Nashville Sounding Board

Trying something new for the final episode of 2018! Vanderbilt University Professor Larry Bartels discusses his book, Democracy for Realists, with guest host and Governing Magazine writer John Buntin. Bartels also discusses what identity politics means and why politics today is more partisan than ever. (Scroll down for list of books mentioned) Topics by minute: 2:30 - "The Folk Theory of Democracy" 3:30 - How well informed are voters? 5:18 - Impact of the economy on voting behavior 7:40 - Thermostatic nature of American politics 11:13 - Voters blaming Presidents for natural disasters 14:20 - Are elections a game of musical chairs? 15:40 - Swing voters 17:05 - Partisanship as identity 18:30 - Religion and reinforcing identities 23:20 - Polarization 26:35 - Race and "collapse of liberalism" 29:21 - Shift beginning in 1964 31:15 - Racial backlash or "white southern identity?" 34:48 - Race and party affiliation post Obama 40:42 - Trump and the racialized lens 43:09 - What was most striking about Trump's campa