American Politics Commons^™

Critical Dialogue: The Stupidity Of War: American Foreign Policy And The Case For Complacency And American Dove: Us Foreign Policy And The Failure Of Force, Zachary C. Shirkey, John Mueller

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Senator And The Citizen: Comparing The Agendas Of The U.S. Senate And Populace, Christian Chlebowski

Holster Scholar Projects

How responsive is the United States Senate to the attitudes and beliefs of the constituents it serves? Using data from the Cooperative Election Study and the United States Census, as well as an investigation into Senate roll-call votes, I will examine Senate responsiveness for the 111th through 116th Congresses.

Congressional Oversight Of Modern Warfare: History, Pathologies, And Proposals For Reform, Oona A. Hathaway, Tobias Kuehne, Randi Michel, Nicole Ng

William & Mary Law Review

Despite significant developments in the nature of twenty-first century warfare, Congress continues to employ a twentieth century oversight structure. Modern warfare tactics, including cyber operations, drone strikes, and special operations, do not neatly fall into congressional committee jurisdictions. Counterterrorism and cyber operations, which are inherently multi-jurisdictional and highly classified, illustrate the problem. In both contexts, over the past several years Congress has addressed oversight shortcomings by strengthening its reporting requirements, developing relatively robust oversight regimes. But in solving one problem, Congress has created another: deeply entrenched information silos that inhibit the sharing of information about modern warfare across committees. This …

Media Framing And The Election Integrity Protection Act Of 2021, Timothy Fay

Student Publications

It is no secret that today's media landscape is saturated with various narratives and frames that dictate how political events and debates are consumer by the American public. This paper seeks to analyze how national and local media outlets frame the Election Integrity Protection Act of 2021, one of the numerous voting bills that followed the 2020 Election. My expectation is that these sources will vary in terms of their partisan skew as a result of their geographic location and the ideologies of their viewers. This qualitative media analysis focuses on how each publication does or does not align one …

Biden Administration U.S. Space Force Policy Literature, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Provides details on U.S. Space Force policy literature produced by the Biden Administration during its first eight months. Includes announcements that the Biden Administration will continue this new armed services branch begun during the Trump Administration. Features congressional testimony of Biden Administration officials such as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Wilson and Air Force Space Command leader General James Dickinson, the text of Space Force's 2021 Digital Force Vision document, congressionally approved FY 2022 space force budget figures, congressional committee comments and report requirements contained in emerging defense spending legislation, the emergence of collaboration between Space Force and universities such as …

Independence, Dependence, And Intellectual Disability: From Cultural Origins To Useful Application, Scot Danforth

Education Faculty Articles and Research

American government educational policy and leading advocacy groups commonly espouse independence as a primary goal for young people with intellectual disabilities. An extensive philosophical literature of autonomy has focused mostly on analyses of cognition that achieve individual self-governance. But the loosely defined concept of independence used by disability policymakers and advocates provides a more malleable, social understanding that involves someone actively relying on the assistance of others. The purpose of this paper is to examine the cultural, historical origins of the notion of independence for disabled persons through an exploration of the biography of Ed Roberts, the father of the …

Reflections On The 20th Anniversary Of 9/11, Onu Institute For Civics And Public Policy, Kennedy Aikey, Andrea Hoffman, Drew Mantenieks, Hailey Trimpey

Critical Questions

Twenty years ago a horrific terrorist attack occurred in the United States. For Generation Z, our knowledge of 9/11 is second hand, from history lessons in High School to stories from our family and friends to mentions of it in today’s political environment. As we reflect on that day twenty years later, we hope to continue to inform future generations. To do this, we focus on what happened on September 11, 2001, the actions taken after the attack, and the lasting effects of 9/11.

Sanders, William Willard "Whitey," 1930-2021 (Mss 723), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 723. Original cartoons drawn by Bill “Whitey” Sanders during his career as an editorial cartoonist with the Greensboro Daily News, Kansas City Star, and Milwaukee Journal. Includes some created after his retirement.

Sanders, William Willard "Whitey," 1930-2021 (Mss 722), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 722. Photocopies of cartoons drawn by Bill “Whitey” Sanders during his career and after retirement as an editorial cartoonist with the Greensboro Daily News, Kansas City Star, and Milwaukee Journal. Most were clipped from newspapers but some later cartoons were copied from originals.

Ever-Present “Illegality:” How Political Climate Impacts Undocumented Latinx Parents’ Engagement In Students’ Postsecondary Access And Success, Stephany Cuevas

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Using the ecological systems theory, this study highlights the significant impact the political climate in the United States (i.e., anti-immigrant sentiments and violence) has on undocumented Latinx parents’ engagement in their children’s education. Drawing from a larger qualitative, interview-based study that explored how undocumented Latinx parents were involved and engaged in their children’s postsecondary access and success (Cuevas, 2019; 2020), this study focuses on undocumented parents’ experiences and processing of the 2016 Presidential Election. Findings illustrate how the explicit racist, anti-immigrant, and nativist narratives then-Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump campaigned under and won forced undocumented Latinx parents to (re)evaluate how …

Sermon From The Capitol Hill: Abraham Lincoln’S Usage Of The Bible In His Second Inaugural, Ben Atwood

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

While President Abraham Lincoln’s religious life evades easy explanation, his love for the Bible and its teachings cannot be denied. He frequently laced his speeches with Biblical ideas and language, capturing the attention of a Biblically-aware audience. The question of Lincoln’s attraction to the Bible removed from organized religion deserves consideration. The Bible’s distinct role in Lincoln’s speeches may have peaked with Lincoln’s Second Inaugural address. Given March 4, 1865, only six weeks before his assassination, the Second Inaugural may read as the president’s “last will and testament,” a final opportunity to preach to his nation.

Author information: Ben Atwood …

Postmodernity, Chance, And Judicial Interpretation, Tanner Love

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

This essay is about postmodern thought’s view of chance as compared to ancient and modern thought, and how this view turns judicial interpretation into a game of force.

Author information: Tanner Love graduated from Jacksonville State University with degrees in political science and English and is studying law at the University of Alabama School of Law.

The Federalist Papers' Account Of Human Nature, Jeffrey P. Smith

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This paper is an analysis of the account of human nature found in The Federalist Papers. This interpretation assumes The Federalist is a work of political rhetoric and advocacy, but also one of genuine significance as political science and philosophy. As a book, The Federalist is a coherent whole, which offers a coherent account of human nature, despite the collective nature of its authorship, the time pressures of its publication, and the piecemeal nature of its workmanship. This understanding of human nature is the thread which runs through all its analysis and numbers. Its arguments asserting the inadequacies of …

Book Review: Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement And Evangelicalism’S Looming Catastrophe, Tyler R. Tennies

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

The COVID-19 pandemic and the death of George Floyd became the catalyst of political and social unrest in 2020, fueling social justice movements in many areas. Central to the unrest is what Time Magazine called “America’s Overdue Racial Awakening,” which highlighted the fallout of George Floyd’s death and the ensuing strife.1 The Church was not exempt from the unrest and public dialogue on social justice, with several pastors and members looking for leadership on these issues. This national social justice conversation is driving domestic policy decisions with purposed legislation such as H.R. 5 “The Equality Act” and police reform bills …

Manumission In Virginia: The Anti-Slavery Legacy Of John Lynch, Stephen Langeland

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

This paper is in no way an apology for the institution of slavery in any form. In fact, it is a reiteration of Biblical doctrine and natural rights philosophy that posit all humans are created equal. The institution of slavery knew few bounds throughout recorded history and was as ubiquitous and durable as the activities of marriage or warfare, practiced by every culture and religion (Drescher 2009, 7-8, 12-39). Biblical text is devoid of specific prohibition against slavery, a fact sadly used as justification for its continuation. The Quakers, however, were one of the few religious groups who invoked Scriptural …

America And The World Health Organization: Through Covid-19 And Beyond, David M. Goad

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, in today’s interconnected, globalized world, the state of global health has profound implications for the national security and economic interests of the United States (U.S.) and thus the overall well-being of American citizens. Almost a year after COVID-19 first surfaced in Wuhan, China, the international community continues to reel from the myriad medical, economic, and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the U.S., the pandemic has brought the country’s relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) into serious question, concerning both America’s financial support of the WHO and its membership in the Organization. …

Covid-19 Lockdowns Are Central Planning, Stephen Langeland

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

The panic surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic led politicians to implement lockdowns and issue “stay-at-home” orders that follow in a long line of government attempts over the past century at economic central planning. With only a few notable exceptions among the several states, elected officials and bureaucrats seized on emergency powers afforded them by the onset of the novel coronavirus. In mid-March 2020 the publishing of the now infamous epidemiological models gave governments the sensational information they needed to get the wheels of government planners turning. The present government-induced crisis once again demonstrates that the intellectuals of the ruling class responsible …

Statelessness In The Black Diaspora, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

Transcript of 30 th April, 2021 Speech at American Graduate School in Paris, Annual Student Conference: Statelessness in International Relations: Causes, Consequences, and Covid-19

Virtual Event

Sanctuary In The City Of Brotherly Love: Probing The Effectiveness And Broader Implications Of Philadelphia’S Sanctuary City Policies, Thomas A. Koenig

Gettysburg Social Sciences Review

Amidst the already fraught politics of immigration, “sanctuary” policies, whereby state and local law enforcement agencies limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities to varying degrees, have emerged as a particularly contentious issue. This paper sifts past the political vitriol surrounding the issue of “sanctuary” and uses original survey research in Philadelphia to answer a straightforward question: Are these policies working? That is, are the city of Philadelphia’s sanctuary policies actually building trust between its undocumented residents and local law enforcement, thereby laying the groundwork for higher rates of crime reporting and safer communities? My results from a survey …

Smoller, Moodian & King: Help Us Save The Earth, Fred Smoller, Michael A. Moodian, Richard King

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

"

Orange County must do its part to help mitigate the climate emergency.

To this end, we recently received courtesy of state Senator Dave Min (SD-37), a $5 million grant to organize the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon. This competition will be held in 2023 at a site in Orange County, California.

This exciting new competition aims to motivate and empower California’s best and brightest to lead the state’s transition to 100 percent renewable energy. The decathlon will also address housing affordability challenges in California.

"

Crisis Management Lessons From The Clinton Administration's Implementation Of Presidential Decision Directive 56, Leonard R. Hawley

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Drawing on personal experience, the author asks what the current administration can learn from the Clinton administration’s implementation of Presidential Decision Directive 56, examines the real-world application of the directive during the Clinton administration and the pitfalls of its agency-centric successor during the Bush administration, and identifies recurring problems and best practices for successfully responding to current global crises.

Book Reviews, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

The Evolution Of Hybrid Warfare: Implications For Strategy And The Military Profession, Ilmari Käihkö

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

The concept of hybrid war has evolved from operational-level use of military means and methods in war toward strategic-level use of nonmilitary means in a gray zone below the threshold of war. This article considers this evolution and its implications for strategy and the military profession by contrasting past and current use of the hybrid war concept and raising critical questions for policy and military practitioners.

The Battalion Commander Effect, Everett Spain, Gautam Mukunda, Archie Bates

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Statistical evidence suggests Army battalion commanders are significant determinants of the retention of their lieutenants—especially high-potential lieutenants. Further, this so-called Battalion Commander Effect should be included in brigadier general promotion board assessments and used to inform officer professional military education curricula.

Hope Versus Reality: The Efficacy Of Using Us Military Aid To Improve Human Rights In Egypt, Gregory L. Aftandilian

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Using US military aid as a lever to achieve human rights reforms has proven only marginally effective. This article examines the approaches employed by the Obama and Trump administrations to US military aid to Egypt and proposes practical steps that can be taken by policymakers and the military personnel on the ground to advance US human rights values.

Great (Soft) Power Competition: Us And Chinese Efforts In Global Health Engagement, Michael W. Wissemann

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Global health engagement, an underutilized strategy rooted in the strengths of soft power persuasion, can lead to more military-to-military cooperation training, help establish relationships that can be relied on when crises develop, stabilize fragile states, and deny violent extremist organizations space for recruiting and operations. Examining Chinese efforts worldwide to curry favor and influence and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this article shows health as a medium is a very compelling and advantageous whole-of-government approach to national security policy concerns.

Reversing The Readiness Assumption: A Proposal For Fiscal And Military Effectiveness, Jason W. Warren, John A. Bonin

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Looming budget cuts will necessitate adept management to retain a military capable of competing and winning by avoiding the mistakes made in prior drawdowns. This article presents a framework for government and defense leaders to prepare for the coming drawdown and plan for the necessary capacity of tomorrow across the diplomatic, information, military, and economic framework.

Samuel Huntington, Professionalism, And Self-Policing In The Us Army Officer Corps, Brian Mcallister Linn

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Drawing on Samuel P. Huntington’s three phases of self-regulation used to determine if an occupation qualifies as a profession, this article focuses on the third phase of policing and removing those who fail to uphold the standards set forth in the first two phases. It reviews how the US Army implemented this phase following the Civil War through the post–Vietnam War years and the implications for the officer corps.

The Path To Eliminating Oppression: Why Anarchist Thinkers And Intersectional Practitioners Should Work Together, Samantha Montgomery

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

In this paper, I examine the similarities between the tenets of anarcha-feminism and the practices of those with intersectional viewpoints. During my research, I interviewed 3 women of color who are leaders in the elimination of oppression in Denver, CO, and learned that having an increased experience with interlocking oppression, as those with multi-marginalized identities do, results in having the expertise to recognize where oppression exists, and, in most cases, developing the empathy to fight against it. This paper thus concludes that if the United States of America was to systemically implement an intersectional perspective, it would then take measurable …

Make The Informed Decision: Biden Or Trump For 2020, Kaitlyn Vlasto

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

It’s election time again. The signs are out and the political ads are in full swing. The time has come for the United States and its citizens to participate in a democratic election, electing a politician and political party that they want at the forefront of our government. It is our responsibility to choose the party that we as a country believe will hold the ideals that will best combat the issues that plague our society.