Greenwald’s article, A Democratic Majority, Maybe, but Not a Permanent One, touches upon many of the themes studied this semester. He begins with the recent history of back-and-forth “re-aligning victories” between the Republican and Democratic parties. Like Abramson, Ceaser, and Brady, Greenwald argues that partisan triumphalism has been proven short-lived and wrong. With the 2012 election looming and a G.O.P Party in disarray, Greenwald refutes the possibility of the Republican Party’s extinction. Instead, he argues that “when a political party begins to fail competitively, as the G.O.P. is clearly doing now, it simply rebrands itself.”
Greenwald’s article continues on to discuss the two major political parties’ proven ability to adapt in the face of competitive adversity. Greenwald’s discussion mirrors the articles by Nordhaus and Hayward and the future of America’s dominant political ideologies. Just as the Republican and Democratic Party will never ensure permanent majority neither will conservatism or liberalism. However, the two argue that in order to remain effective governing entities the conservatives and liberals must adapt their policies to remain politically viable. Although Greenwald’s view on the American electorate is shallower, his fundamental argument about the future of America’s political parties is in line with Nordhaus and Hayward’s articles.
Monday, March 5, 2012
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Great post Amy. I think you really hit the nail on the head. Public opinions are especially volatile in the United States, leaving no room for complacency for political parties. Moreover, Nordhaus and Hayward do indeed make quite valid points that in order to be effective, both political parties will have to make some compromising concessions in order to remain credible and valuable. Although often times it seems that political polarization will continue increasing, the parties will always reach a point where common ground must be found in order to maintain their integrity.
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