Larry Bartels, “Is the Water Rising?”

PS: Political Science and Politics, 26 Jan. 39, 1

Shock and Shame of Katrina (39)

What a shocked world saw in New Orleans was the reality of race and class in

contemporary America.

Policy Response?

Bush promised “bold action,” but little resulted.

…

Critique of Weissberg (39)

Weissberg: Missed the Point that Capitalism is the Problem

He criticized the APSA Report for its alarmist tone. But, there is cause

for alarm, and it is not coming from a secret cabal to overthrow the

government, but from the forces of market capitalism.

…

Defining Democracy (39)

Weissberg Believed APSA Report Did Not Properly Define Democracy

Bartels’ Definition:Two Part Definition:

1) “Implies a systematic correspondence between the preferences of citizens and the policies adopted by elected representatives.

2) “Responsiveness of the government to the preferences of its citizens, considered as equals.” (Robert Dahl)

…

Democracy in the US (40)

How is US doing as a Democracy?

Study of Senate Votes

How do Senate votes match the policy preference of their constituents based on class?

The Answer: The Senate completely ignored the preferences (measured by support, by class, for certain policies) of the lower class

in three successive Congresses (101-103rd, 1989-1994).

…

Reasons for US Failure to Address Inequality: Republican Politics (41)

APSA Report Too Timid: Neglects to Blame Republicans (41)

“APSA points to structural and cultural factors ranging from the

fragmentation of American policy-making institutions to the ideological appeal

of economic opportunity and limited govt.”

They failure to mention what Bartels thinks is most important: the implications of differing policies between Democrats and Republicans. In this way, he thinks the Task Force took its non partisan mandate too far.

…

Republicans and Poverty (41)

How might we measure the effects of a particular party on rates of poverty to the other?

Hibbs: Studied Effects of Party on InequalityWhat he found was that poor did worse under Republican presidents. Middle and upper class have done well under Democrats and Republicans, but “Republican presidents have been consistently bad for economic health of…poor people.” (41)

Bartels: Summary

Weissberg is Wrong: Politics Matters

Weissberg attacked Great Society, saying government programs don’t help the

poor. Butt Hibbs research shows that it does help the poor.

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