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Articles 91 - 109 of 109
Full-Text Articles in American Politics
Inequality And Involvement: Participatory Trends In The Politics Of A Rural Maine Town, Shelby O'Neill
Inequality And Involvement: Participatory Trends In The Politics Of A Rural Maine Town, Shelby O'Neill
Honors Theses
Interdisciplinary research suggests that participation in most forms of political activity in the United States is stratified by socioeconomic status. People with higher socioeconomic statuses are more able and willing to participate in politics than people with lower socioeconomic statuses. This participatory inequality amplifies the political voice of the upper class relative to the lower class. However, little academic attention has been paid to analyzing the impact of socioeconomic inequality on participation in local politics. By analyzing participatory trends in the politics of the rural town of Belgrade, ME, this honors thesis fills a gap in the academic literature on …
Are We The Ones To Blame?: Ideological Polarization And Voter Choice, Robert J. Williamson
Are We The Ones To Blame?: Ideological Polarization And Voter Choice, Robert J. Williamson
Honors Theses
Political polarization is the social process by which the ideas and values of a politically moderate majority are slowly replaced by an uncompromising political ideology. In the American context, the term ‘polarization’ is meant to conjure an image of Americans moving from the moderate center to the uncompromising ideologies of modern conservatism or liberalism. This study examined whether a group’s level of political polarization can be a reliable predictor for its voting patterns. To do so, a two-part questionnaire was disseminated to a sample of undergraduate students at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). The first section determined if a …
Tennessee: The Birth And Development Of Performance-Based Funding In Higher Education, Evan Williams
Tennessee: The Birth And Development Of Performance-Based Funding In Higher Education, Evan Williams
Honors Theses
Tennessee was the first state to introduce performance based funding metrics into their higher education system in 1979. Over the past 30+ years, the state reevaluated and amended their formula every five years. What was initially an additional allocation that could be earned on top of an institution’s standard budget has now become the sole method of allocating funds for higher education in Tennessee. In 2010 the Tennessee legislature passed the Complete College Tennessee Act, Which put the state on the path to be the first state in the nation that allocates 100% of higher education funds on the basis …
A New Balance: National Security And Privacy In A Post 9-11 World, Russell B. Wilson
A New Balance: National Security And Privacy In A Post 9-11 World, Russell B. Wilson
Honors Theses
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 shocked the American security apparatus, placing greater pressure on the security actions of the U.S. government, particularly regarding information gathering. Laying out a framework that examines different notions of national security and privacy, this paper examine three case studies to illustrate the role of the government and the inherent friction between privacy and security that increased information gathering inherently creates. The shifting balance between the two variables forces us to reexamine how we want our government to protect us and what we will sacrifice in order to ensure our own well being. With …
Like A Boss: Presidential Prerogative As A Means For National Security, Joshua E. Darichuk
Like A Boss: Presidential Prerogative As A Means For National Security, Joshua E. Darichuk
Honors Theses
Executive power in America is outlined by the U.S. Constitution, but presidents have made decisions which questionably violate the rights American citizens are guaranteed by the same document. How are we able to maintain sovereignty as “we the people,” if our most powerful elected official is able to overstep the rules during a national security threat? The answer is because the constitution would not exist without a state, therefore the union must always be preserved. Niccolo Machiavelli, John Locke, Alexander Hamilton, and Carl Schmitt share very different views on democracy, but their insistence on national security is universally present. The …
Autism Insurance Coverage : Which State Policies Work And Why?, Elizabeth Ivy Homan
Autism Insurance Coverage : Which State Policies Work And Why?, Elizabeth Ivy Homan
Honors Theses
In the spring of 2011, Virginia's legislature passed its first autism insurance mandate via Senate Bill 1062 and House Bill 2467. As a legislative intern for Senator Janet Howell - the primary sponsor of SB 1062 - I was able to track the mandate from beginning to end. I observed conferences between Senator Howell and representatives from autism advocacy groups, I sat in on various Senate and House committee meetings, I carefully reviewed changes in the mandate's text when Senator Howell compressed her two original autism bills into one new bill in order to match Delegate Greason's HB 2467, and …
Should She Run? The Decision For Female Congressíenal Candidates, Laura . J. Maloney
Should She Run? The Decision For Female Congressíenal Candidates, Laura . J. Maloney
Honors Theses
This study, “Should She Run? The decision for female congressional candidates,” explores Why Women decide to or not to run for Congress. lt focuses on the influence of state political Culture with a case study on the emergence of female candidates in the primaries for U.S. House of Representative races New England districts from 2002-2010. After running a series of general linear models, the study Ends that certain aspects of a state’s political culture do impact female candidate emergence in New England. Looking forward, it suggests that the key to shrinking the gender gap in the U.S. Congress is to …
The Supreme Court: A Decade Of Opinion, Matthew A. Bahleda
The Supreme Court: A Decade Of Opinion, Matthew A. Bahleda
Honors Theses
Conventional wisdom would have us believe that the Bush v. Gore (2000) decision marked a large change in public approval of the Supreme Court. To analyze this claim, a series of landmark cases for the years 2000-2010 will be reduced to a data set that will allow for the observation of specific variables and the roles each variable may play in determining the change in public opinion. From there, conclusions are made that substantively explicate the relations between the indicated relevant variables and the change in opinion. Ultimately, the Bush v. Gore decision is found to have not had the …
Family Ties: Mainstream Environmentalists' Understanding Of Radical Environmentalism In America, Zachary W. Ezor
Family Ties: Mainstream Environmentalists' Understanding Of Radical Environmentalism In America, Zachary W. Ezor
Honors Theses
Environmentalism in the United States manifests itself in numerous ways. While American environmentalists have been grouped into broad camps over the years, observers have struggled to accurately classify the different components of the movement. Lately, environmentalists have been characterized based on their chosen modus operandi. Environmentalists who employ typical interest group tactics of policy advocacy and accept the notion of political compromise can generally be called 'mainstream.' Alternatively, those environmentalists who employ non-conventional strategies like direct action and take a no-compromise stance on environmental issues are typically described as 'radical.' Despite these distinctions, both radical and mainstream environmentalists are parts …
The “Lunatic Fringe” -- Barry Goldwater And The Conservative Revolution Of The 1960s --, Nicholas L. Bromley
The “Lunatic Fringe” -- Barry Goldwater And The Conservative Revolution Of The 1960s --, Nicholas L. Bromley
Honors Theses
How did conservatives, who had become effectively ostracized by their party following the Great Depression and the societal reforms of the New Deal, regain leverage within the GOP during the 1960s? My hypothesis is two-fold. First, I contend that a small group of conservative activists led by F. Clifton White, in spite of a dearth of resources and manpower, managed to infiltrate Republican infrastructure and “hijack” the delegate- selection process. The distinctly conservative and recalcitrant disposition of the Goldwater delegates demonstrates that these activists succeeded. Second, I argue that in addition to temporarily overpowering the national convention in 1964, conservatives …
Cyclicality Of State Budgeting: A Political-Economy Analysis., Ian W. Cummins
Cyclicality Of State Budgeting: A Political-Economy Analysis., Ian W. Cummins
Honors Theses
This paper disentangles the effect of political ideology and budget rules on fiscal cyclicality across the U.S. states. Using panel data from 1963 to 2006, liberal states are found to be significantly less procyclical than conservative ones. The impact of balanced budget constraints is contingent on the ideological orientation of the state in which they are imposed. Tight balanced budget rules are not binding on conservative states, but are binding on liberal ones. Where they are binding, budget rules mediate the link between voter preferences and policy outcomes skewing them toward greater procyclicality.
Coalitions For Victory: The Necessity Of Alliance Creation For Progressive Ballot Initiative Campaigns, Julie Bero
Coalitions For Victory: The Necessity Of Alliance Creation For Progressive Ballot Initiative Campaigns, Julie Bero
Honors Theses
My paper consists of three sections. In the first, I explain the function of ballot measures and discuss why Americans have supported or opposed the use of direct democracy. I will also offer the history of direct democracy. In the second section, I will discuss the current national state of affairs in direct democracy, specifically analyzing recent ballot measures. I will analyze three cases, focusing on information gathered from the news media and personal interviews with campaign organizers. Finally, I will draw conclusions about these three measures and assert implications for the future of direct democracy.
A Critical Comparison Of The Church-State Jurisprudence Of Chief Justice William Rehnquist And Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Christy Harrison
A Critical Comparison Of The Church-State Jurisprudence Of Chief Justice William Rehnquist And Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Christy Harrison
Honors Theses
The relationship between government and religion is a difficult one. The question of how religious beliefs and practices should be treated by the government remains at the forefront of constitutional debate. There are concerns about religious freedom and the extent to which it conflicts with public duty. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The Supreme Court's interpretation of the religion clauses has been unclear, inconsistent, and, therefore, extremely controversial. In fact, it has not become less controversial over time, but quite …
Scientific Advice To The House : Who Has The Congressional Ear?, Kristen Greenholt
Scientific Advice To The House : Who Has The Congressional Ear?, Kristen Greenholt
Honors Theses
In 2001, President George W. Bush remarked, "Science and technology have never been more essential to the defense of the nation and the health of the economy." The responsibility for formulating science and technology policy primarily falls into the hands of Congress. However, since few members of Congress possess a broad base of knowledge in either science or technology, they must rely on external sources of information. I examine the sources of information on which they rely, or the question "Who has the Congressional Ear?"with regard to science and technology issues. Using the downfall of the Office of Technology Assessment …
Is The Lottery Right For Tennessee?, Lindsay Boyer
Is The Lottery Right For Tennessee?, Lindsay Boyer
Honors Theses
The research reported in this paper seeks to present an in-depth review of state lotteries. To accomplish this objective, I first examine the factors favoring lottery introduction including some of the arguments for and against lotteries. Then, I examine the effects lotteries have had in other states to predict the possible influence a lottery will have on Tennessee state revenues and state spending for public education. Finally, in this paper, I analyze budget data over a series of years to make possible some conclusions as to the longer term effects of state lotteries.
Deja Vu In 1946: Reinterpreting The Origins Of Containment, Jonathan Barry
Deja Vu In 1946: Reinterpreting The Origins Of Containment, Jonathan Barry
Honors Theses
For nearly fifty years, mainstream Cold War historians have credited George Kennan with ushering in a new age in foreign policy. Kennan did, after all, send a "Long Telegram" from Moscow on February 22, 1946 that crystallized for the US government a policy of "containing" the Soviet regime. Kennan, a State Department official and expert on Soviet affairs, submitted to Secretary of State James Byrnes an 8,000 word telegram depicting a communist government bent on upholding the expansionist tradition of the Russian czars. He further claimed that "all Soviet efforts on... [an] international plane will be negative and destructive in …
The Death Penalty And Public Opinion, Eve Errickson
The Death Penalty And Public Opinion, Eve Errickson
Honors Theses
In this research, I will examine public opinion on the death penalty from 1972 to the present. In doing so, I will show that as the awareness of violence and crime increases, support for the death penalty increases. I intend by the consideration of prevalent trends and ideas over the past twenty-five years to show that awareness of crime and prejudice against ethnic groups traditionally associated with crime often dictates public opinion of the death penalty. As these tendencies become more apparent, it will become clear that the Supreme Court's confidence in mitigating and aggravating factors are not entirely valid, …
False Hopes: The United States Senate And Campaign Finance Reform 1980-1990, James Heimbach
False Hopes: The United States Senate And Campaign Finance Reform 1980-1990, James Heimbach
Honors Theses
The cost of winning a seat in the United States Senate has risen dramatically over the last ten years. It has become the norm rather than the exception to spend over $1 million on a campaign. For example, in the 34 Senate races in the 1988 election, 32 campaigns spent over $1 million. Due to the necessity to raise more and more money, candidates have had to turn to alternative sources of campaign funds. Thus, the rise in campaign costs has been accompanied by a rise in the role of the political action committee (PAC). PACs are special interest groups …
An Analysis Of The Significance Of Systemic Power In Chattanooga Decision Making, Franklin Chancey
An Analysis Of The Significance Of Systemic Power In Chattanooga Decision Making, Franklin Chancey
Honors Theses
At the end of the Civil War, Chattanooga, like many southern cities, was beset by a wave of northern citizens eager to help rebuild the ravaged south. These carpetbaggers, the forebearers of some of Chattanooga's wealthiest families, began many important industries still in operation today. In fact, for most Chattanoogans, the names Probasco, Lupton, Guerry, and others are synonymous with great wealth. The members of this group, the descendants of those reconstruction era carpetbaggers, are at the top of Chattanooga's socioeconomic structure. If newspaper surveys are correct, this group is perceived by the public as running the city's affairs. Two …