CUNY Hunter College Assymetric Polarization Worksheet

A number of scholars and political commentators have noted that dangers to the US’s democracy, focusing mainly
on the retreat from longstanding institutional norms and democratic values by the Republican Party (aka
‘asymmetric polarization’) as well as increased polarization in general, with some worrying that the US is headed
toward some form of democratic breakdown. Given this, respond to ALL of the following in one continuous essay:
What evidence for and/or against democratic decay do you find in:

i) electoral & party politics (including the role of interest groups & campaign financing)

ii) presidential & bureaucratic politics

iii) Congressional politics

vi) the courts
Finally,

v) are the strengths/weakness of the various institutions as noted by you in your response to

iv) due to
the Constitution itself? to something else? Explain.