Incorporate comparison of Raegan regime, Bush jr, sr

Write
an
essay
in
which
you
locate
the
presidency
of
Barack
Obama
in
political
time.
Is
Obama
better
understood
as
a
reconstructive
or
a
pre
‐
emptive
leader?
What
is
the
evidence
for
and
against
each
position?
Is
“transformational
leadership”
still
possible?
Why
or
why
not?
Alternatively,
is
Obama
better
categorized
as
a
“hard
case”
(as
Skowronek
uses
the
term)
defying
simple
categorization?
If
so,
explain.
(Your
essay
should
demonstrate
a
strong
command
of
the
theoretical
material
found
in
Skowronek’s
volume
as
well
as
his
analysis
of
specific
presidents.
You
are
also
required
to
conduct
original
research
in
support
of
your
argument.
You
may
draw
upon
the
public
statements
of
Obama,
other
Democrats
and
Obama
supporters,
Republican
opponents,
media
commentary,
and
scholarly
writing.
The
precise
mix
will
depend
on
the
specifics
of
your
argument.
You
will
use
your
research
to
assess
Barack
Obama’s
political
identity,
his
leadership
style,
his
interpretation
of
current
political
conditions,
and
the
broad
purposes
to
which
you
expect
him
to
commit
the
presidential
office.
You
should
evaluate
your
findings
in
light
of
the
categories
and
cases
contained
in
Skowronek’s
work.)
Along
the
way,
you
should
consider
the
following
questions
(you
are
not
explicitly
required
to
address
each
question
in
your
essay;
they
are
intended
only
to
help
motivate
your
thinking
in
productive
directions):
❖
What
are
the
defining
features
that
distinguish
Skowronek’s
four
principle
leadership
categories?
How
would
you
recognize
them
(what
indicators
should
you
be
looking
for)?
❖
What
type
of
politics
did
George
W.
Bush
make
in
office?
What
evidence
supports
your
assessment?
❖
What
is
the
political
status
of
the
Republican
regime
at
this
moment
in
time—resilient
or
vulnerable?
Does
the
party
of
Ronald
Reagan
appear
to
be
undergoing
a
fundamental
reassessment
of
its
political
identity?
How
do
you
reach
your
conclusion
(what
indicators
are
you
relying
on)?
❖
Does
Barack
Obama
seem
to
be
formulating
a
new
political
orthodoxy,
a
new
standard
of
political
legitimacy?
Do
you
see
the
contours
of
a
new
political
regime?
What
might
it
mean
to
be
a
“faithful
son”
practicing
the
“politics
of
articulation”
in
a
post
‐
Obama
political
world?
❖
What
is
the
political
meaning
of
the
2010
midterm
elections?
What,
if
anything
do
these
elections
tell
us
about
the
status
of
regime
politics
today?
❖
Is
the
operation
of
“secular
time”
upon
“political
time”
complicating
condition
in
your
analysis?
If
so,
how?
(This
question
is
important
for
that
portion
of
the
essay
asking
whether
transformational
leadership
is
still
possible)