Writing

Right now, mid-decade redistricting to gain partisan advantage is being attempted in Texas and other states. Not so fast– policymakers should heed the cautionary tale of Kansas, wrote Michael Smith in this month’s column.

Linda Trautman of Ohio University and I collaborated on this new academic research paper, published online and open access at Social Sciences.  It is part of the specal issue "Selected Papers from 54th NCOBPS Annual Conference: Democracy on the Brink: Are We Headed into an Era of Authoritarianism"?

For my latest Midwest Political Science Association blog entry, I offered a quick breakdown of federal spending and public opinion.

Right now, mid-decade redistricting to gain partisan advantage is being attempted in Texas and other states. Not so fast– policymakers should heed the cautionary tale of Kansas, wrote Michael Smith in my August column.

For my latest Midwest Political Science Association blog entry, I offered a quick breakdown of federal spending and public opinion.

For Independence Day, how about celebrating something really patriotic– immigration? I posed that question in my July column, which got picked up by NewsBreak.

A new Catalist study and other evidence indicate that the Democratic base now includes more frequent voters, the Republicans, more infrequent voters. Political strategy will shift accordingly– and voting laws may do so as well, I wrote in my June column.

Kansas Legislators rushed their session this year, substantially cutting back the time allowed for constituent feedback on pending legislation.  What's your hurry, I asked in my April column.

For my second conference Midwest Political Science Association blog entry, I chronicled the surprising amount of attention our new book on Kansas politics has received.

For my first conference Midwest Political Science Association blog entry, I argued for a return of political philosophy to the heart and soul of our discipline.

Officer Roger Golubski perpetuated a 35 year reign of terror against the people of Kansas City, Kansas which included rape, trafficking in underage children, and sending innocent people to prison. He died of an apparent suicide just as his trial was scheduled to start. Yet he was enabled by others in the police department, city, and county governments. The victims are still waiting for justice, I wrote in my March column, which got picked up by the Kansas City Star and MSN.

In my March MPSA blog entry, I reviewed practical, political organizing tips for approaching legislators.

The Kansas Legislature is considering a bill that would abolish academic tenure.  This is a mistake.  Tenured professors can already be fired for cause or dismissed during declared financial exigencies. More importantly, tenure protects academic freedom, I wrote in February's column.

Linda Trautman of Ohio University and I collaborated on this new academic research paper, Redistricting and Black Political Mobilization: Implications from the 2018 and 2022 Midterm Elections, published online and open access at Social Sciences.  It is part of the specal issue "Selected Papers from 54th NCOBPS Annual Conference: Democracy on the Brink: Are We Headed into an Era of Authoritarianism"?

In my January column, I noted that electric vehicle sales are strong, but also asked if Kansas is ready with the necessary policy changes to accommodate them.

For my December column, I argued that America is headed for a libertarian moment--one in which individuals must decide for themselves, and won't be able to count on government for rational policymaking. Ironically, those that did not vote for it are the ones who will survive it best.  The column got picked up by NewsBreak.

In my final 2024 MPSA blog entry, I did a quick rundown of political science first takes on the 2024 election.

For my November column, I wrote that the Kansas State Board of Education's single-minded focus on career and college readiness must share space with extracurriculars, civic education, and work-life balance.

For my October column, reviewed what is really happening with inflation--the top issue in this year's Presidential race.

For my September blog entry for the Midwest Political Science Association, I ran down some political science do's and don't's in election analysis.

For my September column, I defended "Ban the Box" laws and urged Kansas policymakers to tread wisely in response to a recent scandal.

For my August column, I explored the pardox of why President Biden's approval ratings are so low when many indicators show the country doing well.

For my June column, despite the Kansas Legislature's lack of interest, I brainstormed ideas to build more affordable housing.

For May, I discussed wise vs ill-advised reactions by Kansas policymakers to the defeat of a sports sales tax extension in Jackson County, MO.  Kansas needs affordable housing, not a football stadium, I argued.

In my April column, I contrasted the 2017 and 2024 solar eclipse watch parties at Emporia State to show just how much campuses and other workplaces have changed.

I attended the Midwest Political Science Association Conference in Chicago in April, 2024.  For my three MPSAnet conference blog entries, I tackled Why I Go to Conferences, Teaching in an AI World, and a Restrictive Voting Laws Update.

In my March column, I made the case for college, despite many Americans losing faith in higher education.

In my February MPSA blog post, I took a deeper dive into the U.S. states' forays into Ranked Choice and Approval Voting.

As of February, 2024, the Kansas Senate was considering a bill to ban ranked choice voting. In my February column, I argued that our current voting system is deeply flawed, and RCV deserves a second look.

In my first column of 2024, I called on the Kansas Legislature to reject the conspiracy theories and write a proper election security bill.

From 2019-2023 I archived my work at moksline.blogspot.com

From 2014-2019 I archived my work on my old blog:  muphd.wordpress.com