In the Current Issue

Volume 134 - Number 1 - Spring 2019

Articles

Extreme Referendum: Donald Trump and the 2018 Midterm Elections
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Gary C. Jacobson analyzes the 2018 midterm elections. He finds that divergent popular reactions to Donald Trump’s presidency extended the trend toward increasingly partisan, nationalized, and president-centered midterm elections. The result was the most sweeping national referendum on any administration at least since the Great Depression.

The Enduring Constraints on Iran’s Power after the Nuclear Deal
Thomas Juneau assesses the 2016 nuclear deal with Iran. He argues that critics of this deal incorrectly argued that it enhanced Iran’s position in the Middle East. He concludes that even under the deal Iran’s ability to gain power and to exert regional influence remained constrained.

Voter ID Laws: The Disenfranchisement of Minority Voters?
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BEN PRYOR, REBEKAH HERRICK and JAMES A. DAVIS examine the effects of strict voter identification laws on minority voter suppression. They analyze United States Census data and find that strict identification laws do not appear to disproportionally suppress voter turnout among minority groups.

Constitutional Foundations of Military Coups
ABDULLAH AYDOGAN argues that military coups are less likely to occur in countries with parliamentary systems. In these countries, he claims, military elites seeking to remove chief executives often select other strategies, such as threatening legislators.

Budgets and Strategy: The Enduring Legacy of the Revolt of the Admirals
ANAND TOPRANI discusses the origins and significance of the 1949 “Revolt of the Admirals.” He argues that the unification of the U.S. military services and subsequent defense budget cuts made this rivalry among the military services intense. He concludes that inter-service rivalry was mitigated only by increases in defense spending and by civilian leaders allowing the services to determine how to allocate resources.

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