Some Reading Material While We Wait
Steven L. Taylor
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Thursday, March 20, 2025
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11 comments
I am pleased to share that my (SLT) white paper “Trapped in a Two-Party System” was published online earlier this week by Protect Democracy.
No doubt some of OTB’s readers will be familiar with some of the ideas and arguments! But this is a more comprehensive treatment than the typical blog posts.
I look forward to hearing your comments.
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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Congrats! I’ll try to get to this tomorrow.
Back in elementary school, we read a story about a tiger whose had outgrown his cage in the zoo . It could only walk for steps in one direction, four in the other, and then it would turn around and repeat.
So with much fanfare a new cage was built. the tiger was transferred there, with a huge audience witnessing the event.
Upon entering its new, larger cage, the tiger took five steps in one direction, four steps in the other, and then turned around and repeated the motion.
I don’t recall if we were supposes to learn something from this, or if there was a point added as postscript to the story, I was reminded of it just now reading about your paper.
Congratulations, and welcome back all!
I think we need more congress people. I think more parties to give us more choices is great idea. But, does it really matter with the emergence of the unitary executive? Might change things at the state level but I think we should acknowledge that our government is essentially broken. I hope to be wrong but I think most of these decisions limiting Trump’s power will end up in SCOTUS and they will support the large majority of what he is doing. I also think Trump, really his advisors, will find creative ways to ignore and/or delay these initial rulings against them. SCOTUS will abet that effort.
Steve
Literally yesterday I recommended A Different Democracy to a student who has nascent ideas about how our system might be better. I’ll be happy to share this link as an addendum.
@steve: The House is waaaay too small for our population
@Meh: Awesome! Thanks!
@Steven L. Taylor: Would you consider joining our Signal group, if it works? Man, I’ve missed you! The last 5 days I JUST need something to READ!
@steve:
I read a piece by Harry Litman yesterday that speculates SCOTUS may not be the roundheels the Trumpists are assuming, I plan to write something on it in Friday’s forum.
“Talking Feds”
@charontwo: It’s interesting. My sense is that both Trump and Musk are the “make me!” kind of guys. So. I don’t think we’re all that likely to see the rhetoric abate. And that means we’re headed into uncharted territory.
@Jax: I am intrigued by the idea. I need to get Signal and would be interested in details.
@Jax: I am intrigued by the idea. I need to get Signal and would be interested in details.