I’ve always enjoyed reading their “Educated Guesses,” which are postulated by staff and faculty at the university in each of their fields of expertise. Their hit-to-miss ratio is about as consistent as a March Madness bracket but it’s quality entertainment and thought-provoking.
Of course, much of their 2017 predictions focus on what might happen in and around the White House as the wildest of wildcards, Donald Trump, gets ready to lead us through the next four years.
Dr. Joseph Smith, associate professor and chair of the political science department at The University of Alabama, says that despite a Republican-controlled Congress, President-elect Donald Trump is not likely to easily find common ground with lawmakers.
“This is partially because unified party control of the national government never works as smoothly as many people expect, and partially because Trump is outside the mainstream of the Republican Party and American politics in general,” he says, adding he expects Trump’s lawmaking agenda will be stymied.
Likelihood he gets this one right: High. Most presidents don’t get a free pass with Congress just because their party holds the majority. Add in Trump’s penchant for divisiveness and this one is a slam dunk.
Turning attentions to 1 First St. NE, Washington D.C., Dr. Allen Linken, assistant professor of political science at the university, says that whomever President-elect Donald Trump selects as his nominee for the Supreme Court, the person could possibly help weaken the freedom of the press – bad news for guys like me.
