John Comer

Partisan and Incumbent Effects in State Legislative Redistricting

The effects of reapportionment on partisan balance and on the reelection of incumbents should be expected to differ, depending on whether the reapportionment process was effectively controlled by one party or was bipartisan or nonpartisan. These hypotheses are tested in 15 state legislatures for the post-1980 redistricting. Partisan effects are most likely to occur where the process is highly partisan. Even then, however, the partisan gains are likely to be short term and to dissipate after two or three elections. Incumbents who run appear more likely to get reelected in the years following an election, whether the process was controlled by one party or was bipartisan.

Correlates of health insurance coverage: evidence from the Midwest.

The Midwest is often overlooked in national studies of health insurance status. We analyzed the economic and social characteristics of uninsured and underinsured individuals and households in a Midwestern state using both bivariate and multivariate techniques. As in much of the country, economic factors, particularly income and employment, were most significant in accounting for insurance coverage. Unexpectedly, rural and urban residents were equally likely to lack insurance. Results indicate that in rural areas, underinsurance may be a greater problem than uninsurance, and that income-based health insurance is more effective than employer-provided plans in reaching all Americans.

Losing and acquiring health insurance: consequences for health care.

Abstract Data from a sample of 5530 Nebraska adults under age 65 are used to analyze the independent correlates of four different insurance statuses: insured 12 consecutive months, uninsured 12 consecutive months, insured at the end of a 12 month period, but not throughout, and uninsured at the end of a 12 month period, but not throughout. The effects of insurance status on utilization of health care services when perceived to be needed are assessed, controlling for demographic explanations. The results show that uninsurance status, whether long-lasting or recent, indicates lower utilization than being insured. Policies designed to expand the number of persons with insurance, especially those linked to practices of insurers, are predicted to have little impact since the underlying causes of uninsurance are related to household income. Lower use of health care services among the uninsured is thought to present financial problems to providers, since the uninsured who do seek care are more likely to need more services (without paying). Problems of higher cost to treat these individuals also present problems for public policies that in effect create subsidies to expand the number of insured. Finally, this study indicates that incremental policy approaches may not deal adequately with the fundamental problems that result in increases in the number of uninsured Americans and caring for their health care needs.

Complaining as Participation The Case of the Ombudsman

Complaining is seen as a form of participation in administration. Although the literature recommends greater participation, we have little evidence about what sort of people are likely to complain and what the effect of their participation through complaining will be. The attitudes of people who had complained to the Nebraska ombudsman were compared with a sample of citizens who had not complained. The complainers were found to have a lower sense of political efficacy and were more cynical about government than the noncomplainers. The implications of complaining for public administrators are discussed.

Redistricting and Incumbent Reelection Success in Five State Legislatures

Does redistricting affect the election success of incumbents? Does it affect the electoral fortunes of political parties? These questions are examined in five states that used different redistricting processes in 1991-1992 and in two states where the redistricting process changed from 1981-1982 to 1991-1992. In states where redistricting was highly partisan, parties controlling the process gained politically. In states where redistricting was bipartisan, that is, both parties were involved, neither party gained an advantage. Likewise, where redistricting was nonpartisan, that is, parties were excluded from the process, neither party gained an advantage and the outcome was least hospitable to incumbents.

Computer Use in Research Exercises: Some Suggested Procedures for Undergraduate Political Science

Readily accessible computers and simple to use software packages on college and university compuses are valuable resources for the education of undergraduates. This article sets out some procedures to assist instructors in developing a research component using the computer. The payoffs for the student and instructor recommend the approach. Hopefully, articles such as this one will encourage instructors to develop computer based research components in their courses.

Street-Level Bureaucracy and Political Support: Some Findings on Mexican Americans

Failure of Mexican Americans to integrate and attach themselves to American political and social life is often attributed to bad personal experiences with political authorities. In this paper, levels of contact and satisfaction with several agencies of government are correlated with measures of political participation, political efficacy, representiveness of different levels of government, and impact of different levels of living conditions among a sample of Mexican Americans in Omaha, Nebraska. Little evidence for the proposition is found. While contact with public authorities among Mexican Americans is low, satisfac tion is high. Satisfaction is not, however, correlated with the different dimensions of support. The system performance-system support hypothesis is obviously conditional, varying from one situation to another.

The Role of Tribal Experiences in Shaping Native American Health

The relatively poor health and healthcare of Native Americans is well documented. However, the existing research does not adequately consider unique tribal experiences in shaping Native American health. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to assess the role of tribes in explaining measures of healthcare and the perceptions of health-related problems. Employing interview data from 219 members of the Omaha Tribe and Santee Sioux Nation in rural Nebraska, it is found that significant tribal distinctions exist in terms of health status, health access, and the perceptions of community issues related to health and healthcare. These differences are linked with the unique experiences of the tribes as a way to illustrate the need for researchers and policy makers to consider the role tribes play in shaping health.

Participation and Independence of Consumers in a Health Systems Agency

Health Systems Agencies (HSAs) were mandated to include representation of the community, broadly conceived. The implicit intention of the law was to include consumers as important and co-equal participants with providers in health planning. This paper is an examination of consumer participation in one ESA. Contrary to expectations derived from the literature, citizens in this HSA exercised independent judgment regarding the major issue to confront them. We conclude his was a function of the following: talents and skills of the consumer members; natural interest in health care policy by consumer board members, sympathetic and supportive provider board members; and the homogenous character of the population in the region served.