Maxwell School News and Commentary

Gladys McCormick, Jay and Debe Moskowitz Endowed Chair in Mexico-U.S. Relations, explains (former) Mexican President Felipe Calderón's strategy to crack down on drug trafficking organizations was to eliminate drug kingpins. But rather than eliminating the cartels, the capture and death of cartel leaders have led to their members creating smaller organizations.

"If enacted, this directive will add an organizational overhead expense for this separation and will create countless bureaucratic fist fights over what goes into which part of this new Department of the Air Force enterprise," writes Sean O'Keefe, University Professor and Howard G. and S. Louise Phanstiel Chair in Strategic Management and Leadership.

"It was just another, additional piece of evidence for Democratic voters and particularly Democratic women that...women are not valued as much as men and they aren't to be believed, and they don't matter," says Shana Gadarian, associate professor of political science. 

According to Emily Thorson, assistant professor of political science, it's difficult to separate non-football issues—such as politics, concussions, cord-cutting and other unknown factors—from the events on the field.

"Vladimir Putin sees the World Cup as another opportunity to advance his campaign to restore Russia’s rightful place in the world," says Brian Taylor, professor and chair of political science.

"The sense of tradition is very strong in the Senate—there's a level of mutual respect and having each other's back," says Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute, about Senate Republicans' support of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

"If something big is revealed—an impeachable offense by the president—that could be a significant factor in creating a blue (Democratic) wave," says Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute. On the other hand, he says, if the investigations end with nothing really significant or new "it gives power to President Trump's narrative that it has all been a witch hunt, which could give Republicans a boost."

Sean O'Keefe, University Professor and Howard G. and S. Louise Phanstiel Chair in Strategic Management and Leadership, says no one will really know when the Chinese space station will hit the earth until about an hour before it happens and, after the station enters the atmosphere, any debris that remains will fall to the ground in less than 20 minutes, likely flaming.

"I would never underestimate the Japanese military," says Robert Murrett, deputy director of the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism. "In terms of just sheer military proficiency — unit for unit, person for person, they’re the best military in Asia."