The U.S. political system

A brief introduction

By Greg Nowell 10 August 2011

Red vs Blue states, as seen through gasoline prices and income

2008 U.S. presidential election by county

Adjusting visual size by county population (2008 presidential election)

Sources of divided government: institutional

• Three branches: legislative, judicial, executive

• Judiciary can veto legislation; lifetime appointments

• Legislature relatively impervious to rapid turnovers (gerrymandering for House, Senate terms of 6 years and only 1/3 up each election)

Sources of divided government: institutional

• Federal system of states where each state contains entire apparatus (legislature, executive, judicial) to be completely self-governing

• Electoral college’s effect on presidential campaign strategies

Supreme court and partisan politics

• Six justices in 1789• Seven in 1807• Nine in 1837• Ten in 1863• Nine in 1866• Eight in 1867• Nine in 1869

• Attempt to increase to 15 in 1937, “Packing the Supreme Court” controversy leads to “switch in time saves nine.”

• Governed by Article III of constitution “as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish”

Sources of divided government: historical

• Tudor polity• U.S. divided along a geographic political

economy (North versus South) in 19th c while Europe divided more on class lines

• Upper legislature was never “marginalized” like House of Lords or French Senate (17th amendment 1913 reinforced instead of limited Senate’s power)

Sources of divided govt: Historical (cont)

• Relatively minor losses in conflicts with other states reduced social pressure for welfare state

• Anti-communism of cold war led to an ideological movement that conflates any government initiative with “socialism”; contrasts with Christian Democratic support for “organic unity” in Europe

Sources of conflict: historical (cont.)

• Civil rights movements of 1960s and two decade rise of a Republican South

• Returning U.S. to pre-civil war political system of N vs S with the mid-west in play

Sources of divided government: cultural

• Fragmented educational system and standards; fragmented funding--Lack of history: “memory-less” culture--Lack of geographic consciousness, combined with world’s most homogeneous consumer culture (Home Depot, Wal-mart, McDonalds from sea to sea)--Market relationships as social relationships

• Decline of unions

• Decline of dominant 20th century media leading to “cocoons” (Internet, talk radio, home schooling, etc.)

Sources of divided government: cultural

• Religion, especially abortion/reproduction issues

• Populist “radicalism” as both progressive (Wilson/Bryan) and conservative (contemporary) force