American Politics Commons^™

A Report On Accessibility Of Polling Places In The November 2005 Election: The Experience Of New York City Voters, José Cruz, Prepared In Collaboration With The National Association Of Latino Elected And Appointed Officials

Policy Documents

To ensure that that such polling places in the November 8, 2005 New York City Mayoral Election were accessible to all voters, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund in partnership with the New York Latino Research and Resources Network (NYLARNet) at the University at Albany, State University of New York, conducted an Election Day project to observe the accessibility of poll sites. For this observational study, the Brooklyn and Queens boroughs were chosen as field sites. Specifically, multiple polls sites in two Assembly Districts for each borough were observed-Assembly Districts 51 and 52 in …

The Politic 2006 Spring, The Politic, Inc.

The Politic

No abstract provided.

Review Of One House: The Unicameral's Progressive Vision For Nebraska By Charlyne Berens, James B. Johnson

Political Science Faculty Publications

This is a book that needed to be written-a valuable, though flawed, addition to the literature on Nebraska's unique legislative body. It is the first addition to research on the Nebraska Legislature in some time and presents a new approach to the subject: has the Unicameral lived up to the promises of its founders? The answer is, by and large, yes.

The Refund Booth: Using The Principle Of Symmetric Information To Improve Campaign Finance Regulation, Ian Ayres, Bruce Ackerman, Georgetown University Law Center

Philip A. Hart Memorial Lecture

On March 22, 2006, Professor of Law, Ian Ayres of Yale Law School, delivered the Georgetown Law Center’s twenty-sixth Annual Philip A. Hart Memorial Lecture: "The Refund Booth: Using the Principle of Symmetric Information to Improve Campaign Finance Regulation." The article, The Secret Refund Booth, was co-authored with Professor Bruce Ackerman of Yale University.

Ian Ayres is a lawyer and an economist. He is the William K. Townsend Professor of Law and Anne Urowsky Professorial Fellow in Law at Yale Law School and a Professor at Yale's School of Management. He is the editor of the Journal of Law, …

Ua3/9/2 Tribute To Western Kentucky University On Its Centennial Year, U.S. Senate

WKU Administration Documents

Resolution in honor of WKU's centennial made by Mitch McConnell in the United States Senate. This copy is autographed "To my good friend Gary Ransdell - Congratulations on the 100th Anniversary of WKU - Mitch McConnell USS KY."

Rethinking The Iraq War, Brian Stiltner

Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

The reasonable possibility of the situation getting worse [in Iraq] rather than better should have given humanitarian advocates for war, like myself, greater pause. For me at that time, this humanitarian motive bolstered what was weak in the weapons argument, and vice versa. But now I realize that a partial case for war because of the weapons risk and a partial case for war under humanitarian reasons don't add up to an air-tight case for just war. Each of the causes proffered has to be reasonable with little doubt-something like 90 to 95 percent certain-and they can't be undermined by …

Ua3/9/5 House & Senate Budget Subcommittees, Wku President's Office

WKU Administration Documents

Card of talking points used by WKU president Gary Ransdell while lobbying state legislators to increase WKU's budget.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 81, No. 24, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. Articles in this issue:

• Coulter, Amber. Budget Won’t Cover Costs
• Paul, Corey. Fires Destroy Local Houses - Arson
• Harrell, Bobby. J-term Enrollment Higher than University of Kentucky’s
• Bosken, Nina. Race Machine Brings Diversity to Downing University Center – Video Games
• Coulter, Amber. Study Finds Salary Equity
• Coulter, Amber. Donor Helps Scholarship Increase
• Governor Ernie Fletcher’s Folly
• Watt, Wes. Opinion Page is Everyone’s Page
• Casagrande, Michael. Note from the Editor
• McNamara, Andrew. Additions to Downing University Center Centralize Services
• Harrell, Bobby. Governor’s Comments Ignite Intelligent Design Debate
• Paul, Corey. Professors, …

Ua1b2/1 Proclamation, Kentucky. House Of Representatives

WKU Administration Documents

Proclamation recognizing the centennial celebration of Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky Universities. The schools were chartered jointly in 1906. The proclamation is signed by Jody Richards and Harry Moberly, Jr.

Ua1b2/1 Proclamation, Kentucky. Senate

WKU Administration Documents

Proclamation in honor of the centennial celebration of Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky Universities. The two schools were chartered jointly in 1906. The proclamation is signed by David Williams, Brett Guthrie and Ed Worley.

The U.S. And The International Criminal Court (Icc), Paul R. Rickert

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper is a discussion of the notable issues the U.S. points out regarding the Rome Treaty, the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court.

Combating Money Laundering, Paul R. Rickert

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper discusses the modern problem of dealing with money laundering. Illicit occupations inherently create illicit incomes that must be given the appearance of legitimately earned income. The more government criminalizes activities of its citizens, the greater the need for laundering money.

Constitution Day, Humboldt State University

Constitution

Bibliography of a display of government documents from Humboldt State University, California.

The Elections Of 2000: Politics, Culture And Economics In North America, Mary K. Kirtz, Mark J. Kasoff, Rick Farmer, John C. Green

The Elections of 2000

The essays in this collection are the product of a conversation among scholars, spanning national borders and disciplinary boundaries, about the increasing integration of Canada, Mexico, and the United States and the development of a “continental perspective.” This conversation has been underway for some time, reflecting the causes, challenges, and consequences of economic, cultural, and political integration in North America. The conjunction of national elections in all three of the great North American democracies in 2000 offered us the opportunity to deepen this conversation and engage in scholarly discourse from a “continental perspective.” Taken together, the essays in this book …

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 109th Congress, alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles have received a good deal of attention, especially in the debate over omnibus energy legislation. High fuel prices, especially in response …

Western Water Resource Issues, Betsy A. Cody, Pervaze A. Sheikh

Congressional Research Service Reports

For more than a century, the federal government has constructed water resource projects for a variety of purposes, including flood control, navigation, power generation, and irrigation. While most municipal and industrial water supplies have been built by non-federal entities, most of the large, federal water supply projects in the West, including Hoover and Grand Coulee dams, were constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior) to provide water for irrigation.

Growing populations and changing values have increased demands on water supplies and river systems, resulting in water use and management conflicts throughout the country, particularly in the West, …

U.S. Space Programs: Civilian, Military, And Commercial, Marcia S. Smith

Congressional Research Service Reports

The 109th Congress is addressing a broad range of civilian, military, and commercial space issues.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducts the most visible space activities. For FY2006, NASA received $16.623 billion when adjusted for two rescissions and an augmentation for hurricane recovery. The FY2007 request is $16.792 billion.

The future of the U.S. human space flight program is dominating debate about NASA. The space shuttle returned to flight in July 2005 after a two and one-half year hiatus following the 2003 Columbia tragedy, but the next launch has been indefinitely postponed because of a foam-shedding event during …

Human Cloning, Judith A. Johnson, Erin D. Williams

Congressional Research Service Reports

In December 2005, an investigation by Seoul National University, South Korea, found that scientist Hwang Woo Suk had fabricated results on deriving patientmatched stem cells from cloned embryos — a major setback for the field. In May 2005 Hwang had announced a significant advance in creating human embryos using cloning methods and in isolating human stem cells from cloned embryos. These developments have contributed to the debate in the 109th Congress on the moral and ethical implications of human cloning. Scientists in other labs, including Harvard University and the University of California at San Francisco, intend to produce cloned human …

The Bayh-Dole Act: Selected Issues In Patent Policy And The Commercialization Of Technology, Wendy H. Schacht

Congressional Research Service Reports

Congressional interest in facilitating U.S. technological innovation led to the passage of P.L. 96-517, Amendments to the Patent and Trademark Act (commonly referred to as the Bayh-Dole Act after its two main sponsors). The act grants patent rights to inventions arising out of government- sponsored research and development (R&D) to certain types of entities with the expressed purpose of encouraging the commercialization of new technologies through cooperative ventures between and among the research community, small business, and industry.

Patents provide an economic incentive for companies to pursue further development and commercialization. Studies have shown that research funding accounts for approximately …

Oversight Of Dual-Use Biological Research: The National Science Advisory Board For Biosecurity, Dana A. Shea

Congressional Research Service Reports

Policymakers have addressed the threat of biological weapons and biosecurity issues for many years. An issue garnering increased attention is the potential for life sciences research intended to enhance scientific understanding and public health to generate results that could be misused to advance biological weapon effectiveness. Such research has been called “dual-use” research because of its applicability to both biological countermeasures and biological weapons.

The federal government is a major source of life sciences research funding. Tension over the need to maintain homeland security and support scientific endeavor has led to renewed consideration of federal policies of scientific oversight. Balancing …

Mtbe In Gasoline: Clean Air And Drinking Water Issues, James E. Mccarthy, Mary Tiemann

Congressional Research Service Reports

As gasoline prices have risen in March and April 2006, renewed attention has been given to methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive being phased out of the nation’s fuel supply. Many argue that the phaseout of MTBE and its replacement by ethanol have been a major factor in driving up prices.

MTBE has been used by refiners since the late 1970s. It came into widespread use when leaded gasoline was phased out — providing an octane boost similar to that of lead, but without fouling the catalytic converters used to reduce auto emissions since the mid-1970s. MTBE has …

Science And Technology Policy: Issues For The 109th Congress, Frank Gottron

Congressional Research Service Reports

Science and technology have a pervasive influence over a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Decisions on how much federal funding to invest in research and development (R&D), and determining what programs have the highest priority, for example, may have implications for homeland security, new high technology industries, government/private sector cooperation in R&D, and myriad other areas.

This report indicates the sweep of science and technology in many public policy issues, although it cannot provide a comprehensive examination of every science or technology issue which may be of interest to Congress. In some areas, such as global climate change …

Stem Cell Research: State Initiatives, Judith A. Johnson, Erin D. Williams

Congressional Research Service Reports

Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into virtually any cell in the body. Stem cells are used by scientists to study the growth and differentiation of individual cells into tissues. This work may provide insights into the causes of birth defects, genetic abnormalities, and other disease states, as well as potential treatments. The research is controversial, in the opinion of some, because the stem cells are located within the embryo and the process of removing them destroys the embryo. Some have argued that stem cell research should be limited to adult stem cells obtained from tissues such as …

U.S. Military Space Programs: An Overview Of Appropriations And Current Issues, Patricia Moloney Figliola

Congressional Research Service Reports

The 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act specified that military space activities be conducted by the Department of Defense (DOD). DOD and the intelligence community manage a broad array of space activities, including launch vehicle development, communications satellites, navigation satellites (the Global Positioning System — GPS), early warning satellites to alert the United States to foreign missile launches, weather satellites, reconnaissance satellites, and developing capabilities to protect U.S. satellite systems and to deny the use of space to adversaries (called “space control” or “counterspace systems”). The 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War is dubbed by some as the first “space war” because …

Space Exploration: Issues Concerning The “Vision For Space Exploration”, Marcia S. Smith

Congressional Research Service Reports

On January 14, 2004, President George W. Bush announced new goals for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), directing the agency to focus on returning humans to the Moon by 2020, and eventually sending them to Mars and “worlds beyond.” The President invited other countries to join. Most of the funding for this “Vision for Space Exploration” is to be redirected from other NASA activities, including terminating the space shuttle program in 2010, and ending U.S. participation in the International Space Station by 2016. NASA released an implementation plan for the Vision on September 19, 2005, and estimated the …

Three-Strikes Legislation And The Evolution Of The Liberal Conception Of Justice, Lisa Dillon

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to examine the changing nature of the liberal conception of justice using three-strikes legislation as a basis for comparison. It includes a brief examination of the legal debate surrounding three-strikes legislation, as well as comprehensive tables comparing the content of the laws in several states. The preponderance of the paper explores the evolution of the liberal concept of justice in the works of John Locke, Jeremy Bentham, and John Stuart Mill. It concludes with a discussion of contemporary liberal thought on justice, and more specifically, with an examination of the work of John Rawls …

Ua3/9/5 Legislative Priorities, Wku President's Office

WKU Administration Documents

Legislative priorities talking points card used by WKU president Gary Ransdell when meeting with state legislators in 2006.

Conceptualizing And Measuring White House Staff Influence On Presidential Rhetoric, Justin Vaughn, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

Scholars have debated extensively the impact of presidential rhetoric on public opinion and congressional behavior, but have largely ignored the determinants of what the president actually says. This inattention is partly the result of the difficulty of acquiring systematic observations of presidential speech crafting. We devise a method of quantifying White House staff influence over the composition of rhetoric that captures the multistage negotiations between the president's speechwriters and his policy advisors and provides a framework for future studies on the determinants of presidential rhetoric. We employ our method to study influence over the writing of President George H. W. …

Conceptualizing And Measuring White House Staff Influence On Presidential Rhetoric, Justin Vaughn, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

Scholars have debated extensively the impact of presidential rhetoric on public opinion and congressional behavior, but have largely ignored the determinants of what the president actually says. This inattention is partly the result of the difficulty of acquiring systematic observations of presidential speech crafting. We devise a method of quantifying White House staff influence over the composition of rhetoric that captures the multistage negotiations between the president's speechwriters and his policy advisors and provides a framework for future studies on the determinants of presidential rhetoric. We employ our method to study influence over the writing of President George H. W. …

Federal R&D, Drug Discovery, And Pricing: Insights From The Nih-University-Industry Relationship, Wendy H. Schacht

Congressional Research Service Reports

Public interest in approaches that might provide prescription drugs at lower cost, particularly for the elderly, has rekindled discussion over the role the federal government plays in facilitating the creation of new pharmaceuticals for the marketplace. In the current debate, some argue that the government’s financial, scientific, and/or clinical support of health-related research and development (R&D) entitles the public to commensurate considerations in the prices charged for any resulting drugs. Others view government intervention in price decisions based upon initial federal funding as contrary to a long-term trend of government promotion of innovation, technological advancement, and the commercialization of technology …