Can America get out of its economic crisis?

A twin set of stories from today’s Independent on America’s economic troubles. 

Obama and the magic of 60

This week we have been discussing the implications of the news that Al Franken will become the 60th Senator to vote with the Democrats.

Brown v Cameron

If you want to keep up with the latest phoney election war ins and outs, then Simon Carr in today’s Indpendent makes it relatively painless.

Review of Supreme Court Decisions for the Past Year

The Washington Post has several good pieces providing an overview of Supreme Court activities for the past year, including an interesting analysis of its continuing display of ‘right wing judicial activism’.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

A General Election can’t be far away when combatants like Lord Mandelson and George Osborne start trading insults.  It will be interesting to see what alternatives to actually using the word “liar” or “lying” the politicians can come up with.  Mandelson has a go today suggesting that Osborne is telling “deliberate untruths”.  Keep watching for more creative ways of saying the same thing…

Hoggard on Twitter

Simon Hoggard on good form here on the rise of Twitter as a default mode of political campaigning!

It’s the economy, stupid!

The Politics Blog has taken on something of a US Politics slant, but in its defence it is a process of its contributors following not just their interests, but paralleling what they are doing in the classroom. You may be aware that blogs with a different orientation will be up on the T2u site soon, and hopefully that will help satisfy demand. But in the short term I would draw your attention to an excellent piece by the Indy’s Hamish McRae. Students often ask about whether politics or economics is more important in shaping world events, and that’s a tricky one to answer in absolute terms. At the moment, the economy is certainly driving politics. It is the downturn in the economy that have changed Gordon Brown’s fortunes, and the anger over MPs’ expenses is a manifestation of the inability of government to keep to its ridiculous end to boom and bust promise. The status of the economy also determines the rather puerile debate going on at the minute between the two main parties over projected spending beyond the end of this Parliament. The fact is that no one knows for sure how much money will be in Treasury coffers and politicians are obviously too scared to say as much.

US foreign policy milestone

Today marks one of the most significant points in recent US history, and an event that has largely been overlooked due to the current economic crisis.

Will Obama follow Bush or FDR?

An interesting column from the Washington Post puts Obama’s options in how he acts over Guantanamo Bay into historical perspective.

Politics summer reading: book reviews

Well, maybe readers of the blog will be disinclined to splash out on these fairly expensive hardback (which may or may not be prime examples of price discrimination) versions.  But they are a pointer towards some of the best of the new releases.  And you could always urge your teacher or librarian to order them before the paperback is released.

US politics: pick of the UK papers

There were a number of great features on Obama’s successes and failures in yesterday’s paper.  Here are details.

Checks and balances at its best, or partisan obstructionism of the worst kind?

In my recent introductory lessons on the US Constitution, we touched on the various powers held by the different branches of government, in particular the numerous checks the Senate has over the President. As this article in today’s New York Times shows, it is not always such a good thing.

Heads up: lecture on America

As part of the LSE’s public lecture series, there is a great even coming up soon on geopolitics and, in particular, the changing role of the USA.  Without meaning to prejudice any students university application in the social sciences field, but it would seem to me that participating in events such as these would be the kind of things that would be interpreted as a genuine and active interest in a subject beyond a classroom context.  You could say this is purely utilitarian, but, equally, one could consider it as an extra incentive to attend. 

“Gay exorcism” in the USA

For fans of the classic comedy series “The Day Today”, you may think that this is the work of another set of comedians of a similarly twisted disposition.

Opposition is no laughing matter.  Or is it?

I have been holed up in various less than salubrious locations in London this week on examining duties, but light relief has been provided by a number of stories emanating from across the Atlantic.

FPTP - June/July 2009

The latest articles on First Past the Post - tutor2u’s digital magazine for Politics Teachers and Students - are now available to download:

BNP on the rise?
This article examines the importance of electoral participation.

Brown on the brink
This article looks back at the week which contained the resignation of six cabinet ministers and a disastrous set of local election results for New Labour.

Devolution decade
Here we assess New Labour’s devolution settlement ten years on.

Prospects for electoral reform
Despite Gordon Brown’s promise of a review of the election system, fptp is unlikely to be replaced in the foreseeable future.

Federalism in the Obama era
An update on federal-state relations in 2009.

Synoptic legislatures
The latest in a series of comparative politics articles looks at how well legislatures in the UK and USA control the executive.

USA: people and politics
Before embarking on study of the politics of America, it is useful to have some understanding of its people. Here we look at demographic change in the country.

School blog showcase - Nonsuch High School

I can recommend visiting the Politics and History blog at Nonsuch High School. Fresh and topical - a great example of how to maintain an excellent departmental blog.

The Arrogance of the Speaker

If this is what we can expect of the new Commons Speaker in the weeks ahead (presumably he wont last more than a year) then God Help the House of Commons. 

MP Expenses and Behavioural Economics

I came across this fascinating conversation between behavioural economist Dan Ariely and Evan Davis on the Today programme which explores why many people choose to cheat a little - there is a strong connection here between rules, social norms and the behaviour of MPs. 

Book for the beach

I picked up a copy of Justin Webb’s “Have a Nice Day” at the weekend, which lays out a forceful and intense case for what can be considered positives about the modern USA.

Geronimo!

The Independent’s Big Question carries a feature on an intriguing and beguiling piece of Americana.

Has Gordon got it?

I know many blog users will feel that they have left British politics behind with the end of the AS exams, but I would hope that studying the subject has left them with a long term interest in the politics of the country and they have not viewed the course in purely utilitarian terms, i.e. as the path of least resistance towards a decent examination grade.  As one of my students said when I informed a class that the A2 course we are studying is purely American, “So we’ve stopped doing British politics just when it was getting interesting!”.  Well, the story I’ve come across today is too good to put to one side since it gives the lie to the idea that the office of the Prime Minister has become one where the occupant is somehow all powerful.

Change to come in America?

I have come across a useful page on the BBC containing a series of short videos on the challenges facing Obama as President. 

US revision: comparing civil liberties

Anyone looking at synoptic questions about the ability of the UK and US political systems to uphold civil liberties may wish to consider this story.

US revision: Obama’s health care reform

In an echo of the MPs’ expenses scandal I have been swamped with requests by students about how reports about Obama’s health care plans can be rolled into US politics exam answers.

Useful Obama links

I’ve put together a list of resources on President Obama.  This could be accessed by students or teachers for a host of purposes.

Developments in devolution

Donald Dewar, the chief architect of Scottish devolution, is reported to have said that devoution is a process, not an event.  News emerging this week serves only to confirm this.

US revision: Obama’s executive office

It is well known that the executive office of the president (EOP or EXOP) is more important and powerful than the Cabinet.  What evidence is there of this being the case in the current administration?

American starter: US quick quiz

A few quick questions to work on for students starting a US Politics course

Brown Cabinet wallchart

Friday’s Guardian has a double page wallchart of the new government.  It is also available as a pdf - looks nice slotted into student folders.

25 years behind bars for stealing a pizza?

This week our students have been given a general introduction to its people and politics.  During discussion I mentioned the use of three strikes laws in some US states.  As chance would have it there is a feature on this in this week’s Economist.

Useful for discussion of the use of direct democracy, how laws vary by state due to the federal structure, what such tough law and order measures might say about where we could place American parties on the political spectrum compared to UK parties.

The article is here.

Americana- New Programme on BBC Radio 4

Just in case it had passed anyone by, Radio 4 have a new programme called “Americana” running Sundays at 7.15pm.

Law Lords Rule Against Government on Human Rights Again

The government’s use of controversial control orders has been dealt a blow by the latest Law Lords ruling. This provides another great up to date example for students on the role of judges in protecting civil liberties.

American politics: summer reading

Book review: an entertaining insight into life in America’s heartland

The United States Supreme Court- Law Makers?

There is a good piece in the Washington Post on the old chesnut of what are Supreme Court justices actually supposed to do- make or interpret law?