American University; author of “The Embattled Vote in America: From the Founding to the Present"
Professor of History at American University in Washington, DC and author. His new book is titled “The Embattled Vote in America: From the Founding to the Present”.
Voter Suppression and November’s Elections Voting may be the lynchpin of democracy, but it’s not a right guaranteed by the Constitution. The Founding Fathers set the stage for the dirty tricks and legal discrimination we see today. Just weeks before the November elections, two experts update voter suppression strategies and the role played by the US Supreme Court.
Historian outlines eight ways President Trump can be impeached American University historian Allan Lichtman has been dubbed the “prediction professor.” He was one of the lone voices who called Trump’s win, using a set of historical factors that has helped him predict nearly every presidential election since 1984. Just days after Trump’s win, Lichtman prognosticated that the president would likely be impeached.
Political Party Conventions: What Are They For? Party conventions used to nominate presidential candidates. Now that's all done in advance. Next week's Republican Party convention plans to break with tradition. Instead of waiting until Wednesday, they'll nominate Mitt Romne y on Monday, the first day of their convention in Tampa. Does that mean conventions don't matter? Recent history suggests that they do. Remember Barack Obama's keynote speech in 2004? Remember Sarah Palin in 2008? We hear about conventions past — with the voices of Franklin Roosevelt, Hubert Humphrey, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. How have the raucous gatherings of political insiders evolved into carefully scripted TV productions? Will the Republicans finally unite behind Mitt Romney next week in Tampa? Can they survive the Florida weather?
Washington Hammering Out Duel Debt Ceiling Plans As the markets and the public look on nervously, the clock continues to tick toward the August 2 deadline as negotiations continue over raising the federal debt ceiling. As leaders from both parties develop separate plans, one of the contested issues is the length of any extension. President Obama and the Democrats want to put the issue to rest until after the 2012 election, while the Republicans want to keep the government on a shorter leash.
Hammering Out Dueling Debt Ceiling Plans Just over a week before the August 2 deadline, Washington seems no closer to a deal to raise the debt ceiling. After Speaker of the House Boehner walked out of negotiations with President Barack Obama Friday, talks went on all weekend between and within the parties. Now the Speaker is working on a GOP plan while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid works on a Democratic alternative. Today, global markets are down amid concerns about the lack of a deal. Directors of the International Monetary Fund have weighed in , citing the urgency of a deal that includes entitlement reforms, additional savings in healthcare, as well as revenue increases, and advising against fast cuts which could impact consumer spending.
Is the War in Iraq Really Over? In last night's speech from the Oval Office, President Obama said it's time to "turn the page" from Iraq to Afghanistan…and the economy, but 50,000 American troops remain in Iraq. Sectarian violence could break out again. The President did not say "mission accomplished," so what comes next? After seven years, at a cost of almost a trillion dollars, what has the US achieved? What do Iraqis think, and how does the US look now in the eyes of the rest of the world? Will President Obama be remembered for ending the war in Iraq or for sinking the country deeper into Afghanistan?
War and Peace and the Nobel Prize President Obama accepted his Nobel Peace Prize today with humility and a defense of the war in Afghanistan. He said the use of force can bring lasting peace. Compared to others who've won the prize, he called his own accomplishments "slight." We hear excerpts of today's " lecture " and get different reactions. Why did he get the prize? Was it premature? Was the Nobel committee sending a message? Did it create an embarrassing contradiction? (View the slideshow )
Obama Accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo President Obama accepted his Nobel Peace Prize today with humility and a defense of the war in Afghanistan. He said the use of force can bring lasting peace. Compared to others who've won the prize, he called his own accomplishments "slight." We hear excerpts of today's " lecture " and get different reactions. Why did he get the prize? Was it premature? Was the Nobel committee sending a message? Did it create an embarrassing contradiction? (View the slideshow )
Obama Was on the Ropes, Now Clinton Urged to Get Out of the Ring Last week, it appeared that Reverend Wright had put the kibosh on Barack Obama . Then came the speech about race and Bill Richardson's endorsement . Now pundits are asking when Hillary Clinton will hang up her running shoes. With ten states still to hold presidential primaries, what if Clinton goes on a winning streak? Are the primaries really the best measure of who will win in November? Are swings in conventional wisdom about political campaigns determined by competition for hits on political websites?
Obama Was on the Ropes, Now Clinton Urged to Get Out of the Ring Last week, it appeared that Reverend Wright had put the kibosh on Barack Obama . Then came the speech about race and Bill Richardson's endorsement . Now pundits are asking when Hillary Clinton will hang up her running shoes. With ten states still to hold presidential primaries, what if Clinton goes on a winning streak? Are the primaries really the best measure of who will win in November? Are swings in conventional wisdom about political campaigns determined by competition for hits on political websites?
The Last State of the Union Speech and 11 Months to Go President Bush delivered his final State of the Union address last night to a divided Congress. He got a full complement of standing ovations, but mostly from Republicans. The speech contained modest new proposals, positive language about Iraq and a call for bipartisanship on the economy. Democrats called it the last gasp of a failed presidency. Even Republicans were hard-pressed to celebrate. Senator John McCain didn't even show up. Was anybody listening? George W. Bush will be the most powerful man in the world until January of next year. What are the prospects for his lame-duck administration? What will history say about the "compassionate conservative" who ended up focused on partisanship and warfare?
The Political Legacy of Gerald Ford The man who is often called "the accidental president" was eulogized today by official Washington. Gerald R. Ford , who died a week ago at the age of 93, was appointed Vice President when Spiro Agnew stepped down in the midst of a scandal. Ford became President when Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 to avoid impeachment. After two and a half years, he was defeated by Jimmy Carter in 1976. How did a "creature of Congress" handle executive power in a time of crisis? What are the legacies of Ford himself and the White House staff that included Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney?
Lessons learned a year after the Thomas Fire and debris flow A year ago, the Thomas Fire swallowed large swaths of Ventura County and lept into Santa Barbara’s front country, setting the stage for the late-night debris flow that took 23 lives. As we observe those anniversaries, we’re checking back with those we spoke with in the immediate aftermath.
'Mr. Cohen should have known better' President Trump's ex-personal lawyer Michael Cohen is sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for what the judge called a “smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct.”
Despite evacuation orders, some Malibu residents 'stay and defend' homes The Woolsey Fire destroyed 670 structures in Malibu, including more than 400 single family homes. That makes it the most destructive fire in the history of that beachside community. But some residents say even more homes would have been lost, if not for the private citizens who defied mandatory evacuation orders to protect their neighborhoods. The homeowners who stay during a fire can be a nuisance for fire fighters... but they say they're not going anywhere next time.