BSJ

The Butler Scholarly Journal

Category: Politics

  1. Why all the excitement?

    In the 1960 US presidential election the main theme of John F. Kennedy’s campaign was ‘a time for greatness’. Arguably during that period the US was at its most powerful; it had yet to set foot in the jungles of Vietnam for a start. But the election this year, along with being highly negative, has also been about trying to persuade voters that America can get back to that level of power and prestige it enjoyed across the world. Obama has wanted to move ‘Forward’ while Romney has asked us to ‘Believe in America,’ but can we do that anymore?…

  2. An Election Overview

    I have been asked to write a few lines about the American election. Instead of trying to cover everything I have decided to write a little bit about a few issues and put some links down so you can read more if you want to. I decided to put a few of my opinions down in the end to start a discussion. Feel free to discuss and comment. I hope to see all of you in the bar tonight. If you do not want to read what everyone else is saying about Obama and Romney, but want to read what they…

  3. ‘Ohio holds the key’

    The newspapers are filled with headlines such as ‘Romney ahead 50% to 47%’ or ‘Obama levels at 48-48’. Despite these national polls dominating our news, they are largely irrelevant. We should instead look at around eight swing states, with none more important than Ohio. Having only backed a losing candidate twice since 1900, whoever wins the Buckeye state is likely to win the election. The combination of the Electoral College system and America’s polarised politics means that around 400 of the 538 state votes are largely decided. With Obama leading amongst those, it is highly probable that he needs just 33 more…

  4. ‘In Obama We Trust’?

    A wise woman once remarked of Barack Obama, ‘how’s that hopey-changey stuff workin’ out for ya?’ While this quotation derives, unfortunately, from Sarah Palin, it does quite pertinently satirise Obama’s struggle to build upon his expansive campaign rhetoric of 2008; ‘Yes We Can’ has become the rather less catchy ‘Yes We Could Have Done If The Republicans Offered Us Some Measure of Bipartisan Support’. By consequence, the Obama campaign of 2012 has failed to capture hearts and minds in quite the same way. Luckily for Barack, the Mitt Romney gaffe-machine was firing on all cylinders, producing gems such as this: There are…

  5. What Foreign Policy?

    Being President of the United States of America is not a simple task. There are a plethora of different roles to be filled, from the responsibility of leading the most powerful nation in the world to the small problem of trying to convince the majority of a very large, and divided, population to vote for you in four years’ time. The President and Vice-President are the only nationally elected positions in the US and this is one of the reasons why the President has far greater freedom in foreign policy than domestically. The President is Head of State, Commander in Chief and has…

  6. Is the US a democracy or a mockery?

    The United States of America was born from the slogan ‘no taxation without representation’. In order to achieve representation the public voice needs to be heard. This is realised through elections based on popular votes. The extensive use of opinion polls would give the impression that every vote counts; sadly this is not the case. It is my belief that the US presidential election is an inherently flawed and undemocratic process. This centres on the use of the Electoral College. What many people do not realise is that the votes cast on Election Day do not elect the president. They are counted and the result passed to…

  7. The Presidential Election 2012

    Hear what Butler has to say on the election as it happens. Link to a Live Commentary on the Presidential Election, straight from the sofas of Butler Bar: >>>Election Live<<< What do YOU think about the election? Who are you hoping will become America’s next President? How does the election look right now? Have a look at the Huffinton Post’s electoral map: http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/2012/romney-vs-obama-electoral-map Missed the run up to the election? Here are some videos that give you a sense of the process, and an insight into some of the Presidential candidates’ key messages: Obama: Romney: