Comments on: Ideology: Bush vs. Kerry http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/ideology_bush_vs_kerry/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:16:33 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Jeff Jenkins http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/ideology_bush_vs_kerry/comment-page-1/#comment-13499 Jeff Jenkins Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=5319#comment-13499 I agree and disagree with your critique of Poole-Rosenthal scores. You're right that the "center" of the larger citizen distribution does shift, based on shifts in the public's "mood." However, the variant of the Poole-Rosenthal technology that I incorporated in my piece has a dynamic element built into it... in a sense, all members of Congress across time were estimated at the same time. So the scores are legit, in that they are directly comparable across time. But I do agree with your associated point -- we've seen a dramatic polarization in the last two decades, with intrapartisan tightening also occuring. So, the relative meaning of terms like "centrist" or "extremist" does change. Re: ADA scores… unless you incorporate some manner of “inflation adjustment” (akin to the dynamic property in the Poole-Rosenthal estimation), you’re susceptible to time-variant measurement issues. Check out a piece by Tim Groseclose (APSR 1999, I believe) for background. I agree and disagree with your critique of Poole-Rosenthal scores. You're right that the "center" of the larger citizen distribution does shift, based on shifts in the public's "mood." However, the variant of the Poole-Rosenthal technology that I incorporated in my piece has a dynamic element built into it... in a sense, all members of Congress across time were estimated at the same time. So the scores are legit, in that they are directly comparable across time. But I do agree with your associated point -- we've seen a dramatic polarization in the last two decades, with intrapartisan tightening also occuring. So, the relative meaning of terms like "centrist" or "extremist" does change.

Re: ADA scores… unless you incorporate some manner of “inflation adjustment” (akin to the dynamic property in the Poole-Rosenthal estimation), you’re susceptible to time-variant measurement issues. Check out a piece by Tim Groseclose (APSR 1999, I believe) for background.

]]> By: Daniel W. Drezner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/ideology_bush_vs_kerry/comment-page-1/#comment-13501 Daniel W. Drezner Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=5319#comment-13501 <strong>How conservative is Bush? How liberal is Kerry?</strong> Northwestern University political scientists Jeffrey A. Jenkins has an interesting essay in today's Chicago Tribune on where George W. Bush and John Kerry stand in the political spectrum, using standard methods in the study of American political scienc... How conservative is Bush? How liberal is Kerry?
Northwestern University political scientists Jeffrey A. Jenkins has an interesting essay in today's Chicago Tribune on where George W. Bush and John Kerry stand in the political spectrum, using standard methods in the study of American political scienc...

]]> By: Signifying Nothing http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/ideology_bush_vs_kerry/comment-page-1/#comment-13502 Signifying Nothing Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=5319#comment-13502 <strong>More on NOMINATE</strong> James Joyner isn’t quite convinced of Jeff Jenkins’ argument that John Kerry is more conservative relative to Democratic presidents (historically) than George Bush is liberal, using Keith Poole and Howard Rosenthal’s NOMINATE method. ... More on NOMINATE
James Joyner isn’t quite convinced of Jeff Jenkins’ argument that John Kerry is more conservative relative to Democratic presidents (historically) than George Bush is liberal, using Keith Poole and Howard Rosenthal’s NOMINATE method. ...

]]> By: Insults Unpunished http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/ideology_bush_vs_kerry/comment-page-1/#comment-13503 Insults Unpunished Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=5319#comment-13503 <strong>Defining Your Opponent</strong> MetroWest Daily News - Columnists The Democrats have spent the last several months defining President Bush and in very harsh terms. Expect a lot of squealing as President Bush returns the favor in coming weeks. Kerry has shown no mercy... Defining Your Opponent
MetroWest Daily News - Columnists The Democrats have spent the last several months defining President Bush and in very harsh terms. Expect a lot of squealing as President Bush returns the favor in coming weeks. Kerry has shown no mercy...

]]> By: ProfessorBainbridge.com http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/ideology_bush_vs_kerry/comment-page-1/#comment-13504 ProfessorBainbridge.com Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=5319#comment-13504 <strong>Spinning the News</strong> Kevin Drum spins an analysis by Northwestern University political scientist Jeffrey A. Jenkins in the Chicago Tribune as showing that "Kerry is well toward the middle compared to past Democratic presidents," while "Bush is the second most extreme Repub... --- Spinning the News
Kevin Drum spins an analysis by Northwestern University political scientist Jeffrey A. Jenkins in the Chicago Tribune as showing that "Kerry is well toward the middle compared to past Democratic presidents," while "Bush is the second most extreme Repub...

---

]]>