How polarization begets polarization ideological extremism in the US Congress Ideological extremism in the United States Congress Merrill, Samuel 1939- creator author. Grofman, Bernard author. Brunell, Thomas L. (Thomas Lloyd) 1968- author. text bibliography Electronic books. nyu 2024 2024 monographic eng remote 1 online resource (viii, 185 pages) : illustrations "Extreme polarization in American politics - and especially in the U.S. Congress - is perhaps the most confounding political phenomenon of our time. This book binds together polarization in Congress and polarization in the electorate within an ever-expanding feedback loop. This loop is powered by the discipline exerted by the respective political parties on their Congressional members and district candidates and maintained by the voters in each Congressional district who must choose between the alternatives offered. These alternatives are just as extreme in competitive as in lop-sided districts. Tight national party discipline produces party delegations in Congress that are each ideologically narrowly distributed but widely separated from one another. As district constituencies become more polarized and are egged on by activists, parties are further motivated to move past a threshold and appeal to their respective bases rather than to voters in the political center. America has indeed acquired parties with clear platforms - once thought to be a desirable goal, but these parties are now feuding camps. What resolution might there be? Just as the progressive movement slowly replaced the Gilded Age, might a new reform effort replace the current squabble? Or could an asymmetry develop in the partisan constraints that would lead to ascendancy of the center, or might a new and over-riding issue generate a cross-cutting dimension, opening the door to a new politics? Only the future will tell"-- Part 1. Where did polarization come from and why is it getting worse? -- Making sense of polarization -- How does party discipline generate polarization? -- Why, even in highly competitive districts, are candidate positions so different? -- Heterogeneity across districts and within-district partisan gap and proclivity -- Part 2. Consequences of polarization -- How do party loyalty and activist influence foster mobilizing the base? -- Consequences of polarized politics -- Discussion and conclusions -- Appendices. Samuel Merrill III, Bernard Grofman, and Thomas L. Brunell. Includes bibliographical references and index. n-us--- United States. Congress. United States. Congress Polarization (Social sciences) Political aspects United States Political parties United States Right and left (Political science) United States Radicalism United States 21st century Opposition (Political science) United States United States Politics and government 21st century Polarisation collective Aspect politique États-Unis Radicalisme États-Unis 21e siècle Opposition (Science politique) États-Unis États-Unis Politique et gouvernement 21e siècle Opposition (Political science) Political parties Politics and government Radicalism Right and left (Political science) United States Society & culture: general Society 2000-2099 fast JK1726 .M475 2024 306.2/60973 How polarization begets polarization Merrill, Samuel, 1939- New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2024] (DLC) 2023017662 (OCoLC) 1381732971 9780197745267 0197745261 9780197745243 0197745245 9780197745250 0197745253 9780197745236 9780197745229 2023017663 http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=https://academic.oup.com/book/55723 DLC 230424 20260318165735.3 in00005698583 eng