Life News (Law and Public Policy)

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As the Iowa Supreme Court prepares to hear a case that could clear the way for gay marriage in Iowa, a poll shows nearly sixty percent of voters in the state favor some type of legal recognition of same-sex relationships in Iowa. In the random, statewide poll of 586 voters, University of Iowa political scientists found that 28 percent of Iowans support same-sex marriage. Another 30 percent support civil unions, not gay marriage. About one in three oppose both.

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Colin Powell to visit Colgate as part of lecture series.

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Daniel Béland, a professor with the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Saskatchewan, is a specialist in U.S. and international old-age pensions and Social Security reform. He has published two books on U.S. Social Security with major U.S. publishers. Regarding Canadian public policy, Prof. Béland works on nationalism, federalism, equalization and old-age policy/social policy, among other topics. More information is available at: http://www.danielbeland.org/pubs/index.htm

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President-elect Barack Obama's Health and Human Services Transition Team today was presented with a series of nearly 50 legal and policy recommendations designed to combat the nation's obesity epidemic. The document, developed by the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University's School of Law, was sent to the Transition Team by Richard Daynard, a professor at the law school and president of PHAI.

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The campaign marathon has turned into a transition sprint, with thousands of decisions on personnel, policy and spending to be made in a fraction of the time it took the country to elect a new president.

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A new study involving health care systems in 21 countries -- and the prospects for change in response to such common pressures as rising costs and aging populations -- casts doubt on the possibility of major overhauls of any of these systems because of the history and traditions that created them.

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Expert sources at the University of Illinois available for comment on issues relating to the Obama presidency.

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The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The New York Academy of Sciences will host a half-day symposium to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The event, "Public Health and Human Rights: The Work Ahead of Us," will evaluate progress in public health and human rights over the last 60 years.

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Case Western Reserve University law professor Michael Scharf offers a never before seen look at one of the most important and chaotic trials in history in his new book, Enemy of the State: The Trial and Execution of Saddam Hussein," written with Vanderbilt University's Michael Newton. Enemy of State chronicles the true story of the apprehension, trial and execution of the Iraqi dictator.

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Leading space experts are delving into the equitable and responsible utilization of outer space among a growing list of spacefaring nations. A two-day meeting is underway in Vienna, Austria.

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A new study co-authored by University of Law professor Katherine Porter found that federal bankruptcy reforms that took effect in 2005 have not protected low-income people nor forced well-off people to pay their debts, as the law intended.

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The latest book by Law Professor Michael Kelly, titled "Ghosts of Halabja: Saddam Hussein and the Kurdish Genocide," chronicles the story of the Kurdish genocide that was not told during the trial of Saddam Hussein.

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Two prominent scholars at UC San Diego have been named by President-elect Barack Obama to serve on his transition teams.

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Increased attention is being focused on the need for space traffic management "“ to help avoid future on-orbit collisions. The Secure World Foundation's Space Security Lunch Series will feature Dr. T.S. Kelso, one of the world's experts on space debris and space situational awareness (SSA).

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The ASME Foundation has announced a fund-raising campaign to support the Society's Federal Fellows program. The "Engineering the Greater Good" campaign will reach out to corporate and individual donors in an effort to generate funding to expand one of the Society's most successful government relations programs.

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Results from an unprecedented collection of public opinion data in 23 nations on wide-ranging political issues and their policy impolications are included in the new AmericasBarometer Insights, a series of short studies now available to the public.

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The most comprehensive reference compilation ever published on the United States' most fundamental freedom brings together the works of accomplished scholars to create the Encyclopedia of the First Amendment. This groundbreaking new two-volume set is published by Washington, D.C.-based CQ Press and is available now through bookstores and online at www.cqpress.com.

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The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, in which a group called the Summum church wants to be able to erect a religious monument in a Utah city park. Daniel O. Conkle, professor at the Indiana University School of Law--Bloomington, says the Court's decision could turn on whether it sees the monument as private or government speech.

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Electing a non-white person as chief executive sets the United States apart from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other advanced democracies, says Milind Thakar, associate professor of international relations at the University of Indianapolis. Thakar is available for interview on this and related topics.

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The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and SNAPforSeniors today announced the launch of the NAELA Senior Housing Locator, an online navigational tool with listings for licensed senior housing communities in the country available at NAELA.org

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Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and a dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) will join in a discussion of "Race and the New Congress" on Monday, Nov. 17, at 8 p.m. in Chapin Hall on the Williams College campus. The gathering will be the first of CBC members since Congress recessed for the election. The event will be moderated by 60 Minutes Correspondent Lesley Stahl.

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An expert on U.S. politics, USC Professor Patrick James, offers a play-by-play on the tactical decisions in each camp that led to Barack Obama's victory. What did Obama do right? Did choosing Sarah Palin cause John McCain's defeat? James also sketches a roadmap for Obama -- and the smarting Republican Party -- as they look ahead to 2012.

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Education reform strategies, performance pay for teachers and No Child Left Behind are among the education policy issues expected to be tackled by the Obama administration in the coming months. The U.S. health care industry and future outlook for health care policy are likely to be priorities as well. Academic experts are available for interviews.

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How will the U.S. elections affect the agenda for Chinese-American relations? This is the topic of a day-long symposium to be held in Beijing, Nov. 10 on the campus of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, featuring some of the most well-informed American authorities on China, as well as leaders in the field from Beijing. The event is free and open to all members of the news media.

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Outer space is crowded with functioning spacecraft, as well as dead or dying satellites "“ and bits of human-made hazardous space debris. Experts have started to blueprint a civilian space situational awareness system "“ a movement toward global space traffic management.

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Reverend Haynes Distinguished Professorship to be announced at a Nov. 7 Gala. The Reverend Michael E. Haynes Distinguished Professorship in Urban Studies, located within the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies, will bring a distinguished scholar with a strong track record of hands-on experience in the arena of underserved urban youth development.

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Obama will confront challenges as serious as any ever faced by an American president, says the dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. He asked his experts to create policy briefs for the incoming administration. They recommended a multi-agency approach to security and a diplomacy-first strategy; more aid to endangered businesses; and taking small steps toward health care reform.

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The University of Delaware congratulates alumnus Joseph R. Biden Jr., vice president-elect of the United States. Archived photos of Biden, as a student and university supporter, are available on a website for use by media outlets.

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Experts available on the psychological effects of legal status on same-sex relationships and on the people in those relationships.

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Experts on presidential and state politics follow in alphabetical order: scroll down for experts on the election and the economy; election night viewing at USC; and pre- and post-election forums.

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A new report focuses on the economic impact of an arms race in space - calling for changes in U.S. space policy.

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University of Virginia sources for presidential election coverage, including politics professors and experts in election-related fields (implicit bias, voting machines, history, etc.).

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"Walking into a bank with a gun and demanding money from a teller is one way to steal money," says David O. Friedrichs, Professor and Distinguished University Fellow, Sociology/Criminal Justice, The University of Scranton. "Walking into a corporate boardroom and securing from the board's compensation committee, made up of cronies, paid consultants, and even relatives, compensation of millions "“ sometimes tens of millions or hundreds of millions "“ is another way to steal money.

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"Our nation's emergency managers do not fully appreciate the potential of the Internet and emerging social media," the researcher says

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With the 2008 presidential election days away, a new study provides compelling evidence that mandatory voting may be the best way to reduce electoral corruption. The research focused on "vote buying," the act of bribing voters. According to John Morgan, professor at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, policy reforms combining the present secret ballot with the required vote of every eligible American would remove the possibility of vote buying.

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Dozens of the country's brightest young legal minds will converge at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore this week to make their case for being the best trial team in the nation. It's a fun combination of the intelligence and quick thinking needed by trial attorneys combined with the pressure and competitiveness of, say, a collegiate basketball tournament.

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Political experts at the University of North Carolina Wilmington can provide insight into the approaching historic 2008 American presidential election and international politics.

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As this historic election season heads into its final week, faculty experts at the University of Indianapolis are available to discuss the political process and the top issues on voters' minds.

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"No evidence exists of any serious threat of voter fraud, at present or in any recent election cycle," says Greg Magarian, J.D., election law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. "Filing false registration forms does not constitute voter fraud," he says. "Voter fraud requires voting by a person who is not legally entitled to vote. That is a difficult trick to pull off, and simply turning in a registration form for 'Captain Crunch' does almost nothing to enable it."

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A new study from North Carolina State University shows that there are definite limits on the government's use of the "war on terror" as a tool for advancing federal land-use projects and other policies. "The government can no longer rely solely on the "˜war on terrorism' and "˜national security' as arguments," study author Dr. Kenneth S. Zagacki says.

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Younger voters could secure Barack Obama's seat in the Oval Office, but a University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll released today shows they're less likely to make it to the polls and paying less attention to the election than older voters are.

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With Baby Boomers approaching retirement age and the current economic squeeze impacting American wallets, advanced long-term care planning is now more crucial than ever. The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and AARP have joined forces to present a free Webcast on Oct. 30 at 1:00 pm ET entitled "Aging in America "“ How to Plan for it."

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This week, a special briefing is to be held at the United Nations on space security, focused on the commercial sector, emerging space states, and civil society. To be presented are new perspectives on space security, focused on the commercial sector, emerging space states, and civil society.

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Reflecting the heterogeneous nature of rural America, rural Americans are divided "“ primarily along religious lines "“ on their perspectives of environmental conservation and climate change, a new brief from the Carsey Institute finds. This religious and environmental divide presents a challenge to political candidates.

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In the most recent George Washington University Battleground Poll, Sen. Barack Obama leads Sen. John McCain (47%-40%). Eleven percent remain undecided. The disapproval rating for Congress is 74%. The economy is the most important issue among registered "likely" voters (41% compared to 7% for the war in Iraq).

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When it comes to Wednesday's final debate, McCain better bring his game.

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As mudslinging commercials commence, viewers' bodies brace.

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A third of potential voters in New Hampshire this fall have only recently become eligible to vote in the state, and these new voters are more likely to identify with the Democratic Party than are established N.H. voters, contributing to the state's "purple" status, according to a new brief from the Carsey Institute.

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How can voters be assured their votes are counted and kept private? GW will discuss and demonstrate Scantegrity, a newly developed "voter-verifiable" voting system, which involves optical scan ballots, invisible ink, and a fool-proof way for voters to ensure their ballots are correctly tallied.

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Tung Yin, a University of Iowa law professor and national security law expert, writes that that trying to extract information from captured soldiers detained as prisoners of war by offering them positive inducements is illegal and a violation of the Geneva Conventions.