Reflections on Obama’s UW-Madison appearance

When President Obama came to UW-Madison, I don’t think he – or anyone else for that matter – quite expected the turnout. And while the wait was long – the line stretched for 1.2 miles – I’m really glad I went. But after these difficulties, it was great hearing the speakers (being short, I didn’t see [...]

Republicans’ “Pledge to America” attempts to co-opt key issues

In my previous post, I suggested that although the current iteration of the Tea Party lacks a uniform agenda, the potential for a competitive party to emerge centered around a balanced budget and reduced government spending is relatively high – but only so long as the long-standing national parties do not make a credible effort [...]

Is this 1854?

For all the comparisons between 2010 and 1994 or even 1982, the correct comparison may be to 1854. The fascination with third-parties is longstanding, but the U.S. has always been a two-party system. Political scientists from Anthony Downs onward will tell you that the two-party dominance is largely driven by our electoral system: when the [...]

The forgotten war

America has always been at war. Even before our focus shifted to the “real” wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, America’s “War on Drugs” was in the news. And no one can doubt that this war, like those overseas, claims lives every year. Furthermore, the violence in Mexico points to a growing problem. But are American politicians [...]

What are Democrats thinking?

After my post of last Friday, it seemed only fair to give Democrats an equally hard time about their political strategy. And I’m not the only one: Slate’s Jacob Weisberg is also disappointed in Democrats’ – and particularly President Obama’s – refusal to take a stand on several of the key issues I critiqued Republicans [...]

What are Republicans thinking?

Yes, I know that Republicans have a seemingly-commanding lead in the polls for the midterm elections in 2010. And I know that their base seemed more energized and that their politicians are becoming even more adept at using social media. But I can’t claim to understand Republican strategy – at least not their long-term strategy. [...]

A different vote: None of the above

When I talk about politics with my husband, he often laments that there are only two parties to choose from in the U.S. On the other hand, I, even before graduate school, have always been skeptical of third parties; perhaps I was traumatized by Ralph Nader’s role in the 2000 election. And graduate school has [...]

The Right Thing to Do? The “Ground Zero Mosque”

Given the interest that the topic of the “Ground Zero Mosque” has sparked on the blog, I figured it was time for me to finally write about it, rather than just responding to comments. But it’s harder for me than usual to find the two sides to this debate equally worth discussing. As I note [...]

Presidential election outcomes directly influence suicide rates, study finds

Presidential election outcomes directly influence suicide rates, study finds. I ran across this article and found it simply fascinating. And perhaps even more interesting – it is those states who supported the national loser where suicide rates decline the least. The authors of the study attribute this to social cohesion – but is this still [...]

Reshaping 2012: Will the election really be different?

Everyone remembers the 2008 election. But although the election of President Barack Obama was undoubtedly a historic moment in U.S. history, the primary campaign may be just as memorable. For the first time in recent memory, the primary campaign, at least for the Democratic nomination, lasted nearly to the conventions. While I found the contest [...]