American politics as usual

From dKosopedia

Category: ThinkTank

American politics as usual is much studied and debated by the pundits who observe the political process and its trends at federal, state and local levels. Techniques that originate at one level usually quickly appear at the other levels, and imported tactics from British politics as usual, Canadian politics as usual and Australian politics as usual are also often attempted. Sometimes strategists who have advised foreign governments advise US domestic parties too.

Not all techniques obviously are portable into or out of the American context. For instance a powerful gun lobby is unique to the United States, and only a few other countries (Russia, the UK, France, China) have a true military-industrial complex. And, thanks in part to propaganda about the horrifying U.S. Civil War and its aftermath, it has been historically difficult for US states to get sovereignty movements much publicity (unlike say Canada or the UK where there are very strong separatist/sovereignty parties in Scotland, Wales, Quebec, etc.). It does seem however that over time, politics as usual is being made more similar by the globalized mass media. In time, techniques unique to the USA will be few in number.

A good snapshot of American politics as usual at the present time is the Kossary, which lists the idioms observed inside the Beltway today.

Sources

A list of sources, articles and explorations of American politics as usual: