Federalism and The States, Pt. IV

Down But Not Out: The Struggle Endures

Lecture by Larry Sabato
11 min

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Summary:
While current federal-state tensions – focusing, as always, on money and power – demonstrate that states clearly have the weaker hand, for reasons both legal and cultural the states, as an institution, will endure.

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Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.

 

Federalism and The States, Pt. I

Now Batting for Federalism: The Supremacy Clause

Lecture by Larry Sabato
15 min

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Summary:
Since the country’s founding, there have always been power struggles between the states and the federal government. The Civil War’s devastation of half the states and the federal government’s usurping of state powers in the New Deal are low points for state power, but other times in history see the balance of power shifting the other way. This long game of tug-of-war ensures that no one group will dominate.

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Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

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The Supreme Court, Pt. III

The Rules of Courtship: Myths and Misconceptions

Lecture by Larry Sabato
16 min

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• Quicktime – 51 MB
  
• Windows Media Video – 41 MB
• Audio mp3 – 11 MB

Summary:
This perhaps least understood branch of government is both naively revered as insulated from politics and above public opinion, yet also maligned for having unchecked power and being too interventionist. While these characteristics are true to a degree, in reality the court is neither apolitical nor all-powerful, but operates effectively and within the bounds of its Constitutional role.

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Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.

 

America’s Elected Officials, Pt. II

Congress: Why We Love to Hate Them

Lecture by Larry Sabato
16 min

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• Quicktime – 48 MB
  
• Windows Media Video – 40 MB
• Audio mp3 – 11 MB

Summary:
Finding common ground among 535 individuals of different ethnic, geographic, economic, generational, and ideological backgrounds is inevitably a difficult task. While the media tends to define Congress by its worst members, this first branch of government functions – as Constitutionally designed – to play an important role in our political process.

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Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.

 

America’s Elected Officials, Pt. I

From VP to VIP: The Changing Role of the Vice Presidency

Lecture by Larry Sabato
17 min

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• Quicktime – 30 MB
  
• Windows Media Video – 30 MB
• Audio mp3 – 7 MB

Summary:
Throughout most of American history, the vice presidency has been an often maligned or ignored position. When Truman succeeded to office in 1945, he had to be briefed on the nuclear bomb project. In recent years, the vice president has become far more politically significant, with office holders taking on increasingly important and vocal roles.

Click here to answer essay questions about the podcast.

—

Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.