Abstract Review of Thomas Frank's 2004 book, "What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Hearts of America". It shows how Frank's basic argument is that Kansas is an exemplar of voting patterns in the United States.
From the Paper "In his text titled What's the Matter with Kansas How Conservatives Won the Hearts of America Thomas Frank argues that if one takes Kansas as an exemplar of voting patterns in the United States it is becoming.."
Tags: political science, book review, Kansas, voting
A review of Thomas Frank's work, "What's the Matter with Kansas?", about the dramatic shift in Midwestern politics and it's effect on today's political landscape.
1,785 words (approx. 7.1 pages), 0 sources, 2005, $ 57.95
Abstract This paper is a review of Thomas Frank's work "What's the Matter with Kansas?" The author considers that Midwestern politics have shifted dramatically in the 20th century to now. Kansas is the example used, as it went from being one of the most liberal states in the country to the poster state for social conservatives such as Senator Sam Brownback. The paper also examines the fact that Midwesterners are voting against their economic status by consistently choosing conservatives who favor higher taxes for low-income citizens.
From the Paper "Thomas Frank's "What's The Matter With Kansas?" is an exceptionally written history and analysis of mid-western politics during the 20th Century. In discussing this, he uses his home state of Kansas as the primary example. He analyzes the dramatic shift of Kansas' politics from being one of the most historically liberal states in the country, to being the conservative juggernaut that it is now. Frank illustrates his arguments with accurate historical accounts, personal experiences, and an extensive knowledge of American politics that make it easy for the reader to grasp. This review will analyze the specifics of the aforementioned arguments, and also point out the flaws and successes of his accounts. Frank is the founding editor of The Baffler, a leftist magazine that analyzes and critiques American culture and has been around since 1988. Frank has also written two other books, One Market Under God and The Conquest of Cool. He also writes frequently for magazines Harper's, The Nation, and Le Monde Diplomatique. Frank's reasons for writing this book are a general discontent for the way mid-western civilians have voted in the past decade and the shift in mid-western ideology from very liberal to ultra-conservative."
Abstract This paper focuses on the Kansas City Preventative Patrol Study and the statistical validity of the findings. The experiment was conducted in 1972 by the Kansas City Police to test the effects of police patrol on the incidence of crime. The study lasted over a year and was evaluated by the Police Foundation, which also provided funding and technical assistance for the study. The purpose of the study was to test the assumption that police patrolling the streets in marked cars can prevent individuals from committing crimes. This paper discusses why the results of the Kansas City Preventative Patrol Study are not statistically valid. The paper is divided into three sections: a brief introduction of the study, the results, and why these results lack statistical value.
From the Paper "Conducting the study in Kansas City does not provide an adequate testing ground. In other cities where there is high crime, high unemployment and a substantial homeless population, patrolling would prove beyond a doubt to be effective. Because the study was so limited in scope, it cannot be considered statistically valid that a high visible police presence has no impact on crime in select circumstances. Had the study been conducted across the country in rural and major metropolitan areas in different regions and then compared, there might have been sufficient data to validate the results."
Abstract This paper examines the ideas of popular sovereignty, the Lecompton Constitution, and the New England Immigrant Aid Society, with respect to the 1854-1861 struggle in Kansas between those opposed to slavery, those in favor of slavery, and those in favor of leaving the issue up to the states to decide. In addition, the paper examines the Pottawatomie Massacre and Quantrill's Raid.
From the Paper "Popular sovereignty, otherwise known as squatter sovereignty, began in 1850. This political doctrine promoted controversy by stating that people n federal territories should have free will when it came to whether or not their territories would enter the Union as a slave state or a free state. First applied to Utah and New Mexico territories, the doctrine was used in the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska act in 1854. This act repealed the previously applied prohibition of slavery north of the 36 30? latitude line. Thus, the Kansas territory was given the right to choose for themselves how their territory would enter the Union (NPS, "Overview")."
Abstract This paper explores the Kansas statutes related to adoption so as to comprehensively understand the legal procedures and the application of rules and regulations, which the State of Kansas applies to various situations. The paper contends that it is about time that the policy makers realize that the state government cannot serve the adoption clients nor can the certified agents of the adoption agency hope to provide superior services to their clients, unless they institute separate principles for service to each stakeholder of the adoption process - the birth parents, the adopting parents and the adopted child.
Outline
Introduction
Review of Literature
Basic Statutes of Adoption in Kansas Current Trends in the Kansas Adoption Procedures
Conclusion
From the Paper "The study of adoption is very important as it influences millions of lives in the United States, who are an element of the adoption process. For instance, the birth parents who put their children for adoption; the children who are adopted; and the parents who adopt children. It is also believed that adoption influences approximately 3% of Americans who initially think of adoption but later on decide against it. For instance, Allen P. Fisher (2003) writes, "Adoption is certainly a very common occurrence in the United States and in much of the world today. No official and complete counts of adoptions exist, but estimates are that about 4% of Americans are adopted; about half of these have been adopted by persons not related to them by birth ." Allen goes on to write, "A recent national survey of 1416 Americans found that nearly two thirds of the respondents (64%) had a personal experience with adoption, meaning that someone in their family or among their close friends had been adopted, had adopted a child, or had placed a child for adoption (Allen P. Fisher 2003)." "
Abstract This paper takes a brief look at the life of Ernest Hemingway. The author describes his childhood in Illinois, working at the Kansas City Star newspaper and his involvement in World War I. The paper discusses Hemingway's influences as he began his career as a writer in Paris, surrounded by many talented expatriates, and examines the speculation over his depression and death in 1961.
From the Paper "If literary genius can be described as one person's ability to influence the thinking of others and to do it only with written words, then Ernest Miller Hemingway was certainly deserving of the title. With his direct, declarative and streamlined style of writing, a style he first learned while writing as a newspaper journalist, Hemingway observed the world around him and the people in it, and then wrote of his observations on the nature of mankind. "
An examination of the famous 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case in which the Supreme Court finally declared segregation illegal in the U.S.
Abstract An examination into the history of U.S. constitutional law on the subject of racial segregation in public places and the different interpretations of the 14th Amendment (equal protection clause). The writer shows how this matter was clarified once and for all by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1954 Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education when segregation was finally declared illegal in America.
From the Paper "Once the Supreme Court decided that segregation definitely caused inequalities, it used the Constitution to prove that segregation was illegal. Warren admitted that the Fourteenth Amendment was vague and inconclusive, but also concluded that segregation defied the Fourteenth Amendment. Segregation in public schools did not provide equal opportunities, and students who were equally talented, but of different races, were being separated. The Chief Justice's famous closing statement summed up the reasoning used in the decision: "in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal . . .. the plaintiffs . . . are . . . deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment". (Urofsky-1989)"
An examination of the Brown vs. Board court ruling in Topeka, Kansas of 1954, which established equal education admittance to children of all races into American schools.
Abstract This paper discusses the Brown vs. Board case which established equal education for all races. It looks at why segregation can be disadvantageous and uses case studies to illustrate this point. The writer examines the tactics used by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) when fighting to pass this ruling. The paper concludes with the advantages of equal education.
From the Paper "For centuries, African-American parents and supporters have been challenging the United States? educational system. In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas ruling changed this system forever. The unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a previous decision that established a "separate but equal" educational policy, and led to the integration of schools throughout the country. Without this necessary response to many unsuccessful attempts to ensure equal opportunities for all children, African American students would have remained at a serious disadvantage and the United States would not truly be a democratic country."
Abstract This paper discusses U.S. history from 1855, when the U.S appeared to be the strongest it had ever been, to the outbreak of the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. The author points out the ?Bleeding at Kansas?, Dred Scott case, Slavery and the citizenship of "free slaves". The paper describes the election of 1860 and the secession of the Southern states.
From the Paper "By the time the elections of 1860 came around, the entire nation knew how vital this election would be to the tone of relations between the North and the South. Citizens were not sure whether the election could calm the fights, and resolve what had been happening in the past five years, or if the election would cause an all-out war between the North and the South. Stephen Douglas apparently warned that such actions might occur, while Abraham Lincoln and John Breckinridge "downplayed any such dire consequence, insisting, and believing, that the other side was bluffing" ."
Abstract This paper examines the parties involved in the collapse of the Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway. The paper presents each responsible party and discusses the role each played and the degree of their guilt in this tragedy.
From the Paper "Additionally, the engineering firm's original designed was unable to support the minimum support value required by the Kansas City Building Code. This was a minimum of 151 kN, while the original design was capable of supporting only 90 kN. It was clear that the engineering firm involved was either incompetent or plain stupid, since the difference between the required minimum and the actual minimum in the original design is huge."
Abstract This paper examines the claim that John Brown was one of the most important figures leading up to the Civil War. It examines Brown's childhood and upbringing. The writer looks at various events leading up to the Civil War and assesses whether Brown's influence was as meaningful as believed. The writer concludes that the statement is not entirely true because although Brown did add a great deal to the south's decision to secede from the union, his involvement in the massacre in Kansas and the raid on Harper's Ferry were only two of the many incidents leading to Civil War.
From the Paper "John Brown was one of the most passionate abolitionists in United States history. He opposed slavery so strenuously that he took force into his own hands. There are some that have said he was the start of the stampede that would eventually lead to war between the North and South. John Brown did become a rallying cry for the North and brought fear to the South because of what occurred at Harper's Ferry. There are others however that believes he was only one of several contributors to the start of the Civil War."
Abstract This paper discusses the hotly debated validity of raising the minimum wage. Specifically, the paper looks at how experts on both sides cannot agree on the real effects that raises in the minimum wage have had or will have in the future, on managerial decision making. For the most part the consensus among economists is that it will either create a wash for the employee or hurt the employee, and that it will have at least some effect on managerial decisions, including such things as reducing non-cash benefits, increasing work loads to match new labor costs or reducing the number of new hires that occur. Furthermore, the paper states that the question of Kansas is even more marginal, as the adoption of such a wage increase will likely severely change the face of small business decisions in the state.
From the Paper "Employment of entry level workers is an essential aspect of economic growth, especially in small businesses as they comprise a majority of businesses and hire a significant portion of entry level workers. Any real reduction in entry level employment, especially among people who are likely to need experience, but are frequently still in a position of being sheltered by family, such as the lowest age group noted here, will severely hinder their ability to move forward as members of a growing economy and may delay independence and even college attendance. More vulnerable individuals in this demographic, those not being sheltered by family still, are likely to then become lost in a system that does not offer comprehensive unemployment insurance to wage earners that have not paid enough into the system yet. Another researcher would like to point out the particular vulnerability of the disabled worker, as if cost-benefit ratios are the exclusive tool for deciding who to hire for an entry level job those with the perceived lowest level of production abilities, i.e. the disabled will be less likely to obtain work. (Lehmann, 2006, p. 50) These people, including young adults, teenagers the disabled and minorities are then relegated to become not only the working poor as they were before but are now in a position to have to ask for even more help elsewhere, such as welfare, a system that has also been severly reduced in the last few years with reforms. (Lehmann, 2006, p. 50) (Burkhauser, Couch & Wittenburg, 2000, p. 16)"
Tags: effects, kansas, debate, benefits, change, business
Abstract The paper discusses the case of the BTK killer in Wichita, Kansas and the publication of the murderer's messages by a local newspaper "The Eagle". The paper discusses how many believed that publishing these messages increased the chances of catching the murderer in question, but the paper reveals that this newspaper was also interested in the publicity and hype surrounding the case. The paper mentions the role of media ethics and asserts that not only did the publication actually encourage the killer to go on, but it also inspired mass fear and stress in the eyes of the public at large.
From the Paper "There have been several serial murder cases which feature killers who play with the attention of the public through their manipulation of the media for various reasons. However, with the actual publication of messages supposedly from mass murderers, the ethical role of the media is put to the test. Many believe that publishing these messages increases the chances of catching the murderer in question; but in the case of the BTK Killer in Wichita Kansas, the publication of such messages by a local newspaper The Eagle provided little information to law enforcement officials and an arrest was made decades after the onslaught of the murders. Examples such as these show how publishing such communications may in fact be too much information for the public to handle and at the same time just continues to encourage the killer to commit more and more violent crimes. This specific case shows that the media's role in such events is sometimes just as hindering, if not more so, than it is helpful with the actual investigation."
Abstract The paper discusses the Compromise of 1850 that was a series of laws that attempted to resolve the territorial and slavery controversies which arose from the Mexican-American War. The paper focuses on the Fugitive Slave Law, the most controversial act of the Compromise of 1850, that enforced the return of runaway slaves to their owners. The paper then looks at the impact of Frederick Douglas, the novel "Uncle Tom's cabin", William Lloyd Garrison, the Kansas Nebraska Act, the violence of John Brown and the "Dred Scott" decision. The paper shows how eventually seven states seceded from the Union, becoming the Confederate States of America, and caused the outbreak of the Civil War.
From the Paper "When gold was discovered in California 300,000 people rushed to the state seeking riches. While most of those rushing to California were American, news of the discovery also attracted tens of thousands of Latin America, Europe, Australia and Asia. The Gold Rush caused California to develop rapidly. San Francisco changed from a tiny town with tents to suddenly having a boom in population and economy. Roads, churches, schools and other surrounding towns were built and a system of laws and a government were created. As a result of California's rapid development, it was admitted as a state in 1850. ("California Gold Rush")"
Abstract The paper discusses how Abraham Lincoln was deeply troubled by the existence of slavery in the United States, especially after Stephen Douglas managed to have the Kansas-Nebraska Act made into the law of the land. The paper looks at how Lincoln's attitudes toward slavery eventually changed society and finally brought an end to slavery in America in 1862.
From the Paper "In 1854, forty-five year-old Abraham Lincoln was at a point in his life where politics was beginning to lose its luster, due in part to the recent passage by the U.S. Congress of the Kansas-Nebraska Act which "opened lands previously closed to slavery" and held the potential to help spread slavery into states where it was banned. For Lincoln, the passage of this highly-controversial act was immoral. Although Lincoln was not an abolitionist and held the view that slavery was "unassailably protected by the Constitution in states where it already existed," he did hold the opinion that the Founding Fathers had conveniently "put slavery on the way to ultimate extinction" by not allowing it to spread to new territories or states."
