A political animus (political animal) has little to do with gender, ethnicity or religion. In fact, gender is indeterminable. Far beyond any differences in anatomy or stereotypes of male or female; black, white, Asian, Latino, or Native American; or religion is a psyche that can only be attributed to the political class. All we need do is study the proverbial political fish tank to cast some light on what is meant by “political animus.” Those thriving as politicians swimming in their proverbial... more

Who swims in the political stream of politics? Is there a specific gender or personality stereotype that best fits the job of politician? Amid Associated Press reporters and citizen accounts, there is a public gauge of politics and politicians that does not favor the status-quo party structures of either party. In March 2006, Max Bowen, a citizen of Neenah, Wisconsin, wrote an opinion column for the Appleton Post Crescent newspaper: “The GOP’s Top-Down Style Is Unfit for Democracy!” Bowen observed: “Since... more

Shortly after my Washington trip, I received a phone call from an individual whom I had met in one of my national committeeman’s offices. Nick had served many years in the GOP and risked much by meeting with me…or so I was told. When Nick requested a meeting, I suggested a well-known public restaurant near my home. I believed that whatever this man wanted, I would be more comfortable if our meeting was in the open. After all, I had just had the rug pulled out from under me in Washington. I was... more

Event Agenda (Reposted from Educationnext.org) Introduction and Moderator: Alice M. Rivlin Director, Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform Brookings Senior Fellow, Economic Studies Overview: Endangering Prosperity Eric Hanushek Paul and Jean Hanna Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution Paul E. Peterson Henry Lee Shattuck Professor of Government, Harvard University Ludger Woessmann Professor of Economics, University of Munich and ifo Institute Speakers: Chris Cerf Commissioner of Education, New Jersey Isabel... more

Some would call the notion of preprimary electioneering a stereotype of a political bygone era of cronyism and backroom deals reminiscent of the late 1800s and turn of the twentieth century. The image is clear—party bosses and career politicians, sitting in leather chairs in dark rooms, with the shades pulled down, smoking cigars, handpicking their candidate. Yet this scenario, one hundred years later, appears to be part of a cycle that repeats itself when “we the people” are not engaged in... more