Blog offensive: An exploratory analysis of attacks published on campaign blog posts from a political public relations perspective

An advancement in online campaigning during the 2004 election cycle was the integration of blogs in candidate Web sites. This content analysis investigated the political public relations message strategy on campaign blogs during the 2004 election, focusing on attacks as a part of Functional Theory of Political Campaign Discourse. Results indicated frequent discussion of the opponent, reliance on attacks, and the dominance of logical appeals. Candidates focused on issue over image. The incumbent attacked more often than the challenger.     

Closed Sequential and Multistage Inference on Binary Responses With or Without Replacement

Logistic regression is used by practitioners and researchers in many fields, but is undoubtedly used most frequently in medical and biostatistical applications. Maximum likelihood is generally the estimation method of choice, but we show that maximum likelihood can produce very poor results under certain conditions. Specifically, the poor performance of maximum likelihood in the case of rare events is known and we review research on this topic. We primarily examine the performance of maximum likelihood in the presence of near separation, which has apparently not been studied. Exact logistic regression is the logical alternative to maximum likelihood. We offer a comparison of the two methods of estimation.     

A Shortcut Method of Calculating the Distribution of Election Outcome Types Under Approval Voting

The paper applies to approval voting, under which the voter casts a ballot by casting one vote for each of k candidates, wherek=;1,2, , m–1 and there are m candidates. I assume (following Brams and Fishburn) that each of the voter's 2=;–2 strategies is equally likely to be chosen. Election-outcome types include: the m-way tie;(m-1) -way ties with the runner-up trailing by 1,2,,m votes; (m-2)-way ties, and so on. The frequency distribution of outcome types varies only with m and n and is necessary to the calculation of the expected utilities of successive ballots cast, in the same election, by a voter under a variant of approval voting. This variant allows the voter to cast several complete ballots provided that he pays the respective prices, which could reasonably be based on the expected utilities. The paper describes a shortcut method of calculating the distribution of outcome types when m=;4 andn rises to levels that make straightforward calculation computationally infeasible. The shortcut involves the combining of an outcome type, instead of each member of that type, with each of the 14 strategies available to the incremental voter. In going fromn-1 to n, for n3, the number of outcome types increases by a factor of (n+3)/n whereas, the number of combinations of strategies increases by a factor of 14.     

Cognitive dissonance and political attitudes: The case of Canada

While scholars accept that attitudes have an impact on behavior, cognitive dissonance theory asserts that behavior can, in turn, affect attitudes. The theory suggests attitudes may be transformed by the simple act of voting. Informed by dissonance theory and employing election study survey data from three Canadian federal elections, this article considers the impact of cognitive, affective, and behavioral factors on changes in party evaluations, arguing that elections serve as a significant stimulus for attitude change. Dissonance theory is found to be compatible with observed attitude changes between pre- and post-election questionnaires. Findings have implications for the study of attitude formation and change, the effects that campaigns and elections have upon voters, and survey design.     

村委会选举中村民群体行为的法律规制

村委会选举中的群体行为在内容上具有维权性,在行为方式上具有行使合法权利的属性,在价值上具有正义性。对村委会选举中的群体行为的积极作用应当充分肯定。法治社会,对政治问题应尽量采取法律手段去解决。为此,要完善村委会选举的相关法律,保障村民村委会选举权的行使;完善利益表达机制,使诉愿能够顺畅的表达,克服思想上对村民群体行为妖魔化的倾向和立法上去游行示威的价值取向;面对村民群体行为应以一个平常心态来应对,不应采取过火的行为去压制,或者采取拖延、躲避等消极的做法,造成新的不满情绪,导致矛盾激化。     

混合与过渡:澳门选举制度的变革及特征分析

澳门的选举制度始于1976年<澳门组织章程>,至今已有30余年的历史.自确立以来,选举制度虽时有修订或重订,但核心内容未有重大变动;历次修订,包括回归后的重订,均遵循了渐进与衔接原则,属于非强制性制度变迁.澳门选举制度,在内容特征上,表现出混合型与过渡性色彩.混合性主要地体现在制度容纳了多元代表制及与其相对应的多元议席结构、选民结构与选举方式,而过渡性则表现在制度起源于澳葡时期,包括选举原则、计票公式等均非产自本土,所以,始终面临着如何适应本地需求进行改革与完善问题.     

村官贿选及其遏制对策刍议

村官贿选祸害极大,通过立法把《关于加强和改进村民委员会选举工作的通知》的精神明确化、具体化、制度化是治标对策;培养和提高村民的民主意识是治本对策;遏制村官贿选,要标本兼治,多管齐下。     

论我国选举法的修改与完善——以新《<选举法>修改决定》为视角

根据党的十七大报告及选举实践,全国人大通过了新《<选举法>修改决定》。新《<选举法>修改决定》从实现城乡按相同人口比例选举人大代表、增设"选举机构"专章、改进代表候选人的介绍方式、明确代表的任职资格等方面进一步完善了我国的选举制度。选举制度的完善不可能一蹴而就,我国《选举法》还在法律名称、基本原则、选举委员会制度、代表候选人的主体资格、选举程序违法的法律责任等方面留下了继续探索和进一步修改的空间。     

乌兹别克斯坦一体化战略与"一带一路"建设

乌兹别克斯坦既是中亚地区大国,也是“一带一路”沿线的重要国家。自独立以来,乌兹别克斯坦致力融入经济全球化,积极参与区域一体化建设。2016年9月,乌兹别克斯坦首任总统卡里莫夫去世,同年12月,新总统米尔济约耶夫上台执政。米氏新政将发展与邻国关系和加强区域间经济合作视为乌兹别克斯坦外交和经济工作优先方向,并致力于打造本国的区域一体化战略。相较于卡里莫夫时期“重双边”的经济合作路线,米氏新政强调“重周边”的区域一体化战略,着重与包括大国在内的乌兹别克斯坦周边国家发展区域一体化合作,同时,乌兹别克斯坦一体化合作模式也由原先“领导国”之争向“合作伙伴”转变。乌兹别克斯坦一体化战略对中亚地区的稳定与发展意义重大,更将推动“一带一路”在内的广泛国际合作倡议行稳致远。     

Adjustment of issue positions based on network strategies in an election campaign: A two-mode network autoregression model with cross-nested random effects

During election campaigns, political parties deliver statements on salient issues in the news media, which are called issue positions. This article conceptualizes issue positions as a valued and longitudinal two-mode network of parties by issues. The network is valued because parties pronounce pro or con positions on issues in more or less extreme ways. It is longitudinal because the media report new statements of parties on issues each new day.