by jpitney | May 19, 2022 | Congress, Deliberation, House of Representatives
Gary Schmitt at American Purpose: Today, the Speaker’s “paper” authority is less impressive than it seems. Without real party discipline, ambitious House members are more likely to invest their time and resources into how to grandstand politically than to build up a...
by jpitney | Apr 25, 2022 | Debate, Deliberation, Higher Education
Eleventh Circuit decision in Speech First, Inc. v. Cartwright: speech policies at the University of Central Florida likely violate the First Amendment. [In] determining the propriety of preliminary injunctive relief[, we consider, among other things, whether plaintiff...
by jpitney | Apr 13, 2022 | Congress, Debate, Deliberation, House of Representatives, Senate
Kevin Kosar at The Hill: . The citizen who dares to turn on C-SPAN 2 to watch our national representative democracy at work is all but certain to be disappointed. John Q. and Jane Q. Public will see committee hearings wherein legislators are bickering with one another...
by jpitney | Apr 9, 2022 | Civility, Deliberation
Arthur Brooks at The Atlantic: If we want any chance at persuasion, we must offer [our values] happily. A weapon is an ugly thing, designed to frighten and coerce. A gift is something we believe to be good for the recipient, who, we hope, may accept it voluntarily,...
by jpitney | Apr 8, 2022 | Deliberation, Higher Education
Jon Shields at NY Times: Like other conservative professors who are advocates of free speech on campus, I once opposed efforts to create a classroom climate in which students are protected from speech they find emotionally upsetting, ranging from “microaggressions” to...
by jpitney | Mar 31, 2022 | Congress, Deliberation, House of Representatives
Don Wolfensberger at The Hill: The House Rules Committee is to be commended on holding a day-long hearing March 17 on proxy floor voting and remote committee proceedings — two emergency pandemic procedures initiated in the last Congress. All told, 16 House members...