the weaker party

For our look at interest groups and political participation

A procedure we will cover later the semester. - Click here for the story . Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) launched a talking filibuster on t...

For discussion in class: - Race and Ethnicity . - Gender Gap . - Hispanic Trends . - Generations . And for a look at the differences in all ...

For out look at civil rights policy - a twist on the use of affirmative action. - Click here for it . Affirmative action has survived deca...

A question was raised in class about why the full faith and credit clause applies to marriage licenses and other public records and laws, bu...

Brown v Board didn't quite have the impact alleged. - Click here for the story . About 62 years after the Supreme Court declared “sepa...

And another from Gallup - this involves attitudes about the government, but it points out some conflicting info based on how questions are a...

This ties together a variety of class topic, including public opinion, parties, and the current campaign. - Click here for the stor y, and t...

A more precise look at the selective incorporation of the Bill of Rights to the states. - Click here for it .

This is timely. - Click here for the article . . . . here are the key issues that have been coming up regularly (none of which has yet be...

One of the more colorful - and disturbing - court cases involving the limits of free speech. - Oyez . - Supreme Court Sides With Westboro Ch...

A look at Holmes' dissent in Abrams v. United States. The author is obviously fond of it. - Click here for the article . - Here is Oyes...

It's the term used to what a law cannot violate. - such as the ACA's contraception requirement - but its a bit vague and tough to de...

Worth a look as we try to understand current disputes over religious freedom in the United States. Can the government require an employer to...

- Click here for the accompanying article .

It was a classic example of an agenda setting event. Now comes the debate over the legislative response - assuming there is one. - click h...

A story from March illustrating the concept of federalism. - Click here for the article . A judge said Tuesday that Kansas can't re...

The issues that impact elections can change on a dime. - click here for the article . Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump’s first tweet S...

More video - a debate about the appropriate limits of presidential power .

Worth a look in class - click here for it .

The Second Amendment has yet to be interpreted to apply outside the home. This could provide the Supreme Court the opportunity to do so. - ...

The Supreme Court carved out an exception to Miranda warning in a 1984 decision . - Click here for a more thorough description of the exce...

For out look at civil liberties - as well as the power (or lack thereof) of the courts. - Click here for the article . Fifty years ago tod...

And here are a few items related to the respective efforts of each candidate to adjust themselves towards the political center in an effort ...

For summer GOVT 2305 students. Some preliminary info that might help you with your essay. What are commentators telling us about how each wo...

I'll post a few things this week related to the assigned essay for GOVT 2305. Remember that you are free to develop your own topic, but ...

Texas has led the charge suing the federal government - usually on 10th Amendment grounds - to overturn laws impacting the state. - Click he...

Not everything candidates promise to do is realistic. Should voters be able to figure what is and is not doable? - Click here for the articl...

All are pulled from Governing Magazine. They should augment what we cover in class. - The Shaky Edifice of Federal Power: As states act mor...

No surprise, but Texas isnt one of them. - Click here for the article . Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump bring unique strengths and weakn...

Little surprise. Click below for info: NYT: 2016 Delegate Count and Primary Results .

This should help with some terminology - and demonstrate that things don;t always work out as planned. - Click here for it . Once heralded...

For a look at past stories about the group from click here . For more on age and politics: The politics of American generations: How age a...

The author suggests that - at least in certain areas - a President Trump can be restrained by Congress, as designed by the Constitution. In ...

We're looking at constitutions and the gradual development of the rule of law over British and American history. A British magazine look...

In recent years, the United States has become both increasingly diverse, and increasingly distrustful of almost all aspects of public life. ...

More fears about a Trump presidency: - Click here for it .

We'll look at the current status of democratic governance in the Unites States. Here is one critics look at the current state of it, and...

A few items for Monday's lecture class. The text starts with a look at civic engagement. Click here for previous blog posts on the subje...

Next week is the last day for ACC classes. We will mostly wrap up and review. Check blackboard for the date of the final - or ready your syl...

An inside look at a position central to our discussion of elections in the state. Remember that our SOS is appointed - Click here for the ar...

A bit on conflict over funding K-12 in Texas. - Click here for the article . As bad as things appear with the loss of millions of dollars ...

For our look at health care policy in the state. - Click here for the post . Torres' job is to keep her patients as healthy as possibl...

As we discuss in class - it doesn't become an issue at all until the 14th Amendment, and even then it is very weakly defined and enforce...

Another likely agenda item for the next legislative session. The precise reasons why tuition has increased so much is still up for debate. -...

This involves the controversial name of the Washington's football team. Can a disparaging term be copyrighted? - Click here for the ar...

For a discussion of how Anthony Kennedy approaches the Constitution: - Click here for the article . It was clear from Kennedy's confir...

We discussed Texas' policy on voting rights for felons in class. Many states prevent people convicted of felonies to ever regain the ri...

Well, very likely more than you ever wanted to know. For 2306 - lot's more detail than what you get in the text: - From the TEA: Sch...

The group highlights a study by an influential interest group that is not bullish on Texas' economic prospects./ - Click here for the ...

Texas still doesn't know how best to tax its businesses. - Click here for the article . The franchise tax dates to 1907 and was prem...