Citizens of Wisconsin risked their lives to vote last week. Because of actions by their state legislature, upheld by a 5-4 a Supreme Court decision, Wisconsin residents were forced to choose between exercising their right to cast a ballot and protecting their health – as well as the health of all with whom they come…
Author: MassPoliticsProfs
Michael Bloomberg Can Save His Money
Today’s guest post is from Christopher J. Galdieri, Associate Professor of Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. Professor Galdieri is not only an expert on the television show VEEP, but on the New Hampshire primary and presidential nominating systems. His books include Stranger in a Strange State: The Politics of Carpetbagging from Robert Kennedy to Scott…
Question 2 and the Myths about Citizens United
Guest post from Professor Raymond J. La Raja of UMass Amherst and Professor Brian Schaffner of Tufts University. With Election Day in just a few days, Massachusetts voters must make up their minds on three important ballot questions. Unfortunately too little attention has been paid to Question 2. We have several concerns about it. Question…
In defense of legislatures
The following is a guest post by UMass, Amherst political science professor Ray La Raja. Jeff Jacoby’s commentary, “Short Live the Legislature”, in The Boston Globe is a mix of flawed assumptions and hazardous conclusions about state legislatures. He perpetuates a harmful myth about the superiority of citizen legislators. Does anyone want a part-time surgeon repairing…
Complex political calculus would complicate a Maggie Hassan candidacy
Today’s guest post is from Christopher J. Galdieri, Associate Professor, Saint Anselm College Add Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire’s junior senator, to the already-large list of Democrats doing the sorts of things people planning to run for president to. Hassan is headed to Dubuque, Iowa, to speak at a Democratic Party event on August 26. Iowa, of…
The Profs are back
After achieving fame and fortune blogging on WGBH, we’ve moved back to our own site.