Political Science Commons^™

The People's Perspective On The Size Of The People's House, Brian Frederick

Political Science Faculty Publications

The quality of representation the citizenry receives from its political leaders is central to evaluating the character of any democratic institution. Moreover, the number of elected members that comprise an institution can be vital in determining whether citizens have access to and can influence the decisions of their representatives (Dahl and Tufte 1973). The United States House of Representatives has been frozen at 435 members for almost a century. This durability of this alignment is astonishing; in its first century of existence, the U.S. House experienced a virtually uninterrupted string of decennial increases in its membership. Despite the magnitude of …

Wilderness: Overview And Statistics, Ross W. Gorte

Congressional Research Service Reports

Congress enacted the Wilderness Act in 1964. This Act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, reserved to Congress the authority to designate wilderness areas, and directed the Secretaries of Agriculture and of the Interior to review certain lands for their wilderness potential. The Act also designated 54 wilderness areas with 9 million acres of federal land. Congress began expanding the Wilderness System in 1968, and today, there are 708 wilderness areas, totaling more than 107 million acres, in 44 states. Numerous bills to designate additional areas and to expand existing ones are introduced and considered in every Congress.

The Wilderness …

The Wild And Scenic Rivers Act And Federal Water Rights, Cynthia Brougher

Congressional Research Service Reports

During the 1960s, support grew for the idea that the development of our nation’s rivers needed to be balanced by protecting certain rivers that possessed outstanding undeveloped qualities. This sentiment culminated in the enactment of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. Rivers may be designated for protection under the act by Congress or nominated for inclusion by a Governor and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. The act addresses the protection of the water flows of designated rivers, both expressly and by implication. This report examines the purposes, language, and legislative history of the act in order …

Active Military Sonar And Marine Mammals: Events And References, Eugene H. Buck, Kori Clavert

Congressional Research Service Reports

The deployment of active sonar by the U.S. Navy and its potential impacts on marine mammals has been an ongoing issue of intense debate; regulatory, legislative, and judicial activity; and international concern. Some peacetime use of military sonar has been regulated under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and other statutes due to concerns that active military sonars are operated at frequencies used by some cetaceans (i.e., whales, porpoises, and dolphins), and their highintensity sound pulses may travel long distances in the ocean. There is also concern that sonar transmissions of sufficiently high intensity might physically damage the hearing in …

Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Education: Background, Federal Policy, And Legislative Action, Jeffrey J. Kuenzi

Congressional Research Service Reports

There is growing concern that the United States is not preparing a sufficient number of students, teachers, and practitioners in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). A large majority of secondary school students fail to reach proficiency in math and science, and many are taught by teachers lacking adequate subject matter knowledge.

When compared to other nations, the math and science achievement of U.S. pupils and the rate of STEM degree attainment appear inconsistent with a nation considered the world leader in scientific innovation. In a recent international assessment of 15-year-old students, the U.S. ranked 28th in …

Alternative Fuels And Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues In Congress, Brent D. Yacobucci

Congressional Research Service Reports

Alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles are seen by proponents as integral to improving urban air quality, decreasing dependence on foreign oil, and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. However, major barriers — especially economics — currently prevent the widespread use of these fuels and technologies. Because of these barriers, and the potential benefits, there is continued congressional interest in providing incentives and other support for their development and commercialization.

In the 110th Congress, alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles have received a good deal of attention, especially in discussions over U.S. energy security. In his January 24, 2007, State of …

Soil And Water Conservation: An Overview, Tadlock Cowan, Renée Johnson

Congressional Research Service Reports

Soil and water conservation topics are prominent in discussions of policy options for the next farm bill, which the 110th Congress is considering. Major conservation topics include where to set overall funding levels and levels for each program; what should be the priorities for the conservation effort; and deciding whether any existing programs or activities should be modified or eliminated and whether new programs or activities should be added to the effort. Addressing these topics often pits supporters of commodity programs and the traditional farm program benefits against those who would like to see an expanded conservation effort.

The House …

Science And Technology Policymaking: A Primer, Deborah D. Stine

Congressional Research Service Reports

Scientific and technical knowledge and guidance influences not just policy related to science and technology, but also many of today’s public policies as policymakers seek knowledge to enhance the quality of their decisions. Science and technology policy is concerned with the allocation of resources for and encouragement of scientific and engineering research and development, the use of scientific and technical knowledge to enhance the nation’s response to societal challenges, and the education of Americans in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Science and engineering research and innovations are intricately linked to societal needs and the nation’s economy in areas such as …

Energy And Water Development: Fy2009 Appropriations, Carl E. Behrens

Congressional Research Service Reports

The Energy and Water Development appropriations bill provides funding for civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), the Department of Energy (DOE), and a number of independent agencies.

In considering the FY2009 budget, both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees voted to report out an Energy and Water Development appropriations bill. However, neither bill reached the floor in either house. On September 24, 2008, the House passed H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009, which continued appropriations for Energy and Water Development, …

Wind Power In The United States: Technology, Economic, And Policy Issues, Jeffery Logan, Stan Mark Kaplan

Congressional Research Service Reports

Rising energy prices and concern over greenhouse gas emissions have focused congressional attention on energy alternatives, including wind power. Although wind power currently provides only about 1% of U.S. electricity needs, it is growing more rapidly than any other energy source. In 2007, over 5,000 megawatts of new wind generating capacity were installed in the United States, second only to new natural gas-fired generating capacity. Wind power has become “mainstream” in many regions of the country, and is no longer considered an “alternative” energy source.

Wind energy has become increasingly competitive with other power generation options. Wind technology has improved …

Grazing Fees: An Overview And Current Issues, Carol Hardy Vincent

Congressional Research Service Reports

Charging fees for grazing private livestock on federal lands is a long-standing but contentious practice. Generally, livestock producers who use federal lands want to keep fees low, while conservation groups and others believe fees should be increased. The formula for determining the grazing fee for lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service uses a base value adjusted annually by the lease rates for grazing on private lands, beef cattle prices, and the cost of livestock production. The collected fees are divided among the Treasury, states, and federal agencies. Fee reform was attempted but not adopted …

Japan And The World: Japan’S Contemporary Geopolitical Challenges – A Volume In Honor Of The Memory And Intellectual Legacy Of Asakawa Kan’Ichi, Frances Rosenbluth, Masaru Kohno

CEAS Occasional Publication Series

Yale CEAS Occasional Publication Series - Volume 2

The Politic 2008 Winter, The Politic, Inc.

The Politic

No abstract provided.

Fiscal Conditions, Political Interests, And Service Outsourcing Decisions: The Case Of Georgia Counties, Ya Anna Ni, Zhirong Jerry Zhao

Working Group on Interlocal Services Cooperation

The question why a government chooses a specific service delivery tool to provide public service to its citizenry is a central intellectual inquiry in public administration. This paper develops a framework to explain the production and sector choices of public services by political-economic environment, organizational capacity, service market condition, and nature of service. Using operation and financial data of Georgia county governments during 2000-2006, we apply the framework to analyze Georgia counties’ public service outsourcing decisions, focusing on the effects of fiscal condition and political interests. The logistic regression results show that the choice of external production is negatively associated …

Reclaiming Egalitarianism In The Political Theory Of Campaign Finance Reform, Frank Pasquale

Faculty Scholarship

Recent advocacy for campaign finance reform has been based on an ideal of the democratic process which is unrealistic and unhelpful. Scholars should instead return to its egalitarian roots. This article examines how deliberative democratic theory became the main justification for campaign finance reform. It exposes the shortcomings of this deliberativist detour and instead models campaign spending as an effort to commodify issue-salience. Given this dominant function of money in politics, a more effective paradigm for reform is equalizing influence. Advocates of campaign regulation should return to the original principles of reformers; not an idealized vision of the democratic process, …

Taiwan's 2008 Presidential And Vice Presidential Election: Maturing Democracy, John F. Copper

Maryland Series in Contemporary Asian Studies

No abstract provided.

Korean Dispute Over The Northern Limit Line: Security, Economics, Or International Law?, Terence Roehrig

Maryland Series in Contemporary Asian Studies

No abstract provided.

2008: Assembly's Recommendation

CACTUS--Citizens' Assembly for Critical Thinking About the United States

The members of EKU's first CACTUS (Citizen's Assembly for Critical Thinking about the United States, POL 301) have carefully deliberated about the issue for electing the President and concluded that our current Electoral College is not the best electoral system for the United States.

Equality News (Winter 2008), Matthew R. Dubois

Equality news / EqualityMaine (2004-2008)

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Congressional Incivility, Nicholas Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many have decried the lack of civility in Congress. However, to this point, few have attempted to isolate individual level explanations for the lack of comity. This research attempts to rectify this lapse. Through matched pair analysis using quota sampling with replacement, the significant predictors of uncivil behaviors are isolated in a Logistic regression. Initially, a sample is established using the New York Times and Washington Post, 1933-2005, inclusive. This time period begins with the 73rd Congress and ends with the 109th. Incidents of incivility were catalogued and the details concerning the individuals involved were gathered. In the end, the …

The Lander Chronicle Volume 8 Issue I, Lander College For Men

Yearbooks and Newsletters

No abstract provided.

The Struggle For The Right To Vote, Minnesota State University Mankato

Elections/Voting

Bibliography and photographs of a display of government documents from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

2008 Mandate: Is It Time To Change The Way We Elect The President?

CACTUS--Citizens' Assembly for Critical Thinking About the United States

The 2008 Citizen's Assembly for Critical Thinking about the United States (CACTUS) must study models and proposals for electing the President of the United States and the Vice-President, and recommend whether the process, including the current "electoral college" method of electing these officials as described in the U.S. Constitution, Article II and Amendment XII, should be retained or another method should be adopted.

2008: Public Response Submissions

CACTUS--Citizens' Assembly for Critical Thinking About the United States

Is it time to change the way we elect the President?

Does the electoral college work?

Is it democratic?

Should there be a direct popular vote for the president?

Are "faithless electors" an accident waiting to happen?

A Re-Assessment Of Liberal Pacifism At The Monadic Level Of Analysis, Charles Boehmer

Selected Works Temporary Series

Are democracies are generally peaceful? The literature was in the past contradictory, although now there appears increasing evidence that democracies are more pacifistic than other regimes. This research note explores why the literature has often been mischaracterized or misunderstood in our field. This is followed with an analysis of democracy and conflict at the state level of analysis from 1884-1999 using a broad sample of states and appropriate statistical estimators. The results comport with past studies that democracies are less likely to initiate militarized conflicts. The study also shows that even when democracies do militarize a dispute, these are less …

Intergovernmental Organization Memberships: Examining Political Community And The Attributes Of International Organizations, Charles Boehmer, Timothy Nordstrom

Selected Works Temporary Series

Why are states jointly members in certain intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) but not others? Despite the proliferation of IGOs and renewed interest in this topic, we lack systematic research to answer this question. Our theory of political community explains why dyads of states are likely to be common members in particular types of IGOs. We analyze and compare functionalist and Deutschian communitarian perspectives about IGO memberships. We test our theory using newly available data on IGO mandates and institutional structure, which allows us to make specific predictions about the types of IGO to which dyads become members. We show that dyads …

Quantitative Monitoring And Comparison Of Regional Integration Processes: Steps Towards Good Practice, Gaspare Genna, Philippe Delombaerde, Ettore Dorrucci, Francesco Paolo Mongelli

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Power Preponderance, Institutional Homogeneity, And The Likelihood Of Regional Integration, Gaspare Genna

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Presidential Election Of 1980, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Immigration, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.