Maxwell School News and Commentary

Professor of Political Science Grant Reeher says in his experience, the incumbent or the candidate who expects to win wants to have a debate as close as possible to the Election Day and the challenger wants to have it earlier. 

Len Lopoo, professor of public administration and international affairs, and Kerri Raissian '08 M.P.A./'13 Ph.D. (PA), argue that the steady decline of the birthrate in the U.S. could be a "harbinger of difficulties on the horizon," impacting Social Security and Medicare, and affecting the number of young people to enter the military and to innovate in business.

Mary Lovely, professor of economics, says that after two rounds of retaliatory tariffs by China, U.S. ham and various other pork products now face massive tariffs—between 62 and 70 percent. "In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported zero weekly export sales of pork to China," she says. "So our exports to the country have pretty much collapsed."

"Current poor relations between Russia and the West are due to a fundamental mismatch in outlooks between Putin and his close associates and most Western leaders," says Brian Taylor, professor and chair of political science.

Probable cause is much lower than the reasonable doubt the standard required to convict someone of a crime. "It's the probability of a possibility," says William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs.

"Any period of American history where there's been intense political conflict, you can find severe breaches of etiquette," says Keith Bybee, professor of political science.

“I don’t think our brand as a nation is in a good place. Instead of threatening our allies, we need to be building relationships so that we once again have collaborative opportunities to counter evil nations or tyrant leaders,” says Bill Smullen, director of the National Security Studies program.

"The Code of Putinism," written by Brian Taylor, a professor in the Department of Political Science, "provides a sober-minded account of how Mr. Putin came to lead Russia and why his almost czar-like role today bodes ill for Russia’s future," according to the book review.