Americans Prize Party Loyalty Over Democratic Principles

[boutons_deux]

only a small fraction of U.S. voters are willing to sacrifice their partisan and policy interests to defend democratic principles.

only 3.5% of U.S. voters would cast ballots against their preferred candidates as punishment for undemocratic behavior, such as supporting gerrymandering, disenfranchisement, or press restrictions.

U.S. voters, regardless of their party affiliation, are willing to forgive undemocratic behavior to achieve their partisan ends and policy goals,”

In 2016, only about 5% of U.S. House district candidates won their seats by a margin of less than 7% — making the potential loss of 3.5% in vote share unlikely to deter candidates from engaging in undemocratic behavior,

For the most part, people support candidates who share their goals, even if that means condoning undemocratic behavior.

in the overwhelming majority of House districts, a majority-party candidate could get away with openly violating a democratic principle,”

https://scienceblog.com/517971/study...nceBlog.com%29

[Spurminator]

Depressing study, but this is why oversight and separation of powers are so important. Until the public has faith that leaders from either side will be kept in check and prevented from executing undemocratic policies, they're going to vote against the side that they fear will execute such policies.

If you told me that the Democrats I am voting for were going to gerrymander new districts that favor Democrats, I would be against such gerrymandering, but it's certainly not going to make me vote for Republicans who I have every expectation are going to do the same thing in their favor.

So honestly this is less about partisanship among voters and more about our limp oversight.

[DMC]

OP, no! really? You'd never know that by reading this forum.

[BSfromTX]

Which it is why it is important to step away from this two party paradigm and at least entertain the idea that both sides are being played. We have seen both sides beg to give up liberties and freedoms when it suits their political interests. This is just another example of pushing the cons ution aside when it is an inconvenience.