From Southwest Ledger As Americans gather at the polls this week to choose our next president it may look a bit different than it has in the past. For good or bad, early voting and mail-in voting has become much more common, meaning the lines may be shorter. But at what cost? I have previously … Continue reading Constitutional Amendments That Impacted Our Election Day
Tag: politics
Off-the-cuff: unscripted comments that sank presidential campaigns
From the Southwest Ledger At the time of writing this column, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris is currently leading in most polls to win the Presidency of the United States. With only three weeks before the election, the worst thing that could happen for the Harris campaign is a snide, off-the-cuff remark that could sway voters … Continue reading Off-the-cuff: unscripted comments that sank presidential campaigns
A WAR ON TWO FRONTS: The History and Goals of Hezbollah and Hamas
From Southwest Ledger Over the past year I have written several articles dealing with the war between Israel and Hamas. While that war is still ongoing, a more recent conflict has begun between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. While Hamas and Hezbollah have a shared goal to destroy Israel, they are very different organizations and populated … Continue reading A WAR ON TWO FRONTS: The History and Goals of Hezbollah and Hamas
Executive v. Executive: A Parallel in American Presidential Elections
From Southwest Ledger As a political historian, I was disappointed when Joe Biden backed out of the presidential race. I say that for no other reason than it’s been a rare occurrence in history where we have had two presidents battle it out. However, while it would have given me plenty to write about, a … Continue reading Executive v. Executive: A Parallel in American Presidential Elections
Constitution 101: Article I, Section II,Clause III: The Enumeration Clause
From Southwest Ledger Article I, Section II of the United States Constitution deals with the U.S. House of Representatives. A previous article discussed qualifications for membership in the House and the methods used for choosing representatives. In Clause III of Section II, the framers more instruct how the members of the House are to be … Continue reading Constitution 101: Article I, Section II,Clause III: The Enumeration Clause
Scrutinizing Primaries: Political History is Cyclical, Evolutionary
From Southwest Ledger I read something online the other day that said, “not to brag but I have won as many primary votes as Kamala Harris.” At first it made me chuckle, but then it made me think. My first thought was “how many times has a candidate run for president without winning a single … Continue reading Scrutinizing Primaries: Political History is Cyclical, Evolutionary
“It takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose”
From Southwest Ledger Unfortunately, assassination attempts are not new to our nation. In a time of such hatred, when each side sees the other as evil, it is no surprise that an attempt was made towards Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump. When discussing assassinations, most historians focus on the death of the four … Continue reading “It takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose”
American Civics 101: The Preamble to the Constitution
From Southwest Ledger Although the Preamble is the most memorized part of the Constitution, it has no legal standing in government, however it does state the government’s authority and outline the government’s duties. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for … Continue reading American Civics 101: The Preamble to the Constitution
Absolute v. Qualified Immunity: Examining Executive Vesting, Separation of Powers Clauses
From Southwest Ledger Starting with the Jefferson administration, the courts have recognized two types of immunity: absolute and qualified. Absolute is just how it sounds, absolute redress regardless of motive or action. Qualified is also how it sounds, it’s a limited protection. For this, the person accused must demonstrate they acted with the belief their … Continue reading Absolute v. Qualified Immunity: Examining Executive Vesting, Separation of Powers Clauses
Do Televised Presidential Debates Sway Voters? Short answer: Probably.
From the Southwest Ledger Historically speaking, presidential debates are relatively new. The first one presidential debate was held between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1960. Before then, debates were seen as beneath presidential candidates. There were plenty of debates for other positions. The 1858 Lincoln-Douglass Debates for the Illinois Senate seat are probably … Continue reading Do Televised Presidential Debates Sway Voters? Short answer: Probably.
Historically Speaking 