Publications

Nov. 16, 2017 -- CNBC -- "If Roy Moore pulls off Senate win, expelling him is no slam dunk for McConnell."

Oct. 24, 2017 -- ConCon 1 -- "Campaign Finance and State Constitutions."

Oct. 24, 2017 -- ConCon 2 -- "Tangled Up in the Political Thicket."

Oct. 24, 2017 -- ConCon 3 -- "Legislative Devolution and Public Accountability."

Oct. 24, 2017 -- ConCon 4 -- "A Practical Solution."

Apr. 25, 2017 -- CNBC -- "Op-Ed: How a primary challenge could undo Donald Trump."

Feb. 17, 2017 -- CNBC -- "Why Hillary Clinton may not have a shot at being president in 2020."

Feb. 7, 2017 -- CNN -- "Don't overlook Trump's permanent partner."

Dec. 13, 2016 -- CNBC -- "Stop dreaming. The Electoral College is here to stay."

"Trump, Clinton campaign will be nasty - and that's good news," CNBC, May 17, 2016 (Joshua Spivak)

Albany again shows it is clueless on corruption," NY Slant, February 5, 2016 (Joshua Spivak)

"From Tea Party darling to establishment hope," Congress Blog, February 5, 2016 (Joshua Spivak)

Feb. 5, 2016 — City & State “New York Slant,” the new politics blog published by the well-established political newspaper City & State, ran Joshua Spivak’s take on a new “ethics reform” law passed in Albany that betrays how little Albany actually knows about ethics reform.

Dec. 29, 2015 — The Week Joshua Spivak reviewed the year’s news about recall elections in this op-ed piece.

"Calling big fat foul on the Illinois legislature's 'recall law' - corrected," Crain's Chicago Business, December 21, 2015  (Joshua Spivak)

Dec. 21, 2015 — Crain’s Chicago Business Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow with Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform, is a nationally recognized expert on recall elections. In this op-ed column, he comments on a new recall law making its way through the Illinois legislature that would allow for the recall of Chicago’s mayor.

Oct. 20, 2015 — The Hill In this essay, written after a strong debate performance by Hillary Clinton but preceding Joe Biden’s announcement that he would not run for president, Joshua Spivak looks at the history of presidential runs by vice presidents and former veeps.

Oct. 14, 2015 — Time Joshua Spivak wrote on op-ed essay about a “ridiculous” loophole in the Constitution’s description of who can become Speaker of the House.

Oct. 12, 2015 — Reuters “Under the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives was originally designed to be the unruly chamber of Congress,” Spivak wrote in his op-ed essay about the succession struggles on Capitol Hill. “Last week, Americans got to see some of what the founders expected.”

Sept. 28, 2015 — Newsweek Joshua Spivak, senior fellow at Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform, published an opinion essay, “You’re Fired! Boehner Succumbs to the Republican Way of Leadership.”

Aug. 16, 2015 — Advance The Sunday Advance dedicated the entire front page of its Opinion section to an essay by Seymour Lachman, founder and dean emeritus of the Carey Institute. The essay was titled, “Will Political Corruption in the NYS Legislature Ever End?”

July 29, 2015 — CNBC Spivak wrote about Donald Trump’s reliance on “old media” coverage rather than the use of social media to push his message out.

July 18, 2015 — Las Vegas Review-Journal Spivak wrote about an effort to recall a North Las Vegas municipal court judge.

July 6, 2015 — Manchester (U.K.) Guardian Following a mass murder in a Charleston, S.C. church, Spivak wrote an op-ed for a major English newspaper about future prospects for gun control in the United States.

May 21, 2015 — Orange County (Calif.) Register Spivak, who has become one of the leading national experts on recall elections, wrote that the odds favored an Orange County, California judge who was facing a recall effort.

May 15, 2015 — Forbes Joshua Spivak, senior fellow at Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform, wrote an opinion essay at the beginning of this summer’s campaigning for the 2016 presidential race that explored the question, “What shot does a candidate who’s never held government office have at the nomination?”

April 8, 2015 — The Hill Joshua Spivak wrote a historical perspective piece on the resurgence of New York’s political power in Washington.

March 24, 2015 — The Forward Joshua Spivak relates a serendipitous account about “The True Story of Harry Houdini’s Tefillin.” Not really in the vein of the Carey Institute’s good-government agenda, but an interesting historical piece nonetheless.

March 19, 2015 — The Hill Joshua Spivak wrote a historical perspective essay on Sen. Rand Paul’s successful effort to have Kentucky make a one-time change in its presidential primary process, switching to a caucus system for 2016 only, so that Paul can circumvent state laws that say a candidate can run for only office in any given election, allowing him to run for re-election to the U.S. Senate in the Kentucky primary while also seeking the GOP presidential nomination.

March 5, 2015 — New York Times While other good-government advocates in New York State were piling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo for not following through on several key reform promises, Seymour Lachman's letter to the editor commended Cuomo for the many reforms he had succeeded in enacting.

March 1, 2015 — Newsweek Joshua Spivak wrote an op-ed essay for the Newsweek website, “How Scott Walker Got His Head Start,” on an early candidate in the 2016 presidential race.

Feb. 13, 2015 — The Oregonian In an op-ed essay, “Recall Looms if Kitzhaber Won’t Resign,” Joshua Spivak applies his expertise as a national authority on recall elections to the challenges facing Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber. Spivak is a senior fellow with Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform.

Feb. 3, 2015 — Albany (N.Y.) Times Union After the downfall of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Joshua Spivak argued that the next speaker should pursue a reform agenda in Albany.

Feb. 1, 2015 — Las Vegas Review-Journal Joshua Spivak, a nationally recognized authority on recall elections, wrote an op-ed on Nevada’s current recall campaigns.

Feb. 1, 2015 — Los Angeles Times Joshua Spivak wrote an op-ed about the current field of contenders for next year’s GOP presidential nomination.

Jan. 22, 2015 — Washington Post While Mitt Romney very publicly pondered the possibility of a third White House run, Joshua Spivak wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post: “One-quarter of presidents lost before they won, but Mitt Romney won’t be among them.”

Dec. 25, 2014 — New York Observer Joshua Spivak published an op-ed essay, “Why Republicans Will Likely Boot Out Michael Grimm.”

Nov. 10, 2014 — Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald Just days after the crushing Democratic defeat in 2016’s midterm elections, Joshua Spivak, research fellow with Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform, argued that Democrats should demonstrate their commitment to good governance over partisan rivalry by renouncing their right to filibuster bills in the U.S. Senate.

Oct. 8, 2014 — The Week — Joshua Spivak analyzed “the real scandal in the de Blasio aide brouhaha” for The Week.

Sept. 8, 2014 — The Week — A national online newsmagazine published Joshua Spivak’s opinion essay, “The paradox of the 2014 midterms: All politics is national — until it isn’t.” He said that candidates are increasingly judged on issues of national import, but they’re also criticized for being out of touch with their constituents.

Aug. 29, 2014 — Medicine Hat News — The Medicine Hat, Alberta daily newspaper asked Joshua Spivak to write an opinion essay on proposals being presented to the provincial legislature to allow for the recall of politicians. “Even with legislation, a wave of recalls is unlikely,” Spivak wrote.

Election Laws That Prevent Elections.” Joshua Spivak. Reuters’ “Great Debate” blog. June 10, 2014.

The Solution to New York’s Useless Lieutenant Governor Position.” Joshua Spivak. City & State. May 14, 2014.

Colorado’s proposed recall election reform.” Joshua Spivak. Colorado Independent. March 27, 2014.

Power to the People.” Joshua Spivak. The Week & Washington Post. Dec. 26, 2013.

Colorado’s Gun-Control Recall: The Canary in the Coal Mine for Reformers?” Joshua Spivak. The Atlantic. Aug. 7, 2013.

This could be the year the new mayor comes from the outer boroughs.” Joshua Spivak. NY Daily News. Aug. 18, 2013.

How city's legal hurdles make recalls difficult.” Joshua Spivak. San Diego Union Tribune. July 31, 2013

Eliot Spitzer and NY’s incumbent-protection ballot rules.” Joshua Spivak. Newsday. July 18, 2013.

How the Supreme Court crippled direct democracy.” Joshua Spivak. The Week. June 28, 2013.

Scott Brown and history’s long roster of border-jumping politicians.” Joshua Spivak. The Week. April 9, 2013.

Why the State of the Union Still Matters.” Joshua Spivak. The Week. Feb. 12, 2013.

The long past and perilous future of gaming the electoral-college system.” Joshua Spivak. The Week. Jan. 25, 2013.

Why Democratic presidents keep choosing Republicans as their defense chiefs.” Joshua Spivak. The Week. Jan. 14, 2013.

Ousting the speaker: House Republicans’ long history of regicide.” Joshua Spivak. The Week. Dec. 28, 2012.

Why the U.S. Must Change its Presidential Succession Rules.” Joshua Spivak. The Week. Dec. 18, 2012.

Why does Obama keep raiding the Senate for his cabinet?” Joshua Spivak. The Week. Dec. 17, 2012.

The ’80s Want Their Politics Back – the 1880s.” Joshua Spivak. New York Times’ “Campaign Stops” blog. Nov. 6, 2012.

That Pesky Electoral College.” Joshua Spivak. Los Angeles Times, Savannah Morning News, Tallahassee Democrat, Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald. Oct. 26, 2012.

Everyone hates the moderators — so let’s just get rid of them.” Joshua Spivak. The Atlantic. Oct. 22, 2012.

With Their Conventions, Republicans and Democrats Whistle Past the Graveyard.” Joshua Spivak. Forbes. Aug. 27, 2012.

The Tea Party’s New Model: Experienced Candidates Magnifying Movement’s Influence.” Joshua Spivak. Time magazine’s “Swampland” political blog. Aug. 24, 2012.

Romania latest example of recall election trend.” Joshua Spivak. Public Service Europe & politics.co.uk. July 27, 2012.

Obama’s big sigh of relief in Wisconsin.” Joshua Spivak. The Hill. June 12, 2012.

"Wisconsin Recall Attempt Might Backfire in Presidential Election." Joshua Spivak. Roll Call. June 1, 2012.

Wisconsin recall’s boomerang effect.” Joshua Spivak. Politico.com. May 30, 2012.

Scott Walker and the Strange Rise in Recall Elections.” Joshua Spivak. The Atlantic. May 16, 2012.

Why college students matter.” Abe Unger. Huffington Post. May 7, 2012.

A lot riding on Romney’s ‘Veepstakes.’ ” Joshua Spivak. Los Angeles Times, News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.), Gulf News (UAE), Bradenton (Fla.) Herald, (Portland) Oregonian, Riverton (Wyo.) Ranger. April 26, 2012.

Government doesn’t matter. America does.” Abe Unger. Huffington Post. April 20, 2012.

Proposed Alabama recall election law likely won’t be misused.” Joshua Spivak. Birmingham (Ala.) News. April 1, 2012.

The Inevitable Quadrennial Third-Party Shooting Star.” Joshua Spivak. Atlantic magazine. March 28, 2012.

The failed ‘dream ticket’ plan: Why Romney couldn’t pick Santorum as a running mate.” Joshua Spivak. Market Watch. March 21, 2012.

The American president: One of us, not over us.” Abe Unger. Baltimore Times. Feb. 18, 2012.

The brokered convention nightmare.” Joshua Spivak. Huffington Post. Feb. 15, 2012.

Op-ed brings U.S. historical perspective to bear on a new proposal to institute a recall mechanism in the United Kingdom, politics.co.uk, Jan. 24, 2012 (Joshua Spivak)

Op-ed discourages the creation of a 63rd N.Y. state senate seat in the redistricting process currently underway, City & State, Jan. 23, 2012 (Joshua Spivak)

Why Are Negative Political Ads Good for Us?”, CNN International, Jan. 19, 2012 (Joshua Spivak)

Following the Iowa caucuses the New Hampshire primaries played a much more important role in choosing presidential candidates, The Daily, Jan. 5, 2012 (Joshua Spivak)

The expansion of communications technology is the primary factor behind the increase in the number of recall drives, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 27, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

Do Better or Get Out,” The Daily, Dec. 24, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

On the drive to recall Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, in the Contra Costa Times and the Oakland Tribune, Dec. 10, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“The old VP Switcheroo,” The Daily, Oct. 31, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“The Primary Problem,” The Daily, Oct. 10, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“The Recall Boom,” Campaigns & Elections magazine, Oct. 6, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Will the Bush team kill Perry’s campaign?” Reuters’ Great Debate blog, Sept. 22, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“The Old Electoral College Switcheroo,” Huffington Post, Sept. 22, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“A recall of Walker could backfire on Dems: There are risks both political and practical,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (and Roll Call), Aug. 20, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Don’t Mess with Texans,” The Daily, Aug. 19, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Why congressmen stay, govs resign,” Politico, June 14, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“History says Pearce has little to worry about from recall effort,” Arizona Capitol Times, June 6, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Traveling men: Kucinich and running for Congress in a new state,” Reuters Great Debate blog, June 1, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“The incredible growing VP,” The Daily, May 30, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

"How to save money on recall elections: Recalls are on the rise, but their costs do not have to be," American City & County magazine, April 15, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Out-of-office experience: Voters hesitate to elect those who took a break from politics,” The Daily, March 26, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“The New Heave-Ho,” The Daily, March 22, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Recalls Now Cheaper, Faster,” Politico.com, March 18, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Repairing N.Y.’s Toxic Judicial Election System,” Law 360, March 8, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Bankruptcy Is Not an Option,” AOL News, March 2, 2011 (Seymour Lachman & Rob Polner

“The Brewing Attempts to Game the Electoral College,” Forbes magazine, Feb. 25, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Wisconsin Election Recall Reality Check,” AOL News, Feb. 23, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

“Rumsfeld’s Biggest Unknown,” Reuters Great Debate, Feb. 15, 2011 (Joshua Spivak)

"Just a Flesh Wound," MarketWatch.com, Dec. 29, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"N.Y. GOP is Fighting Demographic Tide," Newsday, Dec. 24, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Put Lame Ducks Out of Their Misery," MarketWatch.com, Dec. 14, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

 "The Death of the Gerrymander?," AOL News, Dec. 8, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Trend Toward Recall Efforts on the Rise for Cities, States," Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, Dec. 1, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Obama’s Biggest Threat in 2012 Election Could Come From His Own Party," The Oregonian, Nov. 27, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Setback for Recall Movement may be Temporary," The Record (N.J.), Nov. 23, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Rangel Punishment Unlikely to Satisfy Anyone," Reuters, Nov. 16, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Will Obama Face a Primary Challenge in 2012?," Los Angeles Times, Nov. 12, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Why Pelosi Will be the Next Minority Leader," Reuters "Great Debate" blog, Nov. 5, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Recall: For Mayor, the Odds Aren't Great," Miami Herald, Nov. 5, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"State AGs get career boost from Dodd-Frank," MarketWatch.com, Nov. 4, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Rahm and the Ultimate Dead-End Job," Reuters, Oct. 18, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Dumping the Veep: An American Tradition," San Diego Union Tribune, Oct. 8, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Why Obama Isn’t Sweating the Midterms," Reuters "Great Debate" blog, Oct. 7, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“The Third-Party Mirage,” AOL News, Sept. 22, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Two Independents Could be the Key to the Next Congress," Reuters "Great Debate" blog, Sept. 3, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Why Obama won't axe his economic advisers," Reuters "Great Debate" blog, Aug. 25, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

"Where is today's Hugh Carey?", New York Daily News, Aug. 20, 2010 (Rob Polner)

"What we can learn from 'Man Who Saved New York'," CNN Opinion, July 20, 2102 (Robert Polner)

"After Sen. Robert Byrd, U.S. needs new presidential succession plan," AOL News, July 7, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Menendez’s critics shouldn’t jump up and down just yet,” New Jersey Law Journal, April 8, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Don’t repeal the 17th amendment: It would increase corruption and limit democracy,” Forbes, April 2, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Don't let lawmakers draw their districts,” New York Times (Week in Review), March 28, 2010 (Seymour Lachman)

“The long debate over a senatorial recall,” Roll Call, March 25, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Elect lieutenant governor directly,” N.Y. Daily News, March 10, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Choosing Murtha’s successor: Holding a special election on primary day will be good for Democrats and voters,” Philadelphia Inquirer, February 18, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Turnout Is the Key for Democrats in 2010,” AOL News, February 10, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Mass. hysteria: N.Y. Dems should embrace anti-incumbency,” Newsday, January 24, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Protesting positive campaigns: Candidates should highlight their qualifications, not their glowing family lives,” Forbes, January 15, 2010 (Joshua Spivak)

“Public eject button rare but increasing,” Sydney (Aust.) Morning Herald, December 24, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“Greater transparency needed in state government,” Buffalo News, Dec. 20, 2009 (Seymour Lachman)

“The Nobel Prize albatross: Statesman role could weigh on Obama,” Dow Jones’ MarketWatch, December 10, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“Even if recall passes, ousting the governor won’t be easy,” Chicago Sun-Times, October 24, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“For real reform, New York should change how it elects representatives,” Newsday, June 25, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“A short history of recall campaigns,” Akron Beacon Chronicle, June 12, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“GOP unlikely to gain from bid to block Sotomayor,” Houston Chronicle, May 30, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“Why the state legislative recall campaign might work,” Los Angeles Daily News, May 13, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“The voters deserve primaries,” Albany Times Union, March 24, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“Editorial reply: ‘The Treasures of Joe Bruno’,” New York Times, February 21, 2009 (Seymour Lachman)

“A recall isn’t all that easy — and certainly not fast,” The Oregonian, January 24, 2009 (Joshua Spivak)

“A look back and ahead to the No. 2 job: Future vice presidents will not go back to obscurity,” Dow Jones’ MarketWatch, December 23, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“The Perils of Special Elections,” Washington Post, December 18, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Bird is not the word: Judicial Recalls are extremely rare,” Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, November 28, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Senate Democrats Should Abandon the Gerrymander,” Buffalo News, November 25, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Why Hillary Clinton Shouldn’t Take Secretary of State Post: Cabinet is graveyard of presidential hopes,” Dow Jones’ MarketWatch, November 19, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“History suggests Palin’s political future is dim,” Dow Jones’ MarketWatch, November 5, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Founders gave it the old college try,” Albany Times Union, October 29, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“The decision on ending term limits should be left up to the people,” Staten Island Advance, October 15, 2008 (Seymour Lachman)

“Propositions boost odds for bottom of GOP Ticket,” LA Daily News, October 12, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Rest in Peace, Campaign Finance Reform,” Roll Call, October 3. 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Dillon recall vote sends message to all lawmakers,” Detroit Free Press, October 2, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Let’s Stop Hyping the Conventions,” History News Network, August 28, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“VP has again become a position of power,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 10, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Recall is still more of a threat than a weapon,” Louisiana Times-Picayune, July 17, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“The real reason running mates matter,” Christian Science Monitor June 16, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“A NY Prez Vacuum,” NY Post, June 6, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Why are recalls more common today? They work,” Modesto Bee, June 1, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Whose ‘Dream Ticket’?” Washington Times, May 25, 2008
“Obama-Clinton dream ticket would have a rude awakening,” Tucson Citizen, June 4, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Governors Need Not Apply,” Forbes, April 8, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Paterson's removal would signal disaster for state GOP,” Glen Falls Post Star, March 30, 2008,
“Bipartisan welcome: It’s in GOP’s interest to have Paterson stay in office till they regroup,” Schenectady Gazette, March 30, 2008, and
“Removing Paterson as Governor would be Disastrous for the GOP,” Buffalo News, March 30, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Efforts to recall legislators show mixed results nationwide,” San Jose Mercury News, March 28, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Reform, not revenge: Albany will only be fixed if the Senate breaks with its past,” Staten Island Advance, March 9, 2008 (Adam Simms)

“Jumping the Line,” Forbes, February 20, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“This year shows why primary system must change,” San Francisco Chronicle, February 10, 2009,  (Joshua Spivak)

“Get Pols Out of Power in Picking Judges,” Newsday, January 22, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Democrats Face Delegate Dilemma,” Baltimore Sun, January 22, 2008 (Joshua Spivak)

“Super delegates may sink the Democrats,” Los Angeles Times, January 19, 2008, and

“Break their iron grip,” New York Daily News, March 5, 2007 (Seymour Lachman)