Campbell Institute News

"The situation we're in at this particular moment—in the Supreme Court and the American political system more broadly—is a moment of extreme partisan polarization which has clearly infected our other political institutions and has made its way into the court," says Tom Keck, professor of political science and Sawyer Chair of Constitutional Law and Politics. 

"The inference would be that he’s more worried about this one," says Professor of Political Science Grant Reeher, about the $16 million [Governor] Cuomo has spent, largely on TV ads championing the economy and his liberal achievements.

University Professor John L. Palmer, a former long-time dean of the school, and his wife, Stephanie G. Palmer, have made a major gift commitment to the Maxwell School that will create an endowed fund supporting Maxwell professional master’s students, with an emphasis on financial aid and career development services. 

Sarah Pralle, associate professor of political science, found that the unpleasant surprise of the new insurance costs often causes political pressure that can ultimately lead to map revisions that underestimate flood exposure.

The fellowship is made possible by generous gifts to the Astrid Merget Fund honoring two-time alumna and former associate dean of the Maxwell School Astrid Merget ’68 M.P.A./’73 Ph.D. (SSc).

“There have been so many things over the last couple of years that it is just impossible to point to one thing that is going to be a particular problem, or more of a problem than the rest,” says Grant Reeher, professor of political science.

"For [Elise] Stefanik, she is betting that the district will distinguish and appreciate the nuance of her approach toward the president— of supporting at a distance, in order to help with the district," says Professor of Political Science Grant Reeher.

"New York has some of the most restrictive laws that govern our elections of any state in the country" says Margaret Susan Thompson, associate professor of history and political science. She adds that New York is "one of the few states that doesn't have early voting and one of the few states that has very restrictive rules on changing on one's party registration," concluding that the state's electoral laws are "outdated."

Emily Thorson, assistant professor of political science, found that relatively simple corrections could reduce some misperceptions by as much as 20 percentage points or more.

"My sense is that [Ayatollah] Khamenei is throwing [President] Rouhani under the bus, in a number of ways,” says Mehrzad Boroujerdi, professor of political science and expert on Iranian politics.

According to Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute, the push for a single payer health system has gained traction as a "symbolic" issue for some Democrats who want to have a "positive alternative message" to efforts by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to dismantle Obamacare.

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. 

"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.

According to Elizabeth Cohen, associate professor of political science, "Customs and Border Protection is responsible for enforcement at the border and 100 miles in from any point on the border of the U.S., land and water. Eliminating ICE would not eliminate CBP or enforcement at the border."

 "He’s no Kennedy," Keith Bybee, professor of political science, says of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. "To the extent Kavanaugh disagrees with Kennedy...you’ll see the court change."