Maxwell School News and Commentary

According to Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science, disillusionment can be a subtle risk of conspiracy theory media. "People may draw the conclusion that conventional politics is meaningless. If they genuinely believe that what happens in the world is a result of the hidden hand of some mysterious elite, then presumably ordinary political activity is meaningless as are the decisions of lawmakers and officeholders," he says. 

According to Mary Lovely, professor of economics, the decline in imports subject to tariffs could also be due to a slowdown in frontloading, or companies rushing orders to avoid duties.

"People who shop at Walmart or Target are going to be hit harder than people who buy their toaster ovens from Williams Sonoma or can afford to get products from a higher-income country," says Mary Lovely, professor of economics.

"The president looks at this [foreign tariffs] and says it's coming from foreigners," says Mary Lovely, professor of economics. "That's not technically correct. I mean, I go to Macy's and pay a sales tax. Macy's is the one that sends the check to the government, but that doesn't mean they're the ones that pay the tax. I am."

Shannon Monnat, associate professor of sociology and Lerner Chair for Public Health Promotion, says her findings indicate that places where rates of death due to drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and suicide are high are also places that heavily supported Trump in the election.

William Banks discusses the legality of a congressman serving in Congress if convicted of assault. Banks tells that the U.S constitution does not stop " a convicted member of Congress from continuing to serve, even for felony convictions, short of treason." 

Professor Emeritus William C. Banks explains how a special prosecutor gets appointed. The explanation comes after lawmakers demand for a special prosecutor investigation on President Trump associates to Russian operatives.