“This is the moment [Obama] and his presidency promised to deliver,” writes UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller in Salon, of the fight over the payroll tax cut extension. “This is,” he suggests, “a moment for the president to demonstrate the resolve that earned his hopeful believers’ support three years ago, and it comes as he begins asking the electorate for another four-year lease on the Oval Office.” Beyond supporting the payroll tax cut extension, Schaller argues, “the president should go a step further and call out the GOP’s Tea Party wing,” which blocked the passage of a two-month extension… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in Salon
Today’s Catonsville Times highlighted an exciting collaboration between UMBC’s New Media Studio and Erickson School: a digital storytelling project paring university students with seniors at the Charlestown Retirement Community. Bill Shewbridge, Director of the New Media Studio, noted that the participation of freshman in the course inspired the theme of life transitions. The students and elders learned from one another’s life experiences through weekly meetings, culminating with the creation of 14 three-minute films, presented in the UMBC Library Gallery. “You can’t tell your life story in three minutes,” Shewbridge said, but the results are compelling. “They’re all different. Some are… Continue Reading UMBC’s New Media Studio and Erickson School in Catonsville Times
“With the Iowa caucuses less than three weeks away, the narrowed Republican presidential contest between Romney, Newt Gingrich, and the surging Ron Paul remains a muddle,” writes UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller in Salon.com. This landscape has led Romney to focus on a new strategy to win the GOP presidential nomination: surviving a tough fight in January to win more favorable states in February. Schaller argues that the crucial step for Romney is to attack Gingrich “using a negative television and radio blitz on the issue of Medicare to win Florida’s pivotal seniors.” He suggests, “If Romney can pair… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in Salon
The December issue of Maryland Family magazine features a unique article on seniors who volunteer in local K-12 schools — a practice that Judah Ronch argues has significant benefits for both children and adults. Dean Ronch of UMBC’s Erickson School comments, “Doing things you enjoy makes [your activities] meaningful, and that means you are more likely to remember them.” For seniors who enjoy interacting with kids and sharing their skills and knowledge, volunteering in a local community can have positive effects on their physical and mental health and well-being.
UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller offered insight on the upcoming GOP primary election in two publications today. In the Colorlines article, “Why (Very White) Iowa and New Hampshire Mean So Much in Politics,” Schaller commented, “The prominence and first-in-nation position of Iowa and New Hampshire do elevate white primary voters over non-white ones, and in both parties.” However, the electoral process is beginning to change to better account for our nation’s diversity. According to Schaller, “Both parties, and especially the Democrats—who receive the lion’s share of the black and Latino vote in general election—have tried to address this inequality… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in Colorlines and Baltimore Sun
“Paul Schurick’s recent conviction for voter fraud is a sad coda to the 2010 Martin O’Malley-Bob Ehrlich gubernatorial rematch,” writes UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller in his latest Baltimore Sun column. Schaller notes that was saddens him most is a broader trend that Schurick’s actions exemplify: an increase in efforts to suppress U.S. voter turnout. Schaller writes: “In the past year, 19 new laws and two executive orders were issued in 14 states to create stricter voter identification requirements.” Citing the Brennan Center for Justice, Schaller argues such restrictions “disproportionately disfranchise poorer and nonwhite voters, as well as senior… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in the Baltimore Sun
Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher, editorial cartoonist for The Economist and UMBC artist-in-residence, discussed his current work in an insightful interview on “The Signal” that aired December 9 and 10 on WYPR. KAL is known internationally for his lectures on freedom of the press and the power of caricature. At UMBC he advises student bloggers in their coverage of current events and politics on USDemocrazy, a particularly exciting project moving into the new electoral season. Listen to “The Signal” to learn more about KAL’s work at UMBC and the value he places on seeing current events — particularly the economic crisis —… Continue Reading KAL, UMBC Artist-in-Residence, on WYPR’s The Signal
The front page of today‘s Baltimore Sun highlights Operation Oliver, a local partnership that seeks to revitalize Baltimore’s Oliver neighborhood through community art, garbage removal, crime watch and landscaping, involving several UMBC students. The article follows Jeremy Johnson ’12, sociology, and two fellow volunteers as they walk through the neighborhood, noting both concerning conditions and exciting rehab projects. Johnson is a board member of The 6th Branch, a nonprofit that applies the leadership and organizational skills of military veterans to local community service initiatives — one of two lead organizations for Operation Oliver. Incoming project coordinator Dave Landymore ’13, GES,… Continue Reading Sociology and GES Students in Baltimore Sun
UMBC Political Science Professor Roy Meyers joined Yale’s David Mayhew and other scholars this week in providing PolitiFact with insight into Newt Gingrich, as the site explored David Axelrod’s claim that Gingrich is the “the godfather of gridlock.” The site offers evidence for Gingrich’s reputation as both a bare-knuckled fighter and a deal-maker, suggesting “Gingrich has been more of a prince of partisanship than a godfather of gridlock.”Meyers also disputed the godfather characterization in his comments to PolitiFact, arguing that Gingrich is far from consistently quiet and disciplined, as the persona suggests. Meyers alternatively argued that Gingrich is the father… Continue Reading Roy Meyers, Political Science, Source on PolitiFact
UMBC Chair of Public Policy Donald Norris was quoted Tuesday in an Associate Press article on the conviction of Paul Schurick, political aide to former Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich. The article notes that Schurick was convicted of “conspiring to use Election Day robocalls in what prosecutors cast as an effort to suppress black voter turnout during the 2010 gubernatorial election.” Norris commented that the robocall message was a clearly a misrepresentation of facts intended to discourage voter turnout. “This was free speech in the same sense that lying is free speech and lying is not permitted,” he said. “What they… Continue Reading Donald Norris, Public Policy, in AP and on CBS Baltimore
In his latest Baltimore Sun commentary, “Newt Gingrich Is the GOP’s Only Serious Candidate,” UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller argues that despite claims of his unelectability, Gingrich stands out as unique in the GOP presidential field. Schaller calls Gingrich “the Republicans’ one-man walking, talking think tank” and argues, “he will be able to conduct a serious debate about America’s future because he’s the only GOP contender who has spent the past three decades actually pondering the problems, large and small, facing the country.” Read the column to learn more about Schaller’s 2010 interview with Gingrich and their conversation on… Continue Reading Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in the Baltimore Sun
This month’s Urbanite cover story “El Nuevo Baltimore” begins with a compelling premise: “Baltimore’s burgeoning Hispanic community could be a force for broader change—but only if we can make them welcome here.” In the extensive piece, Donald Norris, chair of public policy at UMBC, explains why the economic impact of Latino Baltimore residents has so far been limited, despite robust population growth.Norris suggests that currently “there is only so much in the form of gentrification that they can do,” given that many Latinos who move to the US are working class and “here for the economic opportunity.” The article notes… Continue Reading Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Urbanite
