Battlegrounds to Bipartisanship: The Effect of Military Experience on Bipartisanship in the U.S. Congress
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- The U.S. Congress has become increasingly polarized over the last few decades, at times struggling to move past partisan divides to pass legislation, ultimately leading to little public trust in the institution. Meanwhile, for years, polling of the American public has shown the U.S. military to be among the most trusted institutions. Military service is often considered a crucial part of an individual’s identity. It is commonly cited to lend credibility to public figures’ published opinions and can serve as a major part of the platform on which veterans run for elected offices. Existing literature finds that military experience does impact mindsets on ideological issues such as defense budget and use of force, but the literature often fails to distinguish between relevant types of military service, such as branch, length, generation, and component. This thesis considers the effect of military experience, including various differentiators of that service, on bipartisanship in Congress. I collect data on the military background of Congress Members from 1991-2021, and I find that military service does correlate with higher bipartisanship or less partisanship, as measured in roll-call voting, bill sponsorship, and rhetoric. Length of military service and other differentiators, however, do not have a significant effect. I posit, therefore, that this increase in bipartisanship is due to self-selection and not socialization. Rather than any values learned from the military leading to bipartisanship, patriotism may prompt some to enter both the military and then Congress, as they serve their country through problem-solving that often necessitates bipartisanship. This finding highlights the importance of encouraging a strong national identity if we are to uphold a functional and flourishing democracy.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Date modified | December 5, 2022 |
| Publication date | June 1, 2022; May 27, 2022 |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Jantz, Deborah |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor | Sagan, Scott |
| Thesis advisor | Felter, Joe |
| Thesis advisor | Robinson, Michael |
| Degree granting institution | Stanford University |
| Department | Center for International Security and Cooperation |
Subjects
| Subject | United States. Congress |
|---|---|
| Subject | Veterans |
| Subject | Partisanship |
| Genre | Text |
| Genre | Thesis |
Bibliographic information
Access conditions
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY).
Preferred citation
- Preferred citation
- Jantz, D. (2023). Battlegrounds to Bipartisanship: The Effect of Military Experience on Bipartisanship in the U.S. Congress. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at https://purl.stanford.edu/ry172nn8505
Collection
Stanford University, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Interschool Honors Program in International Security Studies, Theses
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