Professor Voices » Boston University Department of Political Science

London riots

Jo Breiner — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:36:10 +0000

As rioting continues to spread in London and surrounding areas, Prime Minister David Cameron announced the deployment of 10,000 police officers. Cameron also recalled Parliament from its summer recess to assist in assessing the situation. Graham Wilson, chair of Boston University’s Political Science Department, and author of “Only in America? American Politics in Comparative Perspective,” offers the following comment:

“This is a profound shock for those who remember the self-disciplined British police of the post-World War II era equipped with nothing more than a truncheon and a pair of handcuffs.

“This rioting is not explained by expenditure cuts, most of which have yet to take effect. It points to a deeper problem in the U.K. — the existence of an underclass, white as much as minority, ill-educated, economically marginal, and at the margins of society generally.”

Contact Graham at 617-523-2540 or gkwilson@bu.edu

BU experts comment on debt ceiling deal

Jo Breiner — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:11:03 +0000

Cornelius Hurley, professor of law at BU’s School of Law and director of BU’s Center for Finance, Law & Policy. Contact Hurley at 617-353-5427 or ckhurley@bu.edu, Twitter: @ckhurley

“The president’s tactical errors were obvious. First, he failed to embrace his own Deficit Commission’s report and thereby yielded the high ground to the GOP on the debt issue. Second, he abandoned the bully pulpit by not calling out the tea party zealots for what they are – financial terrorists. Finally, he took the 14th Amendment alternative off the table without the slightest pressure to do so. Mr. Obama may yet get reelected in spite of his incompetence. In the meantime, he has hung congressional Democrats out to dry.”

Graham Wilson, chair of BU’s Department of Political Science and author of “Only in America? American Politics in Comparative Perspective.” Contact Wilson at 617-353-2540 or gkwilson@bu.edu

“This is more or less game, set and match to the Republican right — a stunning defeat for President Obama.”

Anthony Weiner to resign

Jo Breiner — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:33:03 +0000

Representative Anthony Weiner will resign his congressional seat ten days after admitting he sent lewd photos and text messages to women he met online. Boston University professor Graham Wilson is chair of BU’s political science department and the author of “Only in America? American Politics in Comparative Perspective.” He offers of the following comment on Weiner’s resignation:

“This is a personal tragedy and one that Democratic leaders were closely determined should not also be a tragedy for the party. It remains unclear, however, how much this issue mattered to the general public.

“Perhaps one important contrast with conservatives involved in sexual scandals, e.g. Gingrich or Ralph Reed, Weiner did not base his political career attacking permissiveness or immorality in others.”

Contact Graham Wilson, 617-353-2540, gkwilson@bu.edu

President Obama’s approval rating jumps

Jo Breiner — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:21:49 +0000

The latest New York Times/CBS poll shows a significant jump in President Obama’s approval rating since the killing of Osama bin Laden. Boston University professor Graham Wilson is the chair of the political science department and the author of “Only in America?: The Politics of the United States in Comparative Perspective.” He offers the following comment on the recent poll numbers:

“George H.W. Bush won a war and yet lost an election. So Obama won’t rest easy on a bump in his approval ratings. However, this achievement may have longer term significance in undermining the right’s attempts to present him as unpatriotic or not even American. Those efforts now look pretty stupid.”

Contact Graham Wilson, 617-353-2540, gkwilson@bu.edu