Book Review: Why We're Polarized

Scott's own review of Ezra Klein's Why We're Polarized. Lays out Klein's historical answer (the post-1964-CRA Dixiecrat realignment sorted the parties, letting latent polarization run) and structural answers (identity alignment, nationalization of news/loss of geography, negative partisanship, 'Republicans suck'). Scott engages critically -- pushes back on the Republicans-are-worse chapter (the intersectionality counterpoint), digs into the time-course (Congress ~1975, normal people ~2000-2005, causes unclear), notes the cross-country data undercutting the social-media story, and prefers Klein's vetocracy/'Why We Can't Build' work.

Quality 76 · Excellent. Excellent-floor: a substantive, critically-engaged review that adds real analysis beyond the book (the time-course investigation, the intersectionality pushback, the vetocracy connection); one of his stronger political-science reviews.

Claude’s paradigm shift 50 · Moderate. Moderate: the framework is Klein's; Scott's critical additions add value but this is a review, not an original thesis.

Real-world impact 2 · Minor. Minor/within-discourse: engages the live polarization/vetocracy conversation but has no direct material footprint.