CPS Blog
The Center for Political Studies (CPS) is a non-partisan research center. Posts are not endorsements.
The American Century is Over
By James D. Morrow January 19, 2025 was the last day of the American Century. More precisely and less melodramatically, the liberal international order created by the United States in the aftermath of World War II is gone. Some would say, “Good riddance.” But my...
In Michigan, conspiracy thinking can be rooted in real historic harm
Conspiracy thinking may result from paranoia or misinformation — but it’s often rooted actual harms and well-earned mistrust in government.
Who’s to Blame for Runaway Presidential Power?
Americans designed the government so that one guy can’t screw the whole thing up. It hasn’t worked out that way: Congress and voters are responsible.
US Democratic Decline in Global Perspective
Experts agree that freedom and democracy in the United States are in decline. This backsliding is part of a global trend, but is not inevitable.
How Did We Get Here? Pt. 2
Robert Mickey highlights the role of America’s history of white supremacy and the radicalization of the Republican Party.
How Did We Get Here? Pt. 1
How did we arrive at this political moment? The racial divide is the most significant divide in American politics, says Vincent Hutchings.
Three Reasons Why Congress Isn’t Checking Executive Overreach
The second administration of President Donald Trump has opened with a cyclone of directives that many political scientists view as a threat to American democracy. The shuttering of departments and entities created by Congress, the attempt to shift the Congressional...
What is unique about executive orders under the second Trump administration? And will they succeed?
The EOs under the Trump administration are “unprecedented because they are illegal power grabs by design.”
The ANES at 75: Historical Trends
At 75 years, the American National Election Studies (ANES) now comprises data on a third of all presidential elections in U.S. history. Duke political scientist John Aldrich has written that the ANES has provided a research design and common core measurement...
The ANES at 75: What have we learned from the American National Election Studies?
One of the early discoveries of the founders of the American National Election Studies (ANES) was that psychological attachments to parties themselves are group identities: Americans often vote as their parents did, and maintain allegiance to parties over time. The...
