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The Influence Of The Christian Right On The American Foreign Policy In The Middle East (2000-2004), Leidya Adel Boutros

Archived Theses and Dissertations

Traditional models and theories of foreign policy decision making in political science, fail to explain thoroughly the American foreign policy orientations with regard to the Middle East in the period from 2000 till 2004. This study attempts to analyze this period by analyzing one of the variables that may contribute to explaining this anomaly: The rising influence of a social movement coined the Christian Right. Who is the Christian Right? What, if any influence does this movement have on the Presidency of the United States and Congress with regard to foreign policy decision making in the Middle East. This study …

The Ideology Of Free Trade And The Cuba Exception, Michael C. Schena

LSU Master's Theses

This paper examines ideology and congressional roll call voting in the post-Cold War period (1991-2005) on free trade and trade policy with Cuba. While members with a more conservative ideology are found, as expected, to be supporters of free trade generally, there remains a curious disconnect between this general support for free trade and the opposition to liberalization of trade with Cuba. Yet despite this perceived inconsistency, ideology remains consistent on both, thus we seek to test this exception to conservative support for liberalization. A combination of factors is at play to which make Cuba a special case in the …

The Evolution Of Congress: A Citizen's Ability To Influence Politics Today, Rebecca Ashley Nudd

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

-Constitution of the United States

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus and spurred a year long political bus boycott that helped later change the U.S. Constitution. A mother with a cause rallied a million other moms to march onto Capital Hill and …

The War Powers Resolution: Asserting Congress's Role Over The Use Of Military Force, Catherine M. Banks

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Immediately following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, Vice President Richard Cheney identified the moment as a turning point in the relationship between the executive and legislative branches. As the representative leaders of the nation responded to the crisis that confirmed the new enemy, they granted the President substantial authority to shape the nation's policies towards the new threat. The nature of the threat called for this milestone in the executive-legislative relationship, which provided near unanimous support for the Commander-in-Chief to secure America and its interests. Yet, this moment has been relatively short-lived and the history of the tenuous …

Bureaucratic Influence In Congressional Roll-Call Voting, William Blair

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation is on one of the many relationships that exist between the bureaucracy and government: decision-making by elected representatives and the political influence of government employees on their decision-making. Specifically, it is with bureaucrats and the degree to which they may utilize political influence to create a disproportionate influence over government policy and decision-making in the United States House of Representatives. I argue that the inherent qualities of bureaucrats suggest that they are significant and influential constituency for representatives. They are an identifiable constituency to representatives, and have the means and opportunity to wield political influence. …

A Case Study The Effects Of A Powerful Committee Chair On The Passage Of The Wilderness Bill, Kenneth S. Livingston

Master's Theses

The case of the Wilderness Bill reveals several important insights into the process, policy and politics of wilderness legislation in the late 1950s and early 1960's. The process generally conformed well with the expectations of a strong committee chair model that characterized Congress during the late 1950s and early 1960s. To be sure, the politics involved accommodation of competing interests and was facilitated by a president eager to pass a pro-wilderness bill. Above all, the compromise which ultimately led to the passage of the Wilderness Bill was influenced by the powerful committee chairman of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee …

Recent Reforms In Campaign Finance Regulations And Their Potential Effect On Federal Elections And Reflections On Washington As A Congressional Intern, Randy D. Funk

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In the spring of 1975, upon learning that I had been selected as a summer intern in Congressman Gunn McKay's office, I thought that such an experience might readily serve as the basis for my senior Honors project. I discussed this possibility with Dr. Douglas Alder, the Honors Program Director, and Dr. Wendell Anderson, the intern advisor. With their approval, I decided to write one paper on my impressions of Washington as an intern and then upon my return to school, research and write another paper on an issue related to Congress. This is the reason my thesis project is …

A History Of Federal Legislation Against Mormon Polygamy And Certain United States Supreme Court Decisions Supporting Such Legislation, Joseph Robert Meservy

Theses and Dissertations

As indicated by the title, this study presents a history of Federal Legislation against Mormon polygamy prior to 1890 and of certain United States Supreme Court decisions supporting such legislation. Of necessity, the subject had to be limited, emphasis being placed upon three legislative acts and upon a few leading court decisions.