, Columnist
American Politics Are Not (Yet) Broken
Biden’s success with the infrastructure bill shows that the median voter theorem still holds.
In general, they know what they are doing.
Photographer: Darren Hauck/Getty Images North AmericaThis article is for subscribers only.
As President Joe Biden moves toward another legislative victory — namely, the $550 billion infrastructure bill — it’s worth asking what its success says about American politics. Mostly it’s good news, whether or not you agree with the policies of the Biden administration.
The most enduring truth is that the median voter theorem, as social scientists refer to it, continues to explain a lot of political outcomes. In an era supposedly marked by gridlock and polarization, a centrist infrastructure bill is on the verge of passage.