POLS 207 Lecture 20
« previous | Thursday, November 15, 2012 | next »
extra office hours: Mon., Nov. 26, 08:30 to 13:00
No class next tuesday
Mini-Review
Gerrymandering
it happens everywhere
People in power get to set the rules for when they are not
Heart of American Dream: hope and mobility
- hope is what drives successful society
Governor
Texas Governor has significant authority
Court Cases
Know outcomes and results
Know how courts are structured: laws govern who wins and who loses (i.e. who carries the cost)
An appeals court can handle all but ...?
Bi- and Multivariate
Go with multivariate answer if question is ambiguous: multivariate is usually more accurate
Peter Principle
People are promoted to their level of incompetence
Protectionist systems (labor unions, tenure) make it difficult to fire poor-performing employees
Organizations willing to fire deadweight aren't affected by this.
Turkey farming: Firing by promotion
Measuring Data
How do we measure poverty? graduation? etc.
Affects results and interpretation