# "A History of the United States Congress Partisan and Ideological Makeup" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 30, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363 "2012-10-30T21:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/1 "2012-10-30T21:18:39Z")
I saw this from Monday’s posting on [XKCD](http://www.xkcd.com/1127/#): (Warning: the resolution of the graph for finer details will strain your vision) The chart looks like something Edward Tuft would create. A gigantic dissected aorta/vena cava hybrid with the branching arteries and veins sloppily snipped off. The graphic is peppered with XKCD’s little comments. One little “Where’s Waldo?” tidbit involve a closing argument used in court about a dog. Some things are immediately obvious. If Obama wins, more gridlock. If Romney wins, less gridlock. But there will still be gridlock. The ideological swing to the right of the Republicans in the House is breathtaking. Whatever your feelings you have about their politics, you got to give them credit for for being systematic and incremental in moving the GOP to the right. Are there any other things that you see that leap out at you? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/2 "2012-10-30T21:25:13Z")
The print is too small to read – and, enlarged, is too low-rez to read. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/3 "2012-10-30T21:39:28Z")
[Look at this version, instead](http://xkcd.com/1127/large/). Randall almost always provides a full-sized version of this sort of graphic, usually linked by clicking on the graphic (as was the case today). His best ever came recently when we had [this click and drag doozie!](http://xkcd.com/1110/) ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/4 "2012-10-31T04:47:50Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > [Look at this version, instead](http://xkcd.com/1127/large/). > > Randall almost always provides a full-sized version of this sort of graphic, usually linked by clicking on the graphic (as was the case today). > > His best ever came recently when we had [this click and drag doozie!](http://xkcd.com/1110/) Thanks **DSYoungEsq** ; unfortunately, this thread doesn’t have enough bite and will soon drop into oblivion. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/5 "2012-10-31T05:15:40Z")
Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of near illegible text caused by lack of contrast and a thin font being placed on top of the colored sections. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/6 "2012-11-01T04:25:58Z")
I like the idea, but like many of the more iconoclastic XKCDs, there’s just TOO MUCH INFORMATION! And I don’t mean in the “Dude…I didn’t need to know that!” way. I start out interested because there’s a LOT of information there, and all the hidden side jokes and such. Then along about 1/8 of the way through it my eyes start to glaze and my brain shuts down because I’m like a coffee cup trying to cap an oil gusher…there’s just too much. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/7 "2012-11-01T05:27:58Z")
The large version doesn’t seem to work on the iPhone. Is there a version out there that does? ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/8 "2012-11-01T05:59:03Z")
I use my \ and scroll wheel on my mouse to zoom in on my PC. Don’t know about the IPhone’s zoom capability. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/9 "2012-11-01T06:57:40Z")
I don’t like it. Other XKCD graphs have been done in a way to make the information clearer in some way. This one just seems messy and hard to read for no good reason. I’ve seen other graphs that have tracked Congressional political ideology over-time in ways that were a lot easier to read. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/10 "2012-11-02T06:58:53Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I don’t like it. Other XKCD graphs have been done in a way to make the information clearer in some way. This one just seems messy and hard to read for no good reason. > > I’ve seen other graphs that have tracked Congressional political ideology over-time in ways that were a lot easier to read. Provide a link(s). Ignorance must be fought (along with severe eyestrain). ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/11 "2012-11-02T14:16:39Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > Provide a link(s). Ignorance must be fought (along with severe eyestrain). He’s done a bunch. [This is the first one](http://xkcd.com/681_large/) that jumps to mind. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/12 "2012-11-03T06:16:56Z")
Sorry, I meant some graphics about Congressional tempest. The [XKCD store](http://store.xkcd.com/) allows you to purchase a hard copy of the item (a link is provided to the web page where the item was posted). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/13 "2012-11-06T15:59:22Z")
I have no idea what that chart is trying to show. It makes no visual sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/14 "2012-11-06T18:37:25Z")
The chart displays the ideological makeup of each party in each of the legislative chambers. The darker the color, the more ideological it becomes (and hence, less willing to compromise). If you note the current distribution of the colors as compared to 20 years ago, you’ll understand why the Congress is so polarized–more importantly, the “gridlock” in Washington, DC will not go away with the results of today’s election. Expect more of the same in varying degrees for the next eight to twelve years unless something dramatic happens. (If you place your cursor on the graphic, and click it, the image should enlarge.) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/15 "2012-11-06T18:42:54Z")
And then what are all the severed veins and arteries? This seems a terrible way in which to depict this trend. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/16 "2012-11-07T00:57:36Z")
Severed veins/arteries are people exiting the House or Senate, or people entering them if they are severed at the bottom. Think of them as pipelines of thought… ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/17 "2012-11-07T01:07:18Z")
This thing is visually too messy for me visually to find useful at all. Instead of the veins and arteries going in and out, it would be more useful to me if each election year simply had a plain rectangular bar for each faction. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-history-of-the-united-states-congress-partisan-and-ideological-makeup/639363/18 "2012-11-07T10:07:25Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > The chart looks like something Edward Tuft would create. [And Tufte would compare it to the work of Charles Joseph Minard.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minard.png) Not necessarily in terms of quality, but in terms of the XKCD chart being a direct visual reference to that specific chart created by Minard. I find the graph part quite easy to read. The text is not as legible, sometimes, but the massive red-blue flows with their shifts and entries and exits are quite intelligible.