Topic 10 - Municipal Government & Local Politics

Question 1

What are the 4 forms of governement that charter establishes?

Answer 1

1. Commision: elected commissioners form governing board
2. Town meeting: direct democracy
3. Council-Manager: combines elected council and appointed city manager
4. Mayor-Council: combines elected council and voted city Mayor

Question 2

What is Strong and Weak Mayor council?

Answer 2

*STRONG: mayor is chief executive. Has good formal powers like the VETO
*WEAK: Mayors executive power is absorbed by council. More of figurehead (just for looks and ceremonies)

Question 3

Why are local politcs really important to YOU?

Answer 3

They handle stuff that directly affect your day to day: Policing, Property, Sewage, Schools, Roads

But very few people vote for this stuff

Question 4

What matters in Local elections? Whats special?

Answer 4

Issues get REALLY personal (dealing with stuff that DIRECTLY affect you)

*Group identities/interest > partisanship
*Which group benefits > ideological debates
*less media coverage

Question 5

What are the 2 types of local legislative seats? (how are these seats devided between the city?)

Answer 5

Single member districts: city is devided and each section elects one member

At large seats: all city residents can chose

Question 6

Why are At Large legislative seats contrivesial?

Answer 6

Since these representatives arent tied to a section, they may want to only represent their voters.
BUT THE VOTERS TEND TO BE RICH WHITE PEOPLE.

Question 7

When can local elections be held? What are pros and cons?

Answer 7

Same time as federal election: more people will go
Different time as federal election: seperates local issues but less people will vote

Question 8

Drivers of low and high voter turnout

Answer 8

Low: non-partisan elections, seperated elections, small cities, middle class cities, lack of contriversial topics, governemnt is Council-Manager

High: partisan election, election same time as national election, large cities, Big issue, Strong mayor government

Question 9

History of “machine politcs”

Answer 9

1.After the civil war, cities grew fast and were disorginized.
2.Political machines got power to ‘get things done’
3. Politcal machines gave rewards and favors to keep power

Question 10

Why and how did Politcal machines lose power?

Answer 10

People wanted to fight corruption to keep public interest balanced.
1. Electoral reforms: seperate elections and create at large districts
2. Structural reforms: seperate politcs from administration. Change favors and gifts to civil service. Reorginize local offices

Question 11

How was the death of the Politcal machine good?

Answer 11

1. White groups assimilated (changed ideas(less racist??))
2. Federal social welfare programs grew
3. Growing prosperity
4. Social mobiloty grew (people can go up or down the social ladder easier)
5. Structual and electoral reforms (weakened machines)
6. Parties declines and candidate centered politics grew

Question 12

How did the death of machines affect today? negative

Answer 12

Reform took away resources used to unite diverse areas and problems
AKA A few corrupt ruined it for all of us and now too many rules

Question 13

How is Rooselvelt significant with US parties and unity?

Answer 13

His “New Deal” brought a Electoral Coalition which included: working class, ethnic minorities, religious minorities

Question 14

What is the split among Urban Democrats?

Answer 14

Working class, white, catholics vs upper class, liberal, jews, Hispanic, black

Question 15

3 things City republicans like

Answer 15

1. being tough on crime
2. Cutting city bureaucracy
3. Lower taxes