Psychology Commons^™

The Steward In Statesmanship: Taking Responsibility For The Most Important Things, Timothy L. Simpson

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Even though the American Framers self-consciously designed a system of government that did not depend on an enlightened statesman being at the helm, this paper argues that they believed statesmanship was not only compatible with republican government, but that it could act as a kind of antidote to some of the ailments most likely to afflict it. Scholars today generally dispute this suggestion. They m:gne that statesmanship is, in several important respects, positively antithetical to important democratic ideals. Having surveyed those objections, this paper argues that the contemporary understanding is flawed because it rests on a misconception of democracy and …

Thomas M. Keck, Judicial Politics In Polarized Time., Paul Foote

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Book Review. Thomas M. Keck, Judicial Politics in Polarized Times. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press Books, 2014. 352 pp. ($77.27 cloth, $23.40 paper).

The Evolution Of Kentucky's Constitutions: A Comparison Of The Original And Second Constitutions, Ashley Taulbee

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Timing is everything, especially to a developing state. This paper highlights the changes that time required Kentucky to make in order to gain her statehood and then ensure that she would continue to prosper as time . passed. Kentucky gained a lot of wisdom during her first fifty-eight years ranging from how to elect our Governor to whom this state should remain loyal to -- a question that in 1792 was quite conflicted. Reviewing the two documents that began shaping Kentucky into the state she is now is just one of the ways to appreciate this beautiful and unique Commonwealth. …

Do Coal Unions And Racial Diversity Affect Split Ticket Voting In Kentucky?, Kelli South, Chase Deppen, Mathew Gilbert, Ryan Mcdonald

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This paper performs an in-depth historical analysis in order to attempt to discover why Kentucky voters often split ticket vote between the national and local levels. Two theories are analyzed for validity: the coal union influence school of thought and the racial diversity school of thought Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed. The coal union influence theory was p1·oved not to have significance; the coal unions have had little influence on Kentucky voting patterns throughout history and into the present day. The racial diversity school of thought was proven to have some significance; voters are influenced to a certain …

Complete Issue - Volume 3, Number 1 (2015)

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Complete Issue

Explaining State-Level Student Dropout Rates: The Impact Of Exit Exams And Public School Resources, Martin Battle, James C. Clinger

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This paper examines one key indicator of school performance, the dropout rate among the public school students at the state level from 1998 to 2002, using a. pooled, cross-sectional time series research design. In this analysis the effects of high stakes testing (i.e., exit exams required for graduation), funding levels, and other school resources are examined. The results ind.irate that exit exams have no statistically significant effects upon dropout rates. Per pupil expenditures do not seem to reduce dropouts and may in fact have a positive effect at the state level. However, the analysis indicates that high pupil to teacher …

Decisions Dictated By Perceptions: The Influences Of Society And Education In Scalia's Originalism, Nathan Mcnichols

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Prior to this analysis of Justice Antonin Scalia's tendencies in Supreme Court (SCOTUS) adjudication, it is primarily necessary to elaborate upon the condition of the SCOTUS as an institution; secondarily, it is necessary to establish an intellectual foundation from which one may deduce objective observations regarding the quality of a decision rendered in comparison to the ideals of justice and equality. To establish this requires an existential analysis of the adjudication process, which will also take place during this phase of the discussion, and finally, the remainder of this analysis will focus on applying these objective observations to the decisions …

Operation Nudge: How Non-Sovereign Organizations Gain Quasi-Sovereign Powers To Solve Public Choice Problems, Kelly Grenier

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Captain Crunch, Tony the Tiger, and Toucan Sam are watching you. Particularly, they are watching children. With their eyes gazing downward at a 9.6 degree angle, these characters make eye contact with individuals to encourage feelings of friendliness which will in turn increase the sales of the product. It is not that we are "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs," but rather that we are being covertly nudged to buy these products (Musicus). Cereal companies are not the first to figure this out; we are nudged all day long. Our behaviors are encouraged and discouraged through choice architecture. We take the stairs …

School Resources And Student Outcomes In Kentucky Public High Schools, Martin Battle, James C. Clinger

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This paper examines the effect of various input measures upon student outcomes within Kentucky public high schools from 2001 to 2004, using a pooled, cross­ sectional time series research design with panel-coIlected standard errors (PCSE). The results indicate mixed support for the proposition that school resources are related to desired school outcomes. Overall school spending seems to have no systematic impact Schools that seem to perform well have few indigent students, many teachers with master's degrees, and fairly high numbers of volunteers. The authors offer some conjectures about the significance and meaning of these findings, especially in light of different …

War Powers In The American Constitutional Scheme: A Legal-Historical Inquiry, Max Guirguis

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Since World War II, there has been a significant shift in the balance of war­ making power between the executive and legislative branches. Although the Constitution reserves the formal power of declaring war exclusively for Congress, modern presidents have increasingly mm·ginalized Congress in times of international tension or conflict by acting unilaterally without congressional authorization. Congress has lent impetus to this problematic trend by failing to take decisive action whenever its war-making power is usurped by the executive. The War Powers Act of 1973 has not been successful in curbing the exercise and expansion of executive war- making power because …

The Fragility Of Persistently Economically Distressed Counties In Central Appalachia And The Promise Of Public Leadership, Christine E. Emrich, Stephen Lange, Blake Bedingfield, Bonita Fraley, Justin May, Kyle Yarawsky

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Appalachia has long experienced economic distress, but significant progress has been made since the establishment of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in the 1960s. However, many counties in central Appalachia continue to experience persistent economic distress despite several advantages that are normally conducive to progress. This study examines Rowan County, Kentucky in comparison to four other rural Kentucky counties with varying degrees of economic progress. Quantitative comparisons were made on the basis of out-migration, educational attainment, and industrial diversity. Qualitative data was then gathered till·ough interviews to understand decisive events that affected progress as well as long-term causes of change …

Federalism And Administrative Law: Regulatory Power And The U.S. Constitution, Ashley Ruggiero

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This paper examines the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and its impact on state authority and regulatory federalism. It contends that the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 transformed traditional ideals of federalism and paved the way for the more centralized administrative process we know today. The paper begins by providing a brief history and breakdown of the act and proceeds to consider key Supreme Court cases. It concludes with an assessment of the Administrative Procedure Act's impact on the American political system, especially as it pertains to federalism, checks and balances, and the potential for fraud and corruption in vast federal …

Complete Issue - Volume 2, Number 1 (2014)

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Complete Issue

Power, Interdependence And Conflict: What Ir Theories Tell Us About China's Rise, Dr. James R. Masterson

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This study examines the effects that economic interdependence (EI) hason political relations between China and its main trading partners. Five EI theories derived from the international relations literature are tested using data from King's 10 Million Dyad collection of political interaction along with economic data from the IMF and control variable data from Polity IV, COW CINC, among other sources.

Though a significant amount of literature addresses the effects trade has on conflict at the systemic level, few address it at the dyadic level and even fewer test the pacification of trade on non-Western states. This research examines economic, political, …

Roger Sherman And Federalism: The Transition From The Articles Of Confederation To The U.S. Constitution, Autumn Baker

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This study examines the religiosity, political career, and political thought of Roger Sherman. Sherman had a profound impact on the American Republic and American Federalism. The study concludes that as a Puritan descendant and devout Congregationalist, Roger Sherman's religious convictions explain his political principles.

Bowling Online: The Internet And The New Social Capital, Jason Gainous, Kevin M. Wagner

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

The decline thesis proponents in the social capital literature have largely ignored the fastest growing venue for new social capital formation - the Internet. We argue that the Internet is making a larger impact than the current research acknowledges. Using survey data from the Pew Internet & American Life Project combined with a survey of college students, we confirm a strong positive relationship between online social networking and political participation. Further, we present evidence that, at least in 2008 election, there was a bias toward voting for Democrats among those who utilized online social networking services including Facebook and Twitter. …

Comparing Redistricting Outcomes Across States: A Comparison Of Commission, Court, And Legislative Plans, Jonathan Winburn

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

The question of redistricting reform has become an important topic in many states throughout the country. At the heart of the matter is how to effectively deal with the perceived detrimental effects of allowing legislators control over selecting their own constituencies. The most common prescription is to remove legislative influence by handing over control to nonpolitical or bipartisan commissions. However, little empirical evidence exists comparing the outcomes of commission plans versus legislative plans. In this paper, I address this question by examining the role of commissions throughout the states. I argue an important aspect to limiting the problems of redistricting …

Imperium Et Sacerdotium: Universalism, Fragmentation, And New Medievalism, Jeremy Wells

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Contemporary international relations theory suffers from a stubborn reliance on the Westphalian notion of the state system. Theoretically, the sovereign state is the supreme political unit in world politics and is the only political unit with access to international decision-making. However, in the real world, globalization has led to the development of a myriad of transnational associations. Added to the complex of regional, international, and even supranational governing structures, these organizations and associations have created a web of interaction that works above, below, and across states. While skeptics question the political ramifications of globalization, it is without doubt that modern …

W(H)Ither Tocqueville's 'Seed Of Free Institutions'?: The Importance And Decline Of Localism In America, Jonathan W. Pidluzny

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Alexis de Tocqueville argues that local government is the "seed of free institutions." On his account, active participation by citizens at the local level helps guard against the three great dangers to modern democratic regimes: sum of selfish preferences majoritarianism, tyranny of die majority, and mild despotism. This paper traces the decline of localism in the United States--an inevitable consequence of trends Tocqueville himself foresaw--and comments on the consequences, both from the perspective of the political community and from the perspective of individuals pursuing a decent and happy life.

Complete Issue - Volume 1, Number 1 (2013)

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Complete Issue

Immigration In The E.U. And The U.K.: A Conflict Of Interests And Policy, Beth Coleman

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Though contemporary society is becoming increasingly globalized, most of the developed world is looking towards immigration policies aimed at keeping other people and cultures out. This unfortunate trend is creating a society of protective multiculturalism-where one culture or state borrows desirable and beneficial characteristics and ideas from another culture, while isolating and at times even condemning that same group. Though the issue of border security remains a hotly debated topic in the United States, Europe is looking towards an era of border-free movement and renewed labor resources. However there are some major European powers, such as the United Kingdom, that …

An Introduction To The Kpsa Commonwealth Review Of Political Science, Michael Hail

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

It is an honor to serve as the Senior Editor for this inaugural issue of the Commonwealth Review of Political Science. In my capacity as Executive Secretary-Treasurer of KPSA, I was given the responsibility to develop the initial plans for the journal and then to implement its establishment and operations. While this task has been greater than imagined, the support from numerous colleagues has been equally great in bringing the journal to realization. I am writing this article to explain the development and purpose of this journal, but also to acknowledge the many leaders of KPSA that helped to make …

The Electoral College: A Critical Analysis, John Heyrman

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This paper looks critically at several of the principal arguments employed for and against the continued use of the Electoral College, as opposed to a system of direct popular vote. The Electoral College does not merely diverge from our common American practices of direct popular vote, but it does so in ways that primarily benefit some states at the expense of others. While federalism clearly has desirable features for the United States, and a two­ party system may be desirable, neither is threatened by the removal of the Electoral College. Many of the defenses of the College appear to indicate …