Connecticut Politics at the Crossroads

Book excerpt: This book documents the decline of political parties in the State of Connecticut. The author presents an extensive description of statewide political trends, taps the perceptions of state lawmakers regarding the current condition and influence of party organization, and provides the results of detailed interviews with seasoned politicians to demonstrate that political parties in Connecticut have declined in their capacity to structure the course of state politics. The evidence is compelling in a state often identified as a model in terms of powerful and effective political parties. It is the author's contention that the quality of Connecticut politics and the accountability of state government is in peril due to the concern that the new trends identified in Connecticut could signal the emergence of a much larger crisis in American state politics.