Books by "John S. Lapinski"
6 books found
Applied Social Science Methodology
by John Gerring, Dino Christenson
2017 · Cambridge University Press
An innovative textbook introducing a variety of social science methodologies applicable to a range of social and political science disciplines.
At first glance, campaign finance reform looks like a good idea. McCain-Feingold, for instance, regulates campaigns by prohibiting national political parties from accepting soft money contributions from corporations, labor unions, and wealthy individuals. But are such measures, or any of the numerous and similarly restrictive proposals that have circulated through Washington in recent years, really good for our democracy? John Samples says no, and here he takes a penetrating look into the premises and consequences of the long crusade against big money in politics. How many Americans, he asks, know that there is little to no evidence that campaign contributions really influence members of Congress? Or that so-called negative political advertising actually improves the democratic process by increasing voter turnout and knowledge? Or that limits on campaign contributions make it harder to run for office, thereby protecting incumbent representatives from losing their seats of power? Posing tough questions such as these, Samples uncovers numerous fallacies beneath proposals for campaign finance reform. He argues that our most common concerns about money in politics are misplaced because the ideals implicit in our notion of corruption are incoherent or indefensible. The chance to regulate money in politics allows representatives to serve their own interests at a cost to their constituents. And, ironically, this long crusade against the corruption caused by campaign contributions allows public officials to reduce their vulnerability by suppressing electoral competition. Defying long-held ssumptions and conventional political wisdom, The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform is a provocative and decidedly nonpartisan work that will be essential for anyone concerned about the future of American government.
Congress and the Politics of Problem Solving
by E. Scott Adler, John D. Wilkerson
2012 · Cambridge University Press
For many, Congress is an institution consumed by partisan bickering and gridlock. Yet the institution's long history of addressing significant societal problems - even in recent years - seems to contradict this view. The authors of this book argue that the willingness of many voters to hold elected officials accountable for societal conditions is central to appreciating why Congress responds to problems in society despite the many reasons mustered for why it cannot. The authors show that, across decades of policy making, problem-solving motivations explain why bipartisanship is a common pattern of congressional behavior and offer the best explanation for legislative issue attention and policy change.
What an intensely divisive election portends for American politics The year 2020 was a tumultuous time in American politics. It brought a global pandemic, protests for racial justice, and a razor-thin presidential election outcome. It culminated in an attack on the U.S. Capitol that attempted to deny Joe Biden’s victory. The Bitter End explores the long-term trends and short-term shocks that shaped this dramatic year and what these changes could mean for the future. John Sides, Chris Tausanovitch, and Lynn Vavreck demonstrate that Trump’s presidency intensified the partisan politics of the previous decades and the identity politics of the 2016 election. Presidential elections have become calcified, with less chance of big swings in either party’s favor. Republicans remained loyal to Trump and kept the election close, despite Trump’s many scandals, a recession, and the pandemic. But in a narrowly divided electorate even small changes can have big consequences. The pandemic was a case in point: when Trump pushed to reopen the country even as infections mounted, support for Biden increased. The authors explain that, paradoxically, even as Biden’s win came at a time of heightened party loyalty, there remained room for shifts that shaped the election’s outcome. Ultimately, the events of 2020 showed that instead of the country coming together to face national challenges—the pandemic, George Floyd’s murder, and the Capitol riot—these challenges only reinforced divisions. Expertly chronicling the tensions of an election that came to an explosive finish, The Bitter End presents a detailed account of a year of crises and the dangerous direction in which the country is headed.
From the author: “I have written this book about Somerset County and the surrounding region with a specific purpose in mind – to trace the course of racism and society in a tidewater county in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay country from 1850 to the present. Tidewater Somerset provides us with a palette for understanding racism and the evolution of racial ideas often overlooked by scholars. I have sought to ascertain what specific influences and trends, as well as political and cultural developments have played out at the micro-level in Maryland over time that might test or call into question assumptions about the nature of race relations that we have on the national level. My remarks, both scholarly and personal, will help us find our way in the story of race in the Chesapeake Bay country. Race provides the scaffolding, the frame that forms the underside of our national story. And in this story we will see Black actors in the human drama of oppression and freedom living lives that are both critical and self-aware.” This is a book about Somerset County and the surrounding region, which traces the course of racism and society in a tidewater county in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay country from 1850 to the present. Tidewater Somerset provides us with a palette for understanding racism and the evolution of racial ideas often overlooked by scholars. The book examines specific influences and trends, as well as political and cultural developments, which have played out at the micro-level in Maryland over time, and which might test or call into question assumptions about the nature of race relations at the national level.
Called a "timely read for the politically inclined" (Booklist), this book from one of America’s most prominent pollsters offers readers a master class in understanding what polls can reveal about public opinion. Americans are preoccupied with political polls. In this book, John Zogby, one of America’s most prominent pollsters, offers readers a master class in understanding what polls can reveal about public opinion. He argues that those who focus only on the horse race numbers—who is leading and who is trailing—miss the many ways that polls can help us understand the fundamentals of the electorate at any given time. Illustrating his arguments from key political races of the last 40 years, Zogby shares true stories about how polls have been misused and when they have been used well or badly. Beyond the Horse Race will appeal to campaign professionals and armchair political junkies who want to understand the art and science of accurately gauging public opinion.