Suchergebnisse

PARTY IDENTIFICATION SHOULD BE DEFINED BY THE ROOT QUESTION: "GENERALLY SPEAKING, DO YOU USUALLY THINK OF YOURSELF AS A REPUBLICAN, A DEMOCRAT, AN INDEPENDENT, OR WHAT?" WITH THIS DEFINITIONAL BASE, THE PARTISAN BALANCE BETWEEN DEMOCRATICS AND REPUBLICANS FROM 1952 TO 1980 SHOWS NO EVIDENCE OF REALIGNMENT OUTSIDE THE SOUTH, BELYING THE IMPLICATIONS OF MARKUS-CONVERSE AND FIORINA'S ANALYSES THAT SUGGEST VOLATILITY IN RESPONSE TO SHORT-TERM INFLUENCES. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT THE CORRELATION BETWEEN PARTY IDENTIFICATION AND VOTER CHOICES FOR PRESIDENT ARE VERY CONSTANT OVER TIME IN THE SOUTH AS WELL AS OUTSIDE THE SOUTH. PARTY LINE VOTING BY PARTY IDENTIFIERS VARIED BY REGION AND PARTY BUT DID NOT DECREASE BETWEEN 1952 AND 1988.

BEGINNING WITH 1952, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS WON SEVEN OF 10 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. IN THIS ESSAY, THE AUTHORS CHALLENGE THE ACCEPTED VIEW THAT ATTRIBUTES THIS REPUBLICAN SUCCESS "TO A COMBINATION OF PERSONALITY FACTORS, SUPERIOR CAMPAIGN STRATEGY, AD HOC POLITICAL EVENTS, AND PLAIN GOOD FORTUNE." INSTEAD, THEY ATTRIBUTE THE REPUBLICAN VICTORIES AND DEMOCRATIC DEFEATS TO THEIR DIFFERING MACROECONOMIC POLICIES. THEY CONTEND THAT THE DEMOCRATIC POLICIES ARE BASED ON REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE REPUBLICAN ON CONTROLLING INFLATION. THEY ALSO ARGUE THAT THE DEMOCRATIC POLICIES ON UNEMPLOYMENT GOALS ARE SHORT-LIVED AND ARE FOLLOWED BY INCREASED INFLATION.

MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR WILLIAM WELD IS MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. IN THIS INTERVIEW, WELD ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON TAXES, CRIME, AND OTHER ISSUES.