Party Polarization in Congress [Hardcover]

This book examines how Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have become polarized since the early 1970s.Theriault examines more than 30 years of congressional history to understand how it is that the Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have become so divided. His research traces the rise in party polarization to procedures used during the legislative process and examines their origins and effects on legislative politics.Theriault examines more than 30 years of congressional history to understand how it is that the Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have become so divided. His research traces the rise in party polarization to procedures used during the legislative process and examines their origins and effects on legislative politics.The political parties in Congress are as polarized as they have been in 100 years. This book examines more than 30 years of congressional history to understand how it is that the Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have become so divided. It finds that two steps were critical for this development. First, the respective parties constituencies became more politically and ideologically aligned. Second, members, in turn, ceded more power to their party leaders, who implemented procedures more frequently and with greater consequence. In fact, almost the entire rise in party polarization can be accounted for in the increasing frequency of and polarization on procedures used during the legislative process.1. Party polarization in the US Congress; Part I. Building Blocks for Explaining Party Polarization: 2. A brief history of party polarization; 3. Explanations for party polarization; Part II. Constituency Change: 4. Redistricting; 5. The political and geographic sorting of constituents; 6. Extremisms of party activists; Part III. Institutional Change: 7. Connecting constituency change to institutional change; 8. The interaction in the legislative process; 9. The link between the House and Senate; 10. Procedural polarizló)