An 89-4 vote nobody is talking about
An 89-4 Senate cloture vote on AGOA trade extension drew dissent only from Paul, Sanders, Warren, and Kaine — a small case study in how the middle actually governs.
Most of us are in the middle.
Almost none of the money is.
Political donations come overwhelmingly from the hardest partisans — so politicians answer to the edges, not to the majority. The Middle covers the news, the people, and the reforms that give moderate voters what they've been missing: representation.
Wall of Fame
Political bravery, on the record.
Sen. Margaret Chase Smith The senator who stood up to her own party firstSee the full wall →Wall of Shame
Extreme partisanship, on the record.
Sen. Joseph McCarthy The demagogue his own colleagues finally condemnedSee the full wall →Latest from The Middle
Why the middle gets outspent
Most Americans hold mixed, moderate views. Almost none of the money in politics comes from them — and candidates notice.
What we mean by "the middle" (it isn't mush)
Centrism has a reputation for splitting the difference. That's not what representing the majority means.
Alaska showed what happens when candidates need everyone's vote
After Alaska adopted its top-four open primary with ranked-choice general elections, candidates had a reason to campaign beyond their base.
Spotlight: the Problem Solvers Caucus
Problem Solvers Caucus — U.S. House of Representatives (bipartisan caucus)
Roughly sixty House members, split evenly between the parties, who agree to negotiate before they posture. It's harder than it sounds.