Annual Editions: State and Local Government, 16/e

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Annual Editions: State and Local Government, 16/e

Preface

Correlation Guide

Topic Guide

UNIT 1 Early Commentaries

Federalist No. 17, Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers, 1787

According to Alexander Hamilton, a number of factors make it highly unlikely for the national government to become too powerful in the new federal system proposed in the constitution drafted during the summer of 1787.

Federalist No. 45, James Madison, The Federalist Papers, 1788

James Madison writes that the authority of the state governments will not be endangered by the central government in the proposed new federal system. He argues that history, the nature and role of state governments, and the relatively few powers delegated to the national government in the new constitution support his conclusion.

Nature of the American State, James Bryce, The American Commonwealth, 1888

After noting that there is considerable diversity among the states, James Bryce focuses on the factors that promote uniformity among them. He also discusses the constitutional and legal standing of the states in the American federal system.

The American System of Townships . . ., Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835

Alexis de Tocqueville discusses the important role of local institutions in preserving the spirit of liberty. He describes how New England townships are governed and how they contribute to American democracy.

Local Government: Observations, James Bryce, The American Commonwealth, 1888

James Bryce identifies the origins of the three systems of rural local government in the United States and distinguishes the three systems according to the roles of towns and counties. He discusses the absence of representative assemblies in local government, the chief functions of local government, and the roles that political parties play.

UNIT 2 Intergovernmental Relations

Taking Stock, Alan Ehrenhalt, Governing, February 2010

Alan Ehrenhalt traces changes over the past two decades in the balance of power and initiatives between state governments and local governments and offers explanations for the ebb and flow that he reports.

The Untied States of America, Dylan Scott, Governing, June 2013

Dylan Scott reports that states have become increasingly active and more divergent from one another in their policies. He explores the reasons for this development and whether it is likely to continue.

States vs. Feds, Carl Tubbesing, State Legislatures, July/August 2013

Carl Tubbesing identifies five "cracks" in contemporary national government—state government relations and three reasons why, despite these problems, state officials will continue to have a role in shaping policy in the United States.

Devolution and Arrogance, Alan Ehrenhalt, Governing, September 2013

Alan Ehrenhalt addresses devolution of authority in national-state-local government relations and the temptation for higher levels of government to allow lower levels of government less independence than they should.

UNIT 3 Linkages between Citizens and Governments

Part A. Elections and Parties

Voting Matters, Wendy Underhill, State Legislatures, March 2013

Wendy Underhill summarizes eight recommendations to state legislators on how they can improve the way elections are run.

5 Trends Shaping Redistricting, Morgan Cullen and Michelle Davis, State Legislatures, October/November 2012

Morgan Cullen and Michelle Davis identify five new factors that changed the redistricting done by state governments after the 2010 U.S. Census.

Caperton's Coal: The Battle over an Appalachian Mine Exposes a Nasty Vein in Bench Politics, John Gibeaut, ABA Journal, February 1, 2009

John Gibeaut reports how a corporation backing a West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals candidate for election was later rewarded in a pivotal court ruling. He also discusses the more general problem of corruption, bias, and the like among judges, especially elected ones.

The No-Tax Pledge, Jonathan Walters, Governing, October 2010

Jonathan Walters discusses the powerful role of anti-income tax fervor in election campaigns in the nine states that do not collect an income tax.

States of Conservatism, John Hood, National Review, February 25, 2013

John Hood reports Republicans' successes in state and local government elections in November 2012 and their resulting control of a clear majority of governorships and state legislative chambers. Moreover, he explores why Republicans have fared better in state and local elections than at the national level.

Part B. Referenda and Public Meetings

The Progressive Tax Rebellion, Sasha Abramsky, The Nation, January 21, 2013

Sasha Abramsky reports and praises recent referendum results in which voters in Florida, Michigan, and especially California voted to enhance—or at least not restrict— revenue-raising by their states.

Portland Fluoride: For the Fourth Time since 1956, Portland Voters Reject Fluoridation, Ryan Kost, The Oregonian, May 22, 2013

Ryan Kost addresses the 2013 referendum in Portland, Oregon, in which voters rejected a proposal to fluoridate their city water.

Public Meetings and the Democratic Process, Brian Adams, Public Administration Review, January/February 2004

Brian Adams considers the roles of public meetings in local government decision making. He concludes that they seem to play different roles from those commonly attributed to them.

Part C. Media

Embracing the Future, Paul Steinle and Sara Brown, American Journalism Review, Spring 2012

The authors address what successful newspapers in the 50 states have done to survive and the problems and opportunities they face.

Cross Examination, Steve Weinberg, Quill Magazine, January/February 2004

Steve Weinberg argues that journalists have not adequately covered the activities of local prosecutors, despite the very important government powers they exercise. He also reports some interesting and important findings about prosecutors that resulted from the work of a few journalists who covered them seriously.

Ready, Set, PAN, Steven Walters, State Legislatures, January 2013

Steven Walters explores the network or broadcast systems that provide coverage of state legislatures in almost every state. He also addresses the importance and challenges of providing such coverage.

UNIT 4 Government Institutions and Officeholders

Part A. Legislatures

The Legislature as Sausage Factory: It's about Time We Examine This Metaphor, Alan Rosenthal, State Legislatures, September 2001

Alan Rosenthal systematically evaluates Otto von Bismark's well-known observation that likens the legislative process to sausage making.

What Legislatures Need Now, Karl Kurtz and Brian Weberg, State Legislatures, July/August 2010

The authors report that some of the problems in state legislatures highlighted in a 1970s report have been resolved, but that new problems need to be addressed. In turn, the authors pose twelve questions aimed at determining how well a state legislature is functioning.

Legislatures: All Over the Map, Karl Kurtz and Brenda Erickson, State Legislatures, January 2013

The authors provide comparative data on state legislators' salaries, the size of state legislatures, average staff per legislator, legislators' time spent on the job, and other such variables.

Newbies, Alan Greenblatt, Governing, January 2013

Alan Greenblatt reports the unusually high proportion of new members in state legislatures across the country and discusses the pros and cons of having so many newcomers.

Are City Councils a Relic of the Past?, Rob Gurwitt, Governing, April 2003

Rob Gurwitt examines the way city councils in America's major cities are functioning today. He suggests that individual city council members have become increasingly parochial in their concerns and that city councils as a whole have become dysfunctional.

Should School Boards Be Expelled?, Dylan Scott, Governing, May 2013

Dylan Scott addresses the growing support for reforming the structure of school governance in the United States, including the abolition of school boards, the traditional local governing structures.

Part B. Executives

Altered States, Ronald Brownstein and Stephanie Czekalinski, National Journal, April 13, 2013

The authors report changes in the orientations of many governors—from pragmatic, moderate problem-solvers to partisan and ideological activists.

The Last Democrat in Dixie, J.B. Wogan, Governing, July 2013

J.B. Wogan reports on Mississippi's Attorney General Jim Hood, one of the very few elected statewide Democratic office-holders in the Deep South.

The Badgered State: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Is the Left's Public Enemy No. 1, Robert Costa, National Review, March 21, 2011

Robert Costa describes and assesses the heated controversy that occurred in the state of Wisconsin in early 2011 and the role of Governor Scott Walker in the events.

Counter Cultures, Marty Linsky, State Legislatures, January 2011

Marty Linsky presents and explores four key differences that distinguish success in business and success in government.

The Life of the Mayor-for-Life, Alan Ehrenhalt, Washington Monthly, July/August 2013

Alan Ehrenhalt reports on the successes and failures of Richard M. Daley, who served as Chicago's mayor for 22 years. Agreeing with a Daley biographer, Ehrenhalt concludes that the mayor's accomplishments outweighed his mistakes.

The Millennials in the Mayor's Seat, Dylan Scott, Governing, January 2013

Dylan Scott reports on four young city mayors and examines the opportunities and challenges that they face.

Part C. Courts

Justice by Numbers, Lois G. Forer, Washington Monthly, April 1992

A former Philadelphia judge discusses mandatory sentencing laws and their negative effects on the criminal justice system and on her own career.

Under the Gaydar, Alison Gash, Washington Monthly, May/June 2012

Alison Gash contrasts the lack of controversy with which gays and lesbians' rights to child custody and adoption were achieved with the public struggle and conflict over same-sex marriage.

UNIT 5 Cities and Suburbs, Counties and Towns

Merger Inertia, Mike Maciag, Governing, January 2013

This selection addresses the consolidation of local governments and related matters: the low number of mergers in recent years; the large number of local governments per capita in the United States, especially in rural states, and the consequences of fragmentation of government at the local level.

The Sentient City, Zach Patton, Governing, April 2010

Zach Patton reports how newly available technology enables city governments to use real-time data to monitor everything from traffic flow to air pollution to sewerage flow, and, in turn, to govern more effectively.

Rebel Towns, Barry Yeoman, The Nation, February 4, 2013

Barry Yeoman reports on the phenomenon of "municipal disobedience," wherein local governments use confrontational tactics to resist encroachments on their communities' environmental well-being.

267 Years and Counting: The Town Hall Meeting Is Alive and Well in Pelham, Mass, Tod Newcombe, Governing, December 2010

Tod Newcombe describes Town Hall in Pelham, Massachusetts, the town meetings that occur there, and the role of town meetings in contemporary local government in the New England states.

UNIT 6 Fiscal Matters and Economic Development

The 'B' Word, Liz Farmer, Governing, March 2013

Liz Farmer addresses municipal bankruptcies, exploring their causes, consequences, and implications for local governments, labor unions, government employees, and taxpayers.

Two Cheers for the Property Tax, Steven Ginsber...