He's a widely quoted expert with decades of insight into America’s political scene. Now, Dr. Stephen Baker, professor of political science at JU, is preparing to step down from the post he’s held at the campus since 1985.
He'll continue part-time teaching, though, at the university's Public Policy Institute.
Baker shared his thoughts on the current political scene with First Coast Connect this morning, lamenting today's polarized climate.
"Compromise," says Baker, "should not be a dirty word. But in Congress, particularly on the Republican side, representatives are so afraid of a primary challenge that there is no incentive for them to work in a bipartisan manner."
Baker says the current situation is in some ways a mirror image of forces that pulled the Democrats to the left in the 1970's.
"The Democrats' image was tarnished for several cycles because they could not come to the center, and now the GOP is dealing with it," he said.
