Laboratories Against Democracy: How National Parties Transformed State Politics

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As national political battles unfold at the state level, democracy suffers. Over the past generation, both the Democratic and Republican parties have evolved into nationally coordinated entities, while American political institutions remain decentralized. This dynamic illustrates how national political conflicts increasingly permeate state politics, significantly impacting public policy and democracy. Jacob Grumbach contends that as Congress faces gridlock, partisan groups are redirecting their focus to states, effectively nationalizing state politics and transforming state governments into key players in American policymaking. This shift has led to greater policy variation across states, with red and blue coalitions pursuing distinct agendas in areas such as health care, reproductive rights, and climate change. The implications extend further; Grumbach utilizes extensive data on state policy, public opinion, campaign financing, and democratic performance to demonstrate how national entities exploit state authority to suppress voting, gerrymander districts, and undermine democracy's foundations. Essential reading for our current political climate, this work reveals how the pursuit of national partisan goals at the state level exacerbates the challenges facing American democracy and questions whether state governments are alleviating or worsening today’s political crises.