Gov Unit 1 Argument or Essay Topics

Why do young Americans not vote?

-Turned off by partisanship-distasteful battle on television and shrewd marketing techniques disenchants voters -no one to vote for because candidates cannot identify a pivotal issue to focus on with young people -inconvenience and inexperience -hard to register to vote when a state issued ID is required -have to register weeks before election -not many states have election day registration FIX PROBLEM -allow for election day registration, automatic registration, voting by mail

What is Federalism?

-an institutional arrangement that creates two relatively autonomous levels of government, each possessing the capacity to act directly on the people with authority granted by the national constitution -Federalism allows some specialization by the levels of government E.g. National security, higher education, K-12. However, as new issues hit the agenda, not always clear which level should lead. -The Constitution sketches a federal framework that aims to balance the forces of decentralized and centralized governance in general terms; it does not flesh out standard operating procedures that say precisely how the states and federal governments are to handle all policy contingencies imaginable. Therefore, officials at the state and national levels have had some room to maneuver as they operate within the Constitution's federal design.

Positives and Negatives of Having a Federal System

-form of govt where power is divided between state and national govts -Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. -states could harness their constitutional authority to engage in policy innovations that might eventually be diffused to other states and at the national level. (child labor laws, 19th amendment-> some states already granted women right to vote, clean air and california) -venue shopping Another advantage of federalism is that because our federal system creates two levels of government with the capacity to take action, failure to attain a desired policy goal at one level can be offset by successfully securing the support of elected representatives at another level. -The system of checks and balances in our political system often prevents the federal government from imposing uniform policies across the country. As a result, states and local communities have the latitude to address policy issues based on the specific needs and interests of their citizens. -Chief among them are economic disparities across states, race-to-the-bottom dynamics (i.e., states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and regulations), and the difficulty of taking action on issues of national importance. -Stark economic differences across states have a profound effect on the well-being of citizens. -The federal design of our Constitution and the system of checks and balances has jeopardized or outright blocked federal responses to important national issues

Why is civic engagement important?

Civic engagement is the participation that connects citizens to its government It plays an important role in influencing what policies are pursued, what values the government chooses to support, what initiatives are granted funding, and who gets to make the final decisions. -QUALITY OF LIFE-greater participation means a more robust democracy social capital* ideology and partisanship affect engagement -POWER- a more engaged citizen and more engaged groups have more influence in their democracy (intense vs latent preferences) -people actively challenging power of elites, gaining rights for themselves, and protecting interests-abolition of slavery (15th), women getting right to vote (19th)

Selling points of Constitution (Federalist #10,51) Majority Rule vs. Minority Rights Federalists vs. Antifederalists

federalist #10, factions -groups of people with an intense view on something and are willing to act on that intense preference. Madison worried that faction (minorities) could become too powerful and logroll a latent majority, yet protecting minorities and individuals is vital for a democracy. Madison ends up saying that factions should develop and it should be encouraged so they will check each other

Marijuana Laws

in 2012, colorado voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use even though it was illegal under the federal law. Despite the disagreement between legal frameworks, the fed gov would not attempt to block any marijuana legalization laws as long as the states curb underage use, keep criminal gangs out of industry, and prevent the drug from being trafficked into other states.