Author

Laura Merrifield Wilson

Laura Merrifield Wilson

Laura Merrifield Wilson, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Indianapolis. She specializes in the study of political behavior, state and local government, and campaigns and elections. She earned her PhD, MA, and MPA from the University of Alabama and her MA and AB Honors from Ohio University. She is a regular political commentator and analyst.

COMMENTARY

The obscurity of obscenity

By: - November 13, 2023

When Justice Potter Stewart famously proclaimed, “I’ll know it when I see it” in regards to obscenity and pornography, the errant assumption was that such matters would be the social deviation rather than the norm. While he passed away long before the internet was invented and our own cultural mores shifted, Justice Stewart would be […]

COMMENTARY

Artificial intelligence deserves summer study

By: - June 28, 2023

School’s out for the summer but the learning is never truly over. Nor is the legislating, even after the General Assembly adjourned in the wee morning hours of April 28th (much like the collegiate equivalent of finishing the term paper in the middle of the night to make the deadline).  Unlike the traditional expectations of […]

COMMENTARY
session

Session end nears; so much for an official state sandwich

By: - April 13, 2023

As the end of the legislative session quickly approaches, we witness the final weeks of opportunity for bills to be passed and signed into law. Some failed to make the full journey, dying in committee if they were lucky enough to be assigned and heard.  Others have been signed, sealed, and delivered as law or […]

COMMENTARY

A Tale of Two Races: Open U.S. Senate and Indianapolis Mayor

By: - February 15, 2023

In American politics, few truths seem evident as the presence of competition in an open primary and the importance of incumbency. Open seats naturally attract the ambitious: strategically calculating the timing as an opportunity with a higher likelihood of victory relative to the uphill battle faced by a challenger angling to unseat an incumbent. Incumbency […]

COMMENTARY
election

The Election Party Isn’t Over (Yet)

By: - November 14, 2022

For many, the week after an election might feel like a bad hangover. You had fun, maybe too much fun, and now you are inundated and overwhelmed with information that can take weeks to properly analyze. Invariably, half of voters may be overjoyed with the affirmation of victory while the other half sulks in sorrowful […]

COMMENTARY
debates

Deliberating the merits of political debates

By: - October 13, 2022

Take any candidate, any race, and make a personal pledge to learn more about them. It can be as easy as typing their name in a search engine and scanning the first several lines. The process takes little more than an internet connection, not much effort, not even accuracy as a misspelled surname can still […]

COMMENTARY

Is the Economy Failing? Only if You Think So

By: - August 18, 2022

Filled up at the gas pump recently? Then you may have noticed the historically high prices have been dropping back down to seemingly more reasonable one. Gas in central Indiana, once topping out at $5.25, has fallen down to $3.88. The timing isn’t exactly great for travelers–coming just as school goes back to session and […]

COMMENTARY
Indiana Capital Building

Don’t trust Schoolhouse Rock

By: - June 30, 2022

Schoolhouse Rock lied.  Well, to be fair, the popular 1970s education series that merged music and color animation with academic content simplified many concepts, particularly in their civics series.  While it may have made it easier for children to understand, the catchy jingles failed to convey the complex nuances of governmental powers. The lyrics of […]