible For Hyper-Polarization Of Congress

[malaise]

Last edited Thu Mar 1, 2012, 06:43 PM - Edit history (1)

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/02/29/434262/graph-republicans-responsible-for-hyper-polarization-of-congress/
<snip>



Announcing her intention to retire yesterday, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) decried the “atmosphere of polarization” that she finds “frustrating.” While Snowe didn’t assign responsibility for the current climate of hyper-partisanship in Congress, a study by distinguished political science professor Keith Poole does. It should come as no surprise that the analysis finds Republicans are to blame for the gridlock.

Poole assessed all of the Republican and Democratic votes in the House and Senate from 1879 to 2011, and plotted both parties on a liberal to conservative axis. Poole’s study shows that beginning right around 1980, House Republicans began to vote in strict partisan lines considerably more than Democrats.

The graph shows that the Democrats have barely edged towards the left over the last 30 years, while both moderate and partisan House Republicans have veered way off to the extreme right. For instance, the partisan Republican (the “90% Republican”) in 2011 is hovering near the absolute threshold of the radical right. In comparison, the partisan Democrat (the “90% Democrat”) is far from his/her ideological extreme, having only made a negligible move to the left in the last 30 years. Even more critical is that a moderate Republican in 2011 (the “10% Republican”) is not really moderate anymore, having moved so far to the right that he/she is nearly as factional as the Democrat’s partisan member.

Poole’s study shows that House Republicans are more to blame than House Democrats for the lack of bipartisan compromise and overwhelming polarization that currently characterizes Congress. And considering Congress’s approval rating is 11% — lower than BP during its oil spill in 2010 — the American people are clearly fed up.

[2QT2BSTR8]

1. Did you mean to post the graphs twice?

Great post OP! K&R

[malaise]

6. No - thanks

[former9thward]

2. The major cause of polarization is redistricting.

Both parties have used the process to create safe districts for most Congresspeople. So they can vote along party lines without much fear of losing the next election. Congress has always had a low approval rating but people don't seem to vote that way. We'll see if that changes.

[pampango]

3. I think that has a lot to do with it, so it surprised me that polarization was so bad in the Senate

as well, where redistricting is not an issue.

[Old and In the Way]

4. I've wondered about that.

I think, generally speaking, that is true. And I think the redistricting is something that has been abused more so by the Republicans. Short term, this might have helped them to gain/retain seats in Congress...but I wonder if this actually will work against them in the long view? If they start losing races in districts that they customized for their electoral benefit, where do they find the votes then? They seem to be governing and legislating like their seats are permanent. But if they start losing elections in their gamed districts, I think they are done.

[Bruce Wayne]

5. Note the conservative veer among 10% Dems in the Civil Rights era

Also note the leftward lean among Republicans in the New Deal. Self preservation back then. Today's Republicans are so ideological, they'd rather lose their jobs than vote for sane policies.