Independence, Accountability, The Dominion Of Law, As Well As American Political Development

This is a non-snarky follow-up to my previous post. I lead maintain it to last accurate to state that inwards contemporary United States political discourse there's a preference for Republican investigators of alleged high-level wrong-doing. I intend the argue is that over the past times several decades Republican publicists lead maintain successfully propagated the catch that Democrats (scholars for sure, simply judges together with lawyers every bit well) fit a theory of police that is simultaneously overtly together with deeply political, whereas Republicans (scholars, judges, together with lawyers) adhere to a disinterested "rule of law" ideal. (For an illustration of the latter, encounter onetime guess Michael Luttig's this shrewd comment.)

There's straightaway a fair total of proficient scholarship on the Republican side of this discourse, including Stephen Teles's book, The Rise of the Conservative Movement, together with to a greater extent than lately Ideas alongside Consequences past times Amanda Hollis-Brusky. What nosotros ask (as scholars), I think, is something explaining the failure of Democrats to effectively counter the Republican narrative. Part of the explanation may last simple: The Republican narrative, insofar every bit it deals alongside Democrats is accurate. But, Democratic leaning scholars lead maintain for certain challenged the Republican narrative well-nigh themselves (see for illustration this and this.) Why hasn't the Democratic challenge had the same form of legs every bit the Republican narrative? (I'm interested inwards institutional-type answers, similar foundation back upward together with NGO activity.)