The Evolution of Trust: Game Theory and Politics
Is politics governed by rules of trust? Cooperate and the other side is likely to cooperate in the future. Cheat, and there may be repercussions… or not. If everyone cooperates, we all do better. But cheat, and you may do better… Welcome to Game Theory. It can explain help economics, politics, poker, and life in general. It is a study of the strategies we apply when making decisions that involve others,...
Ted Talk by Daryl Davis: “Why I, as a black man, attend KKK rallies”
Imagine the audacity of requesting an interview with a Grand Dragon from the KKK, and NOT telling him ahead of time you are black. That is what Daryl Davis did, and it led to him attending KKK rallies, being told he was inferior and that people of different skin colors should not mix. That Grand Dragon became an Imperial Wizard, certain of his superiority, yet also a friend of Daryl Davis,...
“Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” by Matthew Desmond
If this book doesn’t bring tears to your eyes and perhaps a bit of sorrow to your soul, well, I might argue you simply are not human. And it is a story of Milwaukee… I read Evicted as part of Political Science 250: Law and Society at UWM over the summer of 2021. The author, Matthew Desmond, spent over two years living in some of the most impoverished areas of the city of...
Reverse Coattails: Run For Something
Why am I dedicated to down-ballot races across Wisconsin? Simple – smart political strategy. We all know the Wisconsin legislative districts were incredibly gerrymandered after the 2010 census. In some elections, the WI GOP collected 64% of the legislative seats while only receiving 46% of the vote. What if we could take advantage of that? This study by Run For Something, based on 61 gerrymandered counties from eight states, showed an...
Ted Talk by Paul Rulkens: “Why the Majority is Always Wrong”
I love studying political psychology and the process of decision making. This Ted Talk says 97% of people will continue to do the same thing – more of it or less of it, but still the same thing – when encountering a problem. They will continue to smash in to the wall, more or less. Only 3% will try to do something different. The GOP changed it strategy over the last...