POLS Chapter 1 Lecture Notes August 29th September 3rd 2012 Why should anyone care about State Government Public Education Utility Management Sewage Power Water Trash Road Maintenance Criminal code and penalties Cost and opportunities for higher education It provides basic services that no one else would Explain why government exists Hobbes o Believed human nature is bad o Solitary poor nasty brutish and short o Government exists to protect our property o Life liberty property Locke Rousseau Studying basic differences across States and Localities Comparative Method reveals o Sociodemographics o Political Culture o Economies o Geographies and Topographies Political Culture and Political Participation Moralistic High levels of participation Individualistic Moderate levels of participation o Policy Innovation o MN OR WA WI o Rights Granting o IA IN O Comparative Method Studying the differences between two or more units of analysis to explain policy and or structural variance Systematic Used to analyze variance among similar units of analyses Variance Differences between units of analysis on a particular measure Traditionalistic Low levels of participation o Preserving status quo o AL GA MS Texas is a hybrid of Individualistic and Traditionalistic This theory is too broad Most states are a hybrid Surveying Stratified Knowing population size and making sure your sample mimics it Random No bias o Preferred method Larger sample size represents population better You must question why people participate sample of convenience State vs Federal Government Public opinion and trust Saliency Budgets Employment Intergovernmental Relationships State employs more people Network of governments Laboratories of Democracy Policy creativity and innovation Devolution o Policy responsibility o Financial Independence Problem Taxes stay within the state Policies of any level of government are intertwined with policies and politics of other levels Interdependence Federal Government gives these to the states o Poor states need federal help Rich states will be well off Devolution and the states Uncertain future o External constraints States don t have the ability to reach out and secure income between other states No foreign policy U S Constitution EX CA v U S with legalization of marijuana Devolution and Localities Get money from sales and property taxes which is NOT enough Labs of Democracy in action National policy initiated in states o Spam E Mail Protection o Do Not Call Registry o Medicare Reform o Energy Reform Conclusion Key Points States and localities affect you Comparative Method and Variance Devolution and policy making authority Policy innovation
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