Professor's politics

Here is an article on the political leanings of college professors that makes interesting reading in light of Professor McElvaine's editorial:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/120xbklj.asp

Judicial Interpretation

Nice article on Justice Breyer's conception of the Constitution:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/26/opinion/26mon4.html

An astute analysis of the current political situtation:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002522690_dionne27.html

An analysis of policy developments:
http://realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-9_26_05_MB.html

The last two articles are by political scientists.

interesting article

this is an interesting article on abortion and the role of the Supreme Court:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-gelernter23sep23,0,1959549.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

Professor McElvaine's Op-ed

Here is a link to our own Robert McElvaine's Op-ed that came out last Friday.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050909/OPINION/509090315/1166

What do you think of it as a piece of persuasive writing?

China

This is a link to an article about a subject that seems to have fallen off the radar screen in recent years, human rights in China. This is an issue that will loom large in coming years and I would be interested if you have any thoughts on it.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-boot14sep14,0,7012691.column?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

Recalling our second principle of politics, do you see where Western or American companies might face a collective action problem?

The Bridge

Has anyone heard about this story?

http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2005/09/recapping_gretn.html

surprising article

Here is something I didn't know:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/07/AR2005090702462.html?nav=most_emailed

If you find any articles you think would be interesting feel free to link to them in comments.

Links

Read the editorials linked to below and the blogs I link to on the right.

Read these writers both for their arguments and their writing style. Are they writing to persuade or to entertain? Which ones do you find persuasive and why?

We will spend the first class period discussing the aftermath of the Hurricane from the perspective of politics and public policy.

Politics is about conflict between groups, any groups. Keep in mind as you read the many possible axes of conflict: among different levels of government, between different levels of income, different races and regions, between public and private provision of services as well as between the political parties. Keep these many possible definitions of the conflict in mind as you read and think about the events of the last two weeks and come prepared to argue.

I am looking forward to seeing you all Monday.

Maureen Dowd
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/07/opinion/07dowd.html?incamp=article_popular

Mark Steyn
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/09/06/do0602.xml

Eugene Robinson
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090501035.html

Dennis Byrne
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0509050119sep05,0,2233752.story?coll=chi-newsopinioncommentary-hed

Plan B

Ok, we are going to change plans slightly. Instead of going right back to the constitution I was thinking we should take a day and discuss the events of the last two weeks. I am posting some links to some interesting op-ed pieces that I would like you to read as well as a couple of the blogs I mention on the syllabus. Then, instead of going right back to the reading schedule I had given you for the next couple of weeks I think we should detour and talk a bit about federalism and the bureaucracy, two things you have probably done some thinking about lately. I'll link to the new syllabus from this page.