Understanding Our Divided American House
To many, the patchwork of red and blue states building up on the electoral map in early November—and especially the televised rancor that followed, revealed afresh the badly frayed state of our politics and led to worry what it might spell for our country. With each party facing existential choices over what they will stand for going forward, the mixed election results have prompted soul-searching among Republicans and Democrats alike. Yet, according to a slate of recently published books, our political divisions are deep and have been widening for some time. And while it'…