Divided Union

Dario Moreno is an Associate Professor in the Department of Politics & International Relations at Florida International University. Eduardo Gamarra is a Professor in the Department of Politics & International Relations at Florida International University.Rep. Patrick E. Murphy represented Florida's 18th district, covering the Treasure Coast and northern Palm Beach County, from 2013 until 2017. He is now Executive Vice President of Coastal Construction Group and a Senior Fellow at Florida International University's Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs.Rep. David Jolly represented Florida's 13th Congressional District, including the communities of St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and surrounding beaches, from 2014 until 2017. He is now Executive Vice President of Shumaker Advisors Florida and a political analyst for the networks and media platforms of NBC Universal.

• List of Editors and Contributors Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter One: The Geography of Polarization Chapter Two: Demographic Change Chapter Three: The Polarization of the Media Chapter Four: Gerrymandering Chapter Five: Money in Politics Chapter Six: The Structure of Primaries Chapter Seven: No Regular Order Chapter Eight: Cameras and Legislative Committees Chapter Nine: The Demise of Relationships in Washington, D.C. Chapter Ten: The Disappearance of Bipartisan Representation Conclusion

Praise for A Divided Union"Over the past several decades, the institutions and norms that our political system had come to depend on have deteriorated as hyper-partisanship has taken an even greater hold. It is vital that Congress – and indeed, the American electorate – rededicates itself to comity and compromise before these necessary principles are lost forever. A Divided Union investigates the deep-rooted causes of our political dysfunction, and proposes solutions that all students of American politics should heed."-- Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME)"The strength of the American character has long derived from our ability to forge consensus and rise to the challenges before us. Yet the growing divide between the parties has hastened the deterioration of our political discourse, as well as prevented us from addressing the vast number of urgent issues we face as a country. It is my hope that the root causes addressed in A Divided Union reignite a much-need discussion on the state of our politics, and that our elected leaders soon rise to the occasion this moment demands."-- Former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL)"This is an immensely readable book that is familiar with the scholarly literature yet doesn’t get bogged down in academic debate that would be superfluous in a reader for undergraduates. The chapter on the impact of the media on Congress is the best short treatment of the subject I’ve seen. In sum, this is one of those rare textbooks that would actually be fun to read."-- Ross Baker, Rutgers University