Easiest Thesis

My PhD on the Vice Presidency and national security may make use of the bureaucratic politics paradigm. The nutshell version of this model of governmental behavior is that policies are the result of bargaining between the players on an issue. Good stuff...

The Graham Allison classic political science classic, Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis launched this model into prominence when it came out in 1971.

Discussing how to develop an analytical framework my advisor helpfully observed, "You could build a time machine and go back to the 1970s when bureaucratic politics was the big thing."

Considering the challenges that have been raised against the bureaucratic politics model (it has been called a veritable kitchen sink) this might be the easier path.

Fortunately, I work in a building full of electrical engineers. Of course they are pretty busy working on the artificial gravity device asked for a few weeks ago when huffing up the stairs to my office. (How is it that a building full of high-tech wizards that may even be home to a component of the Internet's backbone has inconsistently working elevators?)

VeepCritique on Life Support

The truth is, I've barely blogged anywhere at all recently. But I can't quite bring myself to kill VeepCritique. My main venue online remains TerrorWonk (not that it has been exactly bursting at the seams with posts lately.)

I was hoping to do some punditry, while also following all things VP, and the national security process from this venue. But there are enough pundits in the world, and most national security process stuff I do is probably better off over at TerrorWonk.

So, I'll keep this going with occasional posts - mostly VP trivia, commentary on news about the Vice President (if there is any), and stuff about getting a PhD. Should be fun.