Category Archives: legislation and legislatures

Notre Dame Law Review Symposium on Gridlock

November 8, 2013, 2:10 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Check it out: 2012-2013: The American Congress: Legal Implications of Gridlock, Symposium Symposium The Phenomenology of Gridlock Josh Chafetz, 88 Notre Dame L. Rev 2065 View PDF The Court-Packing Plan as Symptom, Casualty, and Cause of Gridlock Barry Cushman, 88… Continue reading

“Number of lobbyists taking jobs in Congress plummets”

November 8, 2013, 7:26 amlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

USA Today reports.

“Change Voting Laws Before Constitution”

November 1, 2013, 7:31 amalternative voting systems, legislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Rob Richie and Devin McCarthy have written this Fresno Bee oped.

“A Primary Cause of Partisanship? Nomination Systems and Legislator Ideology”

October 31, 2013, 3:57 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarization, primariesRick Hasen

McGhee, Masket, Shor, Rogers and McCarty have written this article for AJPS. Here is the abstract: Many theoretical and empirical accounts of representation argue that primary elections are a polarizing influence. Likewise, many reformers advocate opening party nominations to nonmembers… Continue reading

“Will nuclear winter come to the Senate this fall?”

October 31, 2013, 3:30 pmlegislation and legislatures, political partiesRick Hasen

Must-read Sarah Binder on the filibuster nuclear threat.

“Lobbyists Ready for a New Fight on U.S. Spending”

October 20, 2013, 4:39 pmlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: Throughout the tense fiscal deadlock in recent weeks, some of the most powerful forces in Washington, including retirees and defense contractors, largely sat on the sidelines. Now they are preparing for a political fight with billions of federal… Continue reading

Big Business Laments Loss of Influence Over Republican Party

October 9, 2013, 8:11 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Must-read NYT: “We ask them to carry our water all the time,” said one corporate sector lobbyist, who demanded anonymity in order to speak frankly about the relationship with Republicans. “But we don’t necessarily support them 100 percent of the… Continue reading

“Lobbyists denounce push to limit their access in shutdown”

October 4, 2013, 9:42 amlegislation and legislatures, lobbying, petition clauseRick Hasen

The Hill reports.

Just in Time for the Government Shutdown: Revised Version of Political Dysfunction and Constitutional Change

September 30, 2013, 8:45 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

A few months ago I posted a draft paper, Political Dysfunction and Constitutional Change. It generated some interesting responses, including this Salon piece from Jonathan Bernstein. I have now posted the final draft of the paper, which is appearing… Continue reading

“Citizen and lobbyist access to Members of Congress: Who gets and who gives?”

September 24, 2013, 7:32 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Josh Brodbeck, Matthew T Harrigan and Daniel A Smith have written this article in Interest groups & Advocacy 2, 323-342 (October 2013) | doi:10.1057/iga.2013.11. Here is the abstract: Members of Congress grant access to outsiders as a means of alleviating… Continue reading

“Getting to a clean CR: A tour of the Senate’s parliamentary weeds”

September 23, 2013, 7:37 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

The indispensable Sarah Binder.

“As shutdown and default loom, crisis mode becomes Washington’s new normal”

September 22, 2013, 11:13 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

“Amid Revolt Over Fiscal ‘Gimmicks,’ Options Dwindle for G.O.P.”

September 16, 2013, 8:08 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

NYT: For three years, Congressional leaders have relied on tactical maneuvers, sleights of hand and sheer gimmickry to move the nation from one fiscal crisis to the next — with little strategy to deal with the actual problems at hand.… Continue reading