Our future:
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Air Midterm
Relax. This “air midterm” does not count toward your grade; do not even turn it in. Instead, use it to appraise your own progress in the course. Try out this test, either in your head or on paper. If you flounder, then you should take more care with class sessions and assigned readings.
I. Identifications Write a short paragraph (not just a couple of words) explaining each item’s meaning and significance.
- The Johnson Treatment
- Senatorial courtesy
- Quality candidates
- Phonemarking
- Ways and Means Committee
- The legislative veto
- CRS
- Independent regulatory commissions
- “Nuclear option”
- Legislative Counsel
- Grasstops lobbying
II Short answers. Each reply should take a brief paragraph.
- Explain the differences among these terms: authorization, budget authority, and outlay.
- How does the majority party control roll-call outcomes on the House floor?
- How has party polarization affected lobbying?
III. Essays Each answer should take about 3-4 large bluebook pages or 4-5 small bluebook pages.
- Explain the sources of the incumbency advantages in congressional elections. Compare and contrast the advantage in House and Senate elections. If the incumbency advantage is so strong, how did Democrats take control in 2006?
- See this article. In light of the history of congressional-presidential relations, do you agree or disagree? Answer with reference to Fisher and other class materials.
Bonus identifications (1 point each). Very briefly identify the following:
- Ray LaHood
- Francis LaBelle
- Rita Lavelle
- Robert LaFollette
They Call Me... Unmaverick
John McCain is giving up the maverick brand.
John McCain — who built his political persona and his 2008 presidential campaign around the claim that he’s a “maverick” — told Newsweek recently: “I never considered myself a maverick.”
Lindsey Graham sums it up:
When you’re running for president, you show the public at large that I’ll put the country ahead of the party. When you’re in a primary, you’ve got to prove to people you’re a good conservative. That’s the difference in the forms. John has a record of conservatism that’s being highlighted now because he’s in a Republican primary. When you’re running for president, you highlight that part of your record, and it shows you’re willing to govern the country as a whole.
In other maverick news, Sarah Palin just got snubbed by the Senate's most useful Republican. Palin is speaking at a Boston Tea Party, but she will not be joined by Scott Brown. Brown says he's got too much work. That or he doesn't want to be associated with that kind of person in that kind of state.
The Tax Man (Does Not) Cometh
Expanding upon our discussion of tax rates and that 47% of Americans do not pay taxes, the New York Times ran an article analyzing the numbers. It factors in tax credits, while also looking at the impact of other taxes, like corporate taxes and excise taxes.
"Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47."(N.B. This is a post for Jacinth Sohi, not Abhi. She just hasn't figured out the website yet to be able to publish herself.)
Monday, April 12, 2010
Another great political ad...
While not as great as the demon sheep or the Boxer blimp, John McCain deserves recognition for this ad against his primary opponent J.D. Hayworth:
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