Polarized Presidency

Polarized Presidency

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

Shame, Polarized Presidency, Trade Deals

Episode: Shame, Polarized Presidency, Trade Deals

  • Jun 2, 2015 9:00 pm
  • 20:35 mins

Guest: Robert Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science at San Francisco State University, Author of “Polarization and the Presidency: From FDR to Barack Obama”  In America today, people who identify as Republicans are more reliably conservative than they’ve been in 20 years. And Democrats are more reliably liberal. In other words, we’re an increasingly polarized nation where politics are concerned. A new book co-authored by San Francisco State University political scientist Robert Smith looks at the role presidents have played in driving the parties apart. His conclusions may surprise you: Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Barack Obama are among the most polarizing by his measures. But JFK, LBJ and George H.W. Bush and were not.  The book is titled, “Polarization and the Presidency - from FDR to Barack Obama.”

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