Of goals and own goals: A case study of right-wing populist party strategy for and during incumbency

Using internal party documents and semi-structured interviews with over 200 activists of the Freedom Party of Austria, this article examines (anticipatory) adaptation in the intra-party and governmental arenas when this right-wing populist party switched its primary goal from populist vote maximization to office. It suggests such parties’ success will owe much to their leaderships’ capacity to identify and implement strategies and behaviours consonant with their new primary goal and to deal effectively with the inescapable tensions caused by the transition to incumbency. The article demonstrates how the FPÖ’s failures in these respects resulted in an own goal. Yet right-wing populists’ experience of incumbency is not necessarily doomed to failure. Agency remains an important determinant of success. Indeed, it appears supply-side factors may well be far better at explaining rapid shifts in the fortunes of such parties than the still predominantly demand-side approaches.

Source: http://ppq.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/17/4/453?rss=1

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Individual Working-time Adjustments between Full-time and Part-time Working in European Firms

We draw on Sen's capabilities approach to advance the debate about choice and constraint in relation to part-time work. We argue that it is important to go beyond a state-level comparison and focus on the policy implemented by employers at the organizational level. We use a European survey to identify which employers permit their employees to make individual-level adjustments between full-time and part-time working, and the firm-level characteristics associated with operating such a policy. The analysis reveals that employer policy varies markedly across countries and within countries and we argue that this is an important social conversion factor which shapes the capability which an individual employee has to adjust their hours between full time and part time at their place of work. State policy clearly matters, but firm-level characteristics and other situational features also impact on the social conversion factors which shape an individual's working-time capability. The sector, establishment size, presence of a trade union, gender and skill composition of the workforce all had a significant influence on whether employers permitted individual-level working-time adjustments. The firm's organizational working-time practices and culture toward safeguarding work–life balance had an additional and independent effect, as did broader aspects of working-time scheduling in place.

Source: http://sp.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/18/2/269?rss=1

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Compromise Isn?t a Dirty Word

Back in March, I was in the room as President Obama spoke to a group of young Americans of different political persuasions in Massachusetts.  He spoke candidly and openly about the importance of compromise in our democracy — even from people who care passionately about their position. 

Take a look:

One quote stuck with me: “the nature of our democracy and the nature of our politics is to marry principle to a political process that means you don't get 100% of what you want.”

This is a President who believes searching for common ground is the right way to approach solving our problems. And in fact, in the divided government our country has chosen, it’s the only way we can.

Unfortunately, that view isn’t shared by everyone in Washington, DC.  And you can see that right now as the President is trying to bring people together to tackle our debt and get our fiscal house in order.

read more

Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/07/15/compromise-isn-t-dirty-word

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Army shooting suspect to appear in court July 20 (Reuters)

Reuters - An Army psychiatrist charged in a 2009 killing rampage at a Texas military base will appear in court on July 20 in the opening phase of a court martial where he could be sentenced to death.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/usmilitary/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110715/us_nm/us_usa_shooting_texas

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Court: 'don't ask, don't tell' will stay in place (AP)

Navy medical corpsman Andrew James, who is now in the U.S. Navy Reserve poses for a picture Friday, July 15, 2011, in San Diego. Gay service members from Army soldiers to Air Force officers are planning to celebrate the official end of the military's 17-year policy that forced them to hide their sexual orientation with another official act - marriage. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)AP - The military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy is back in place for the time being, with one major caveat: the government is not allowed to investigate, penalize or discharge anyone who is openly gay.


Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/usmilitary/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110716/ap_on_re_us/us_gays_in_military

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Memorandum--Regulation and Independent Regulatory Agencies

Release Time: 
For Immediate Release

America's free market is the greatest force for prosperity the world has ever known.  It is the key to our global leadership and the success of our people.  But throughout our history, one of the reasons it has worked is that we have sought a proper balance -- a balance that promotes economic growth, innovation, competitiveness, and job creation, while protecting the health, safety, and security of the American people.  Over the past two and a half years, the pursuit of that balance has guided my Administration's approach to rules and regulations.  And in January of this year, I signed an Executive Order requiring executive agencies to reduce regulations that place unnecessary burdens on American businesses and the American people while ensuring that regulations protect our safety, health, and environment.  I initiated a careful, Government-wide review of regulations already on the books in order to reduce outdated, unjustified regulations that stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive.  We are taking immediate steps to eliminate millions of hours in annual paperwork burdens for large and small businesses and save more than $1 billion in annual regulatory costs.  And hundreds of reform proposals from 30 agencies, now available for public scrutiny, promise to deliver billions of dollars in additional savings.

The Executive Order also requires executive agencies to consider costs and benefits and to reduce burdens on the American people; to expand opportunities for public participation; to simplify and harmonize rules; and to promote flexibility and freedom of choice.

With full respect for the independence of your agencies, I am asking you today to join in this review and produce your own plans to reassess and streamline regulations.  For rules going forward, I am also asking you to follow the key cost-saving, burden-reducing principles outlined in the January Executive Order.

I hope you see this as an opportunity to do something big and lasting -- to change the ways of Washington; to focus on what works; and to forge a 21st-century regulatory system that makes our economy stronger and more competitive, while we meet our fundamental responsibilities to one another.

I look forward to working with all of you on this important initiative, and I thank you for your attention and service to our country.

BARACK OBAMA

Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/11/memorandum-regulation-and-independent-regulatory-agencies

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