Brookings: Experts - E.J. Dionne, Jr.

The New Politics of Marijuana Legalization: Why Opinion is Changing

William A. Galston and E.J. Dionne, Jr. — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400

In less than a decade, public opinion has shifted dramatically toward support for the legalization of marijuana: A recent national survey showed a narrow national majority in favor of legalization, and its supporters translated this sentiment into ballot initiative victories in Colorado and Washington State in 2012, report E.J. Dionne, Jr. and William A. Galston.

The temptation is to conclude that the trend in favor of marijuana legalization is similar to the flow of opinion in favor of same-sex marriage, but not all hot-button social issues are created equal, Dionne and Galston write. It is much less clear that opinion on marijuana will follow the exact evolution of social issues such as marriage equality, the authors assert.

Surveying a wealth of new data on public attitudes toward marijuana legalization, this paper explains the forces and limits behind the trend toward legalization. The authors seek to answer the following: Which trajectory, that of gay marriage or abortion (if either), is more likely to augur the path that opinion on marijuana may take? And will the country see the emergence of a broad pro-legalization consensus, or rather of a durably divisive cultural disagreement?

Dionne and Galston arrive at the following conclusions:

In a number of respects, the structure of public opinion regarding marijuana legalization is distinctive, at least in today’s political context. Among today’s divisive issues, support for marijuana legalization is unusual in cutting across party lines. Generally, broad shifts in cultural attitudes—notably the rise of the 1960s and 1970s counterculture, and then the backlash against it in the 1980s—can trump the influence of party. Gender plays a role, but not necessarily the role one might expect: women are to the “right” of men, more likely to oppose legalization. Becoming parents appeared to have moved baby boomers toward a more conservative stance on legalization, but more recent findings suggest that parenthood may not be as strong a factor in determining one’s position as previously thought. However, married parents are more likely to oppose legalization than unmarried parents.
Attitudes toward legalization are marked by ambivalence, especially on the conservative side. Many of those who favor legalization do so despite believing that marijuana is harmful or reporting that they feel uncomfortable with its use. Among conservatives, many who believe marijuana should be illegal nonetheless support states’ right to legalize it and take a dim view of government’s ability to enforce a ban.
Support for legalization, though growing markedly, is not as intense as opposition, and is likely to remain relatively shallow so long as marijuana itself is not seen as a positive good. Whether opinion swings toward more robust support for legalization will depend heavily on the perceived success of the state legalization experiments now under way—which will hinge in part on the federal response to those experiments.
That said, demographic change and widespread public experience using marijuana imply that opposition to legalization will never again return to the levels seen in the 1980s. The strong consensus that formed the foundation for many of today’s stringent marijuana laws has crumbled.

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The New Politics of Marijuana Legalization

E.J. Dionne, Jr. and William A. Galston — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:05:00 -0400

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The Politics of Marijuana Legalization

Wed, 29 May 2013 14:00:00 -0400

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May 29, 2013
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EDT

Saul/Zilkha Rooms
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

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Last November, Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize marijuana, and they may not be the last: legalization now has the support of about half the country, up from 25 percent two decades ago. But legalization remains controversial among the public and contrary to federal law and policy. Is a new national consensus emerging, or a new stage of the culture war? Either way, what are the implications?

On May 29th, Governance Studies at Brookings and the Washington Office on Latin America hosted a public forum to discuss changing attitudes towards marijuana legalization. Brookings Senior Fellows William Galston and E.J. Dionne presented findings of a detailed study of evidence from opinion surveys, some of it newly available.

Follow the conversation at #MJLegalization.

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The Politics of Marijuana Legalization

Act of Congress: How America's Essential Institution Works, and How It Doesn't

Tue, 28 May 2013 14:00:00 -0400

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May 28, 2013
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EDT

Falk Auditorium
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

This event was streamed live by C-SPAN2 Book TV.

In his new book, Act of Congress: How America's Essential Institution Works, and How It Doesn't (Knopf, 2013), author Robert G. Kaiser chronicles the dramatic story of Congress’ struggle to pass financial reform overhaul in the wake of the financial collapse in 2008. As a reporter with the Washington Post, Kaiser was a first-hand observer of the legislative process that resulted in The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, one of the most significant pieces of legislation regulating Wall Street in recent memory. In this book, Kaiser pulls back the curtain and shows us the inner machinery—the politics and players, the successes and the failures—of the U.S. Congress.

On May 28, as part of the Management and Leadership Initiative, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a book event for Act of Congress, which discusses lessons from the process of passing Dodd-Frank and the impact of partisanship, lobbyists, and staffers on the legislative and policymaking process. Moderated by Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne, author Robert G. Kaiser presented his findings, followed by the reflections of Senator Chris Dodd, one of the two legislators who worked to move these reforms through Congress, and for whom the act is named, and Brookings scholar Tom Mann.

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Act of Congress: How America's Essential Institution Works, and How It Doesn't

Who’s on God’s Side? Reclaiming a Vision of the Common Good

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:30:00 -0400

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April 3, 2013
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Falk Auditorium
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

New York Times bestselling author Jim Wallis believes it’s time for people to ask what it means to be on God’s side, rather than claim God to be on theirs. In his latest book, On God’s Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned About Serving the Common Good (Brazos Press, 2013), Wallis recovers the ancient vision of the common good as a key to transcending the nation’s most polarizing ideological and political divisions, and discovering, together, what’s right and what works.

On April 3, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a discussion about a vision of the common good that can transform not only politics, but personal lives, families, and communities. Moderated by Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne, Jim Wallis will discuss key highlights from his book and offer insights on what it means to be on God’s side.

Citizenship, Values and Cultural Concerns: What Americans Want From Immigration Reform

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:01:00 -0400

The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), in partnership with the religion, policy and politics project at Brookings, conducted one of the largest surveys ever fielded on immigration policy, immigrants, and religious and cultural changes in the U.S.The survey of nearly 4,500 American adults explores the many divisions—political, religious, ethnic, geographical, and generational—within the nation over core values and their relationship to immigration.

The accompanying research report, Citizens, Values and Cultural Concerns: What Americans Want from Immigration Reform, authored by PRRI CEO Robert P. Jones, PRRI Research Director Daniel Cox, and PRRI Research Associate Juhem Navarro-Rivera, along with Brookings Senior Fellows E.J. Dionne, Jr. and William Galston, explores general sentiment toward immigrant communities, opinions on the impact that immigrants have on American culture and public support for specific policy approaches to immigration reform. The report also explores support for immigration policy among religious groups and the political implications of the issue for and within both the Democratic and Republican parties.

The following is a summary of the survey’s findings and highlights from the accompanying report:

More than 6-in-10 (63%) Americans agree that the immigration system should deal with immigrants who are currently living in the U.S. illegally by allowing them a way to become citizens, provided they meet certain requirements. Less than 1-in-5 (14%) say they should be permitted to become permanent legal residents but not citizens, while approximately 1-in-5 (21%) agree that they should be identified and deported.
More than 7-in-10 (71%) Democrats, nearly two-thirds (64%) of independents, and a majority (53%) of Republicans favor an earned path to citizenship.
Majorities of all religious groups, including Hispanic Catholics (74%), Hispanic Protestants (71%), black Protestants (70%), Jewish Americans (67%), Mormons (63%), white Catholics (62%), white mainline Protestants (61%), and white evangelical Protestants (56%), agree that the immigration system should allow immigrants currently living in the U.S. illegally to become citizens provided they meet certain requirements.
Americans rank immigration reform sixth out of seven issues, far behind economic issues, as the highest political priority for the president and Congress.
Nearly half (45%) of Americans say the Republican Party’s position on immigration has hurt the party in recent elections.
Americans are more likely to say they trust the Democratic Party, rather than the Republican Party, to do a better job handling the issues of immigration (39% vs. 29%) and illegal immigration (43% vs. 30%). However, nearly 1-in-4 (23%) Americans say they do not trust either party to handle the issue of immigration.
Views about immigrants’ impact on American society are strongly associated with political ideology. Conservatives (36%) and liberals (31%) are nearly equally as likely to say that immigrants are changing their own communities a lot. However, conservatives (53%) are significantly more likely than liberals (38%) to say that immigrants are changing American society a lot.
Overall, Americans are more likely to have positive rather than negative views about immigrants. A majority (54%) of Americans believe that the growing number of newcomers from other countries helps strengthen American society, while a significant minority (40%) say that newcomers threaten traditional American customs and values.

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Robert P. Jones
Daniel Cox
Juhem Navarro-Rivera
E.J. Dionne, Jr.
William A. Galston

Publication: Public Religion Research Institute and The Brookings Institution

Religion, Values and Immigration Survey Release: What Factors Influence Views on Immigration Policy?

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:30:00 -0400

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March 21, 2013
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT

Root Room
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

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On March 21, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the religion, policy and politics project at Brookings hosted a forum to release a new national opinion survey on religion, values and immigration reform. With nearly 4,500 respondents, the survey is one of the largest ever conducted on the issue of immigration. The accompanying research report, authored by PRRI CEO Robert P. Jones, PRRI Research Director Daniel Cox, and PRRI Research Associate Juhem Navarro-Rivera, along with Brookings Senior Fellows E.J. Dionne, Jr. and William Galston explores general sentiment toward immigrant communities, opinions on the impact that immigrants have on American culture and public support for specific policy approaches to immigration reform. The report also explores support for immigration policy among religious groups and the political implications of the issue for and within both the Democratic and Republican parties.

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Law’s Virtues: Exploring the Tensions between Law and Values in the United States

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:00:00 -0500

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January 31, 2013
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST

Saul/Zilkha Rooms
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

Throughout our nation’s history, lawmakers have had to balance serving the common good with the protection of individual freedom. This task is particularly difficult in a pluralistic liberal democracy such as the United States, especially when it comes to sensitive moral issues, such as abortion or euthanasia. Should the law be morally neutral so as not to impose a particular set of values on society as a whole? Or should the law make a moral judgment on such issues?

On January 31, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a discussion of Law’s Virtues: Fostering Autonomy and Solidarity in American Society (Georgetown University Press, 2012), by legal scholar and moral theologian Cathleen Kaveny. Kaveny argues that legal frameworks are never value-neutral, yet sound lawmaking must take more than morality into account when deciding how to regulate particular actions. Kaveny discussed her vision for a realistic relationship between law and morality. After her presentation, a panel of experts joined the conversation.

This event was hosted by the religion, policy and politics project at Brookings and is also part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

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Law’s Virtues: Exploring the Tensions between Law and Values in the United States

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Four More Years for the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:00:00 -0500

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December 17, 2012
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

Falk Auditorium
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036

The federal government has a long history of partnering with religious and secular charities in an effort to serve people in need. Former President George W. Bush formalized these efforts by creating a White House office and a number of centers across various federal agencies, and he also established a specific set of church-state rules to govern these partnerships. President Obama retained this White House office and has continued some Bush policies, while making notable changes in other areas.

On December 17, the religion, policy and politics project at Brookings hosted an event featuring comments from Joshua DuBois, executive director of the White House office, and other Obama administration officials on the past work and future plans for the office. Following the presentations, a panel of experts responded and offered their thoughts regarding priorities for this White House office during President Obama’s second term. Speakers will explore how the Obama and Bush White House offices differ, whether the office is succeeding in meeting the needs of people who are at the margins in today’s society, and what the prospects are for resolving contentious issues such as religion-based decision-making regarding government-funded jobs.

Brookings scholars E.J. Dionne and Melissa Rogers co-moderated the panels and took audience questions after each.

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Four More Years for the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

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2012 Post-Election American Values Survey: Analyzing the Election and Looking ahead to the Budget Showdown

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:00:00 -0500

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November 16, 2012
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM EST

Fourth Estate Room
The National Press Club
529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor
Washington, DC 20045

In October, the Public Religion Research Institute, in cooperation with Brookings, released PRRI’s 2012 American Values Survey (AVS). The survey showed that the coalitions making up the two major political parties are composed of distinctive religious subgroups with starkly different views on the economy, social issues, and the role of government. But what values and issues ultimately influenced voters’ choices, and what do these mean for the upcoming debates over budget priorities? Immediately after Americans cast their ballots, the Public Religion Research Institute returned to the field to ask how they felt about the election and what their priorities are for the future.

On November 16, the religion, policy and politics project at Brookings and PRRI will host a forum to release PRRI’s post-election research, including a call-back national post-election survey, a new post-election survey of Ohio voters and focus groups among white working-class voters in Ohio and Hispanic voters in North Carolina. The surveys will be conducted in the days following the election and will cover attitudes toward the candidates, reactions to the results, and the factors that most influenced voters’ choices. The surveys will also look ahead to the upcoming showdown over budget priorities, exploring values and attitudes on promoting economic growth and reducing the deficit. PRRI founder and CEO Robert P. Jones will present the survey results, and Brookings Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne, Jr. will discuss their implications. Melissa Deckman, Washington College, and John Sides, George Washington University, will offer their reactions to the survey and focus group findings as well.

After the program, panelists will take audience questions.

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On the 2012 American Values Survey

E.J. Dionne, Jr. and William A. Galston — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:56:00 -0400

The American religious landscape has changed dramatically in recent decades, because of immigration, generational shifts, and the departure of young people from the faith of their childhood--or from organized religion altogether. As a result, the constituent groups making up the two major political parties have also evolved, though the sub-groups that comprise the parties are not entirely at home with their coalition partners. The 2012 American Values Survey shows, for example, that although White evangelical Protestants are, for the most part, reliable Republican voters, they are more centrist on economic issues than many of their Republican counterparts. In fact, a plurality (49 percent) favor increasing the tax rate on top earners, while 60 percent of Republicans oppose that proposal. Similarly, black Protestants are stalwart Democrats, yet they part from the party platform on many social issues, such as gay marriage. Only 39 percent of black Protestants support same-sex marriage, compared to 64 percent of Democrats as a whole.

The survey also confirms that polarization on economic and social issues persists, with wide gaps between Republicans and Democrats and between conservatives and liberals on a battery of social and economic issues. One important cohort remains a critical swing group, however--Catholics. White Catholics are about equally as likely to identify as Democrats (29 percent) than they are to identify as Repub¬licans (31 percent), while a plurality (38 percent) identify as politically independent. The survey sheds light on a debate among American Catholics over the public priorities of the Church. When asked if the Church’s public witness should concentrate primarily on abortion or on social justice and the obligation to help the poor, Catholics – including white Catholics and those who regularly attend Mass – strongly favor giving priority to the Church’s social justice tradition, even if it means focusing less on abortion and right to life issues.

Read the full survey report »

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2012 American Values Survey: Assessing Political and Moral Views on the Economy and Social Issues in a Shifting Religious Landscape

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:30:00 -0400

Event Information

October 23, 2012
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM EDT

Falk Auditorium
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

The American religious landscape has vastly changed over the last decades, and the two largest religious groups – Catholics and the religiously unaffiliated – have experienced the greatest shifts in membership. The attitudes and political preferences of these groups have important implications for party coalitions and political campaigns, but they are by no means homogeneous groups. Each is composed of distinctive subgroups with starkly different views on the economy, social issues, and the role of government.

On October 23, the religion, policy and politics project at Brookings and the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) hosted a forum to release PRRI’s fourth American Values Survey (AVS), a large national, multi-issue survey on religion, values and public policy. The accompanying research report, authored by PRRI CEO Robert P. Jones and PRRI research director Daniel Cox, along with Brookings Senior Fellows E.J. Dionne and William Galston, explores attitudes toward issues such as the deficit, taxes, health care, abortion, same-sex marriage, and the size and role of government. Melissa Deckman, professor of political science at Washington College, Michele Dillon, chair of the Sociology Department at the University of New Hampshire, and John Sides, associate professor of political science at George Washington University, responded to the surveys findings in three key areas: social and values issues, the economy, and the Catholic vote.

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2012 American Values Survey: Assessing Political and Moral Views on the Economy and Social Issues in a Shifting Religious Landscape

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@ Brookings Podcast: E.J. Dionne on Divided Politics

E.J. Dionne, Jr. — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:37:00 -0400

In his book, Our Divided Political Heart, Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne, Jr. writes that the current deep political divide plaguing American politics has its roots in a fundamental misunderstanding of our founding principles and the strong role our forebears saw for government in protecting individual liberty.

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E.J. Dionne, Jr.: Founding Fathers Believed Common Good Protected Individual Liberty

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E.J. Dionne, Jr.

America’s Dysfunctional Politics: Why Now? What Can We Do About It?

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:30:00 -0400

Event Information

May 9, 2012
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Acrimony and hyper-partisanship have seeped into every part of the political process. Congress is deadlocked and its approval ratings are at record lows. America’s deeply polarized political parties appear unable to function constructively in a governing system that makes it extremely difficult for majorities to act. And the Republican Party has taken on the role of insurgent outlier – ideologically extreme, scornful of compromise, and ardently opposed to the established social and economic policy regime.

On May 9, Brookings hosted a conversation with Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein on their new book, It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism (Basic Books, 2012). Brookings Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne moderated the session; former Republican Congressman Mickey Edwards and USA Today’s Susan Page offered their reactions.

After the panel, participants took audience questions.

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America’s Dysfunctional Politics

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America’s Dysfunctional Politics: Why Now? What Can We Do About It? Full Audio

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Panelists

Thomas E. Mann

Norman J. Ornstein

Resident Scholar
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

Mickey Edwards

Director
Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership

Susan Page

Washington Bureau Chief
USA Today

@ Brookings Podcast: Presidential Politics and Religion

E.J. Dionne, Jr. — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:53:00 -0500

On the campaign trail, candidates are often measured by their religious beliefs, which begs the question: do voters feel they need to have faith in a candidate’s faith? Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne Jr. examines the issue with a look at the GOP presidential contest and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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