Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said, “The doctrine of the separation of powers was adopted by the Convention of 1787, not to promote efficiency, but to preclude the exercise of arbitrary power. The purpose was, not to avoid friction, but, by means of the inevitable friction incident to the distribution of governmental powers among … Continue reading Class Notes →

The Nation divided over the War of 1812.  New England Federalists opposed the war because it harmed their budding industry.  Several Northern states met at Hartford to protest the war.  They also discussed the possibility of secession if some concessions were not made, including repealing the 3/5 clause in the Constitution.  The fact that three … Continue reading Class Notes →

Today's class notes is a bit different. I was a guest on a podcast called "What the Politics?" and thought I would share the discussion. We talked about presidential powers, executive orders and Civil War https://www.wnct.com/wnct-podcast-network/what-the-politics-episode-23-presidential-powers-executive-orders-and-the-civil-war/

When JFK took over the presidency he had to decide if he wanted to continue with his predecessor’s plan of invading Cuba and overthrowing Fidel Castro.  The CIA had assured the new president that Castro was not popular with the Cuban people and they would revolt against him with the invasion.  The Bay of Pigs … Continue reading Class Notes →

For the Election of 1808, the Republican choice was basically a formality.  James Madison had been Jefferson’s Secretary of State for eight years and was basically his right-hand man.  There was not much difference between the two men, both were Virginia slave holding aristocrats who held the same ideas of government.  The only issue was … Continue reading Class Notes →

Tolan, Sandy.  The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East (New York: Bloomsbury) 2007. When teaching classes on the Middle East the most difficult subject to teach about is the Israel-Palestine relationship.  At the heart of any discussion, students want to know who is to blame and how do … Continue reading Book Review →

In 1960, Kennedy ran for office on the premise that he was just as much a Cold Warrior as those who came before him.  Being a liberal, he had to show that he was tough on Communism.  He said in a speech, “Freedom and Communism are in a deadly embrace; the world cannot exist half … Continue reading Class Notes →

It is always tragic when someone like Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi, who are fighting for peace, are shot down by their own countrymen.  For Israel that man was Yitzhak Rabin, who after years of violence was working towards a true lasting peace with Palestinians. At first glance Rabin does not seem like someone … Continue reading Class Notes →

One of the consequences of the Election of 1800 was the downfall of the Federalist Party.  They will run losing campaigns for the next four elections but are soundly defeated by the Republicans.  After the War of 1812, they will stop running candidates altogether and disappear.  Their party will never resurface, but their ideas will … Continue reading Class Notes →