MISCHIEFS OF FACTION

Reflections on Parties and Their Place in Politics

The Mandalorian, and when government fails

Seth Masket

Dec 11, 20193 min read

The Mandalorian, and when government fails

How "The Mandalorian" shows the problems of Imperial decline.

Political beings are we, not this crude matter.

The Staff

Dec 10, 20192 min read

Political beings are we, not this crude matter.

Announcing some political "Star Wars" content as we await the new film.

Kamala Harris is out. What have we learned about party politics?

Julia Azari

Dec 3, 20194 min read

Kamala Harris is out. What have we learned about party politics?

ProPublica’s Dara Lind tweeted earlier today that the correct analogy for Kamala Harris was the 2016 bid of Scott Walker – not Marco...

Not all Democratic primary voters are as “woke” as your Twitter feed

The Staff

Dec 3, 20194 min read

Not all Democratic primary voters are as “woke” as your Twitter feed

Many engaged Democrats debate the merits of the large field of presidential candidates on social media, and this conversation can...

What explains the troubles facing Evo Morales, Trump, and Lula? Maybe the problem is the presidency.

Amy Erica Smith

Nov 27, 20197 min read

What explains the troubles facing Evo Morales, Trump, and Lula? Maybe the problem is the presidency.

The culprit isn’t just norms--it’s the rules of the presidency itself. By Amy Erica Smith It’s been an exhausting year for those of us...

To understand why Republicans are sticking with Trump, think like a gambler

Jennifer N. Victor

Nov 27, 20194 min read

To understand why Republicans are sticking with Trump, think like a gambler

Aversion to loss, fueled by polarization, explains why a disgraced Trump is better for Republicans than President Pence

How to Detect Election Fraud: the Bolivian Example

The Staff

Nov 25, 20196 min read

How to Detect Election Fraud: the Bolivian Example

By Dr. Calla Hummel and V. Ximena Velasco-Guachalla A basic challenge for any democracy is to accurately count votes, both to ensure the...

Seth Masket

Nov 25, 20192 min read

Approval ratings and vote shares

Using approval ratings to predict vote shares finds that the odds are difficult for Trump's reelection, but not prohibitive.

India’s Ayodhya Verdict Threatens Democracy, not Secularism

The Staff

Nov 22, 20195 min read

India’s Ayodhya Verdict Threatens Democracy, not Secularism

India's Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Hindu god in the country's most famous religious dispute. Why is there so little protest?

House Republicans are drawing from the minority party playbook

Matthew Green

Nov 21, 20194 min read

House Republicans are drawing from the minority party playbook

Republicans' defense of presidential conduct and complaints about unfair proceedings are par for the course for a House minority party.

When Trump’s coattails just weren't enough

The Staff

Nov 20, 20194 min read

When Trump’s coattails just weren't enough

In the recent KY-GOV race, Bevin only won among Trump supporters, while Beshear made inroads among various parts of the population.

Jennifer N. Victor

Nov 13, 20194 min read

A simple model of political engagement

In a chaotic, polarized, upsetting political environment, add value to discourse by engaging as a consumer, observer, and producer.

Who gets the nomination will tell us a lot about how strong the party is

Seth Masket

Nov 12, 20194 min read

Who gets the nomination will tell us a lot about how strong the party is

What would each nominee tell us about the strengths of the party?

Why don’t more than 5 million Americans have proper congressional representation?

The Staff

Nov 11, 20196 min read

Why don’t more than 5 million Americans have proper congressional representation?

by Julia Marin Hellwege In the United States, today, over 5 million Americans don’t have access to proper congressional representation...

Sorry, Wisconsin, the Presidential Election Could be a Blowout

Gregory Koger

Nov 8, 20194 min read

Sorry, Wisconsin, the Presidential Election Could be a Blowout

President Trump's net approval is negative in 34 of 51 states + DC, totaling 391 Electoral College votes.

Don’t read too much into last week’s impeachment vote

The Staff

Nov 6, 20194 min read

Don’t read too much into last week’s impeachment vote

Despite not getting one Republican to back their impeachment inquiry, House Democrats shouldn’t lose all hope of GOP support later on.

The Staff

Nov 4, 20194 min read

What Tunisia’s Elections Mean for Women

Women's representation dropped dramatically following the last election. But it's not because Tunisians suddenly became more conservative.

Impeachment won't answer the questions we need to ask

Julia Azari

Nov 4, 20197 min read

Impeachment won't answer the questions we need to ask

So, the House has voted to open an impeachment inquiry against President Trump. In practice, this means that more of the hearings will be...

How can we improve Native American representation in Congress?

The Staff

Oct 31, 20195 min read

How can we improve Native American representation in Congress?

In the first of two posts about Native American representation, Dr. Julia Marin Hellwege explains how the complex status of Native...

Gender, Scandal, and Exit--Katie Hill's Retirement in Perspective

Gregory Koger

Oct 29, 20195 min read

Gender, Scandal, and Exit--Katie Hill's Retirement in Perspective

The Hill resignation is not an isolated incident. Chasing female legislators from Congress based on their husband's behavior is a tradition.