@article{2017:braml:the_party_,
title = {The Party Is Over: Zum Zustand der Parteien und des politischen Systems in den USA},
year = {2017},
note = {Unlike in parliamentary systems, policy-making in the United States is
not driven by political parties . Their roles have been assumed by
“issue networks” or “advocacy coalitions”, whose like-minded
participants - members of the administration and Congress, campaign
managers, lobbyists, experts and journalists - try to implement their
ideas and interests . Structural changes, in particular the Supreme
Court’s campaign finance rulings, have weakened political parties
further and offered political entrepreneurs even more room to
manoeuvre . PACs and interest-driven advocacy think tanks have
emulated interest groups’ lobbying und grass roots strategies .
Their positioning for deregulation and small government gives them a
leg up in fundraising activities, because laissez-faire interested
donors assume that think tanks not only influence policy-making
directly, but also via the media by setting the agenda .
Commercialized and politicized media also contribute to the
polarization, which paralyzes the political system and undermines its
legitimization . Contrary to many German observers’ expectations
after Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential elections and
“his” Republican “party” in Congressional elections, the
alleged “most powerful man in the world” will not be able to
implement his policy goals and “make America great again” to
improve the output-legitimacy of the U .S . democracy .},
journal = {ZParl Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen},
pages = {423--439},
author = {Braml, Josef},
volume = {48},
number = {2}
}