Blog 2.4: Looking ahead to 2018

1. How many total Republicans in Congress have already announced that they will not run for reelection in 2018?

12 House Republicans and 2 Senators

2. How many total Democrats in Congress have already announced that they will not run for reelection in 2018?

3 House Democrats and no Democratic senators

3. What is so unique about the discrepancy between these two groups?

All of the Democratic senators are running for reelection and only 3 Dem. House members are retiring. 

4. What factors do the authors of the article suggest are behind these decisions not to run for reelection?

Republicans are afraid of a backlash against their party because of Trump's low ratings and the sweeping wave of Democratic victories. 

5. Why might the elections for those in "safe red districts" be more difficult than in recent elections?

Most retirees explained their decision with term limits for committee chairmanships or old age. Also, many don't want to stay because they think their party will fall into the minority or are unwilling to face a grueling race. 

6. Why does the large number of incumbents retiring make it easier for Democrats to gain seats in the House than they otherwise would?

Since many Republicans are retiring, it opens more seats for Democrats to run their candidates. 

7. Why might this same thing help Democrats recruit better candidates?

Potentially strong candidates are often more willing to run in an open-seat contest than take on an incumbent. 

8. About how much does FairVote say that incumbents are helped just by being incumbents in a normal election year?

The incumbency advantage has been between 3-7%.

Blog 2.3: Media coverage of trump

1. What three observations did the study find about media outlets with a right-leaning audience?

They cited fewer sources, offered more positive and fewer negative evaluations, and had reporters who were less likely to challenge the president. 

2. How did right-leaning media outlets and left-leaning media outlets use sources differently?

RIght-leaning outlets are less likely than left-leaning outlets to use Trump/admin, outside experts, both parties, and interest groups as sources. 

3. How much more likely were left-leaning outlets to include negative coverage of Trump?

At least three times more likely. 

4. How often did left leaning and right leaning outlets refute something said by Trump?

Left-leaning outlets: 15%

Right-leaning: 2%

5. What five topics accounted for most of the media coverage about Trump?

political skills, immigration, appointments/nominations, U.S.-Russia relations, health care

6. Are journalists more likely to cover the president's character or his policies? Why do you think this is?

They are more likely to cover his character because his behavior is usually controversial and shapes his policy. 

7. Who were the most common sources quoted in coverage of the administration?

The president/member of his admin, another news organization/journalist, members of Congress

8. What was the relationship between the number of sources quoted and the evaluation of Trump?

Stories with more sources/voices were more likely to have an overall negative assessment. 

9. How often did the reporting use Twitter as a source?

16%

10. How has coverage of Trump been different than other recent presidents?

Coverage of Trump's early days in office moved away from a focus on policy agenda and more towards character and leadership. Trump's evaluations were far more negative than his predecessors. 

Blog 2.2: Hurricanes and Agenda Control

1. What news events are being covered by major outlets as the same time as Hurricane Maria?

Failed healthcare bill, AL's primary election, dispute between Trump and sports players.

2. Use the first chart to estimate about how many fewer times Hurricane Maria & Puerto Rico are mentioned online than the hurricanes that hit the mainland US.

4 times less

3. Use the second chart to estimate about how much less time was devoted to  Hurricane Maria & Puerto Rico in TV coverage than the hurricanes that hit the mainland US.

The hurricanes of mainland US had roughly a month of time more than Hurricane Maria.

4. Which two networks mentioned Hurricane Maria the most?

BBC and CNN

5. What do some cite as the reason for Puerto Rico being treated differently by the media?

Puerto Rico is status as a territory could be a reason for the lack of news coverage and delay in aid.

6.  Given what you know about agenda control by the media, what will the impact of this news coverage be on people's attitudes about the hurricanes?

Greater news coverage of the hurricanes brings the issue to the forefront of the agenda, making it an issue that is more likely to be focused on by the govt.

7. Why do you think that the media spends less time covering Hurricane Maria & Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is not a state of the US; it is a territory far from the US, so its distance and status distances itself from the US govt.

8. Why would the National Society of Hispanic Journalists call for more coverage in the media?

They want to ensure that the treatment of all people, whether US citizens or Puerto Ricans, is equal. Puerto Ricans deserve our help.

9. What do they think the impact of more media coverage would be?

With more media coverage, the hurricane issue will be one of the most important and relevant story and will be one of the largest issues in the country. 

10. If more people thought Puerto Rico was the most important issue, why might the government respond differently than it has so far?

If more people feel an issue is important, it provides more reason for the govt to invest themselves to helping out the cause.