Polarized America and solutions

An important and highly significant study by Nolan McCarty, Keith T. Poole, and Howard Rosenthal demonstrates how American politics has become more polarized and finds some of the causes.

The major cause is the rising income inequality which is also related to rising immigration. The evidence for polarization is the voting records of the House and Senate. The average position of Democrats and Republicans have diverged markedly since the mid 70's. That followed a 50-year trend of diminished polarization. The turning point occurs at the same time as income inequality grows after a long decline and the percentage of foreign born begins to rise. Other related factors increase ideological polarization while some traditional explanations, i.e. redistricting,primary elections; can be ruled out. This increase in a class-based, two-party system has benefited the Republicans and mirrored the patterns of economic polarization of parties found in other areas of the world. More information on Senate and House vote analysis is here.

In analyzing what the Democratic party can do about a class war which they are losing Richard Florida argues for Democratic positions that benefit the creative class as well as the working class and poor.

Stephen Rose demonstrates that populism, in terms of only social safety-net programs and strict business regulation, directly benefit less than a quarter of American workers.

Jared Bernstein advocates policy positions based on community interests or full-employment as the shift to individual-incentive economic policies have demonstratively failed under the Bush administration. This is shown by rising profits and GDP but falling employee incomes and rising poverty. His response to criticism of this policy frame-work as not politically fruitful.

An evolving experiment in radical solutions to inequality - Venezuela.

Tags: politics, polarization, class, Venezuela, inequality