MISCHIEFS OF FACTION

Reflections on Parties and Their Place in Politics

Mischiefs is Looking for a New Leadership Team

The Staff

Jun 26, 20232 min read

Mischiefs is Looking for a New Leadership Team

We are looking for a new editorial leadership team!

Matthew Green

Jun 1, 20234 min read

The debt limit bill passes the House

What the House's passage of the debt limit bill tells us about the speakership of Kevin McCarthy and political parties in Congress.

Matthew Green

Jan 8, 20236 min read

The struggle to select a Speaker

The historic and dramatic election for Speaker underscores some basic features of Congress and congressional parties.

The Speaker Fight through the Eyes of Lauren Boebert

Seth Masket

Jan 7, 20234 min read

The Speaker Fight through the Eyes of Lauren Boebert

Lauren Boebert had an awesome week, and not many people in the House did. She seemed to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

Democrats should propose a plurality rule for Speaker elections

Gregory Koger

Jan 4, 20233 min read

Democrats should propose a plurality rule for Speaker elections

Democrats could make a point of order at the conclusion of a Speaker ballot that a plurality is sufficient to win

Did Republican-Leaning Polls "Flood the Zone" in 2022?

The Staff

Dec 15, 20224 min read

Did Republican-Leaning Polls "Flood the Zone" in 2022?

2022 saw a rise in Republican-leaning pollsters as Election Day approached, which may have biased some aggregate forecasts.

Could a bipartisan coalition elect the next Speaker?

Matthew Green

Dec 14, 20224 min read

Could a bipartisan coalition elect the next Speaker?

State legislatures have sometimes chosen leaders with cross-party coalitions, but conditions in the U.S. House make it unlikely

Trump's Still Outside the GOP Establishment. That might matter more than you think.

Julia Azari

Nov 20, 20225 min read

Trump's Still Outside the GOP Establishment. That might matter more than you think.

The past couple of weeks have produced some very ambiguous news about the future of Trump and the GOP. One of the most prominent...

Seth Masket

Nov 13, 20222 min read

The States Swing Both Ways

Some states voted a lot more Democratic in 2022 than they did in 2020, and some voted a lot more Republican. Is this unusual?

These Two Big Unknowns Make the 2022 Midterms Unusually Unpredictable

Jonathan M. Ladd

Nov 4, 20222 min read

These Two Big Unknowns Make the 2022 Midterms Unusually Unpredictable

No one knows if Trump coalition will turnout. And no one knows whether Dobbs will disrupt the usual midterm backlash

Seth Masket

Nov 2, 20224 min read

Tomorrow’s Narratives Today!

We don't know the election results yet, but we know what pundits are going to say.

Matthew Green

Oct 5, 20223 min read

Assessing the “Commitment to America”

Like other congressional party platforms, it isn’t likely to influence the election -- but it does serve other purposes.

Journalists Sitting On Quotes Is Not Changing Events

Seth Masket

Sep 29, 20223 min read

Journalists Sitting On Quotes Is Not Changing Events

Reporters holding back juicy quotes is not affecting the outcome of events. The same information is almost always already out there.

Democratic backsliding is happening. Good thing we already know what to do.

Jennifer N. Victor

Sep 29, 20226 min read

Democratic backsliding is happening. Good thing we already know what to do.

Our ancestors taught us how to defeat autocracy in the U.S.; we should heed them. It's tempting to start a 10-year retrospective on...

Political parties in Congress: a ten-year retrospective

Matthew Green

Sep 27, 20223 min read

Political parties in Congress: a ten-year retrospective

Congressional parties have changed in the past decade -- and differently across parties and chambers.

Political Science Went Public. American Democracy Got Worse.

Julia Azari

Sep 27, 20225 min read

Political Science Went Public. American Democracy Got Worse.

What the last decade has shown us about polarization, leadership, and institutions.

Seth Masket

Sep 27, 20224 min read

With or Without Parties?

Are we still better off with parties than without them? What we've learned about their vulnerabilities and dangers in the past decade.

Are the Forecast Models just plain Wrong?

Seth Masket

Aug 24, 20224 min read

Are the Forecast Models just plain Wrong?

In 2022, what traditional forecast models are telling is wildly different from what everything else is telling us. Here's why.

The Staff

Aug 17, 20224 min read

Dobbs and the Sorting of America

by Casey Burgat Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) may be right (well, at least about one part of one thing): the institution-shaking Supreme...

Republicans Doing Normal Party Stuff in Colorado

Seth Masket

Jul 6, 20225 min read

Republicans Doing Normal Party Stuff in Colorado

Something interesting happened in last week's primary elections in Colorado. In several key races, the Republican Party seemed to rally...