Maxwell School News and Commentary

“Let’s champion bipartisan efforts without fear of being labeled xenophobic or appearing to cede ground to one’s political base. ...Let’s not miss the opportunity for actual, meaningful reform because of bitterness, a partisan grudge or chance to show one side has been wrong on this issue all along,” writes James-Christian Blockwood, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.

"It’s time to think beyond left, right and center," writes James-Christian Blockwood, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs. "Time to move beyond traditional political ideology that creates an identity trap dividing us instead of unifying us and encouraging compromise.

"Speech may be free in the form of currency, yet the price we may pay in what follows our words can be steep. And some pay a heftier price than others—a cost often set by mainstream and social media," writes James-Christian Blockwood, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs. 

"Given how partisan and ideologically extreme most politicians still are, are nonpartisan primaries really enough to save American democracy? While we’re already seeing improvements in the states that have them, the tide won’t fully change until a critical mass of politicians are freed from partisan primaries at the state and national level," writes Richard Barton, assistant teaching professor of policy studies and public administration and international affairs.

"Selecting our nation’s leaders is becoming increasingly complex and challenging, but we can make it more effective by ensuring the processes—for elections as well as appointments—reinforce democracy rather than erode our confidence in it," says James-Christian Blockwood, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.