politics of environmental issues fall 2021
government failure
"Government failure" means that the government is controlled by special interests and/or that government officials are motivated by self-interest, not the interests of the public good. Government officials may be bought/influenced by businesses and other special interests "Top-down" authority means that government may be out of touch with local issues and may not understand the situation/be invested in the outcome
What are the major ways that the courts (the judicial branch) are able to "check" the powers of Congress (the legislative branch) and the president (the executive branch)?
- Check if laws are constitutional, can intervene in severe political situations (ie: Bush v. Gore) - Can find that exec orders violate statutory law - Interpret statutory law or rule/regulation to limit or expand their reach
strong cornucopianism
- People should be as free as possible; almost any limit on freedom is bad - Economic growth is the greatest good - Environmental problems can be out engineered if they exist at all
What does it mean to say that the judicial branch is fundamentally "reactive", whereas the legislative branch and executive branch are "proactive"?
-They need to wait for a case to come to them but they get to set president for how laws are important - judicial branch can only make rules on legislation after it is passed. The judicial and executive branches actively creates and implements laws.
What are some specific ways in which money allows NGOs to exercise power?
1. Maintain large staffs of lobbyists/other professionals who pressure policymakers (legislative and executive branch) to support/oppose particular policies. 2. Support many other organizations and individuals (think tanks, front groups, astroturf groups, and experts) who develop ideas, push perspectives in media, influence public opinion, and lobby policymakers. 3. Make contributions to campaigns of preferred candidates and indirectly provide support to these campaigns in other ways.
New Ecological Paradigm
14 agree/ disagree questions that show a persons perspective on the environment
votes needed to break a filibuster
60/100
What is lobbying, and what does a "lobbyist" do?
A form of advocacy with the intention of influencing decisions, actions, policies of officials (legislators or members of regulatory agencies) in their daily life.
Filibuster
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.
checks and balances
A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
What is power?
Ability to influence a debate/policy
What are some of the main differences between the groups of people identified in the original "Six Americas" study from 2009?
Alarmed, concerned, cautious, disengaged, doubtful, dismissive
Why did Congress give the EPA (and other agencies) the power to create rules and regulations that would shape how we impact the environment in so many ways?
Allows one organisation to focus on a subject when they have the expertise, many members of congress are lawyers and do not have the qualifications or knowledge to inform and implement rules and regulations on specific issues e.g. environment, transportation.
What are non-governmental organizations (NGOs)? What is their relationship to civil society?
Any non-state, non-profit agency many NGOS rely heavily on volunteers, some also have paid staff Civil society is largely made up of NGOs of various kinds
why Anderson is skeptical of "big government" solutions to environmental problems?
Big government will work for the benefit of interest groups, many times going against what the public really desires, big government solutions are too absolute and will also ignore smaller problems caused by the issue. Regulation made room for deregulation among the interest allowing favoritism
Why do campaigns for elected office (like running for Congress) cost so much money?
Candidates may run advertisements, pay staff, do giveaways, host events, etc. in order to win over voters Soft landing for politicians
major environmental laws
Clean Air Act of 1970 - sets standards for toxic air pollutants Clean Water Act of 1972- set standards for water pollutants National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 - NEPA ex: for construction has to pass an environmental impact study Endangered Species Act of 1973- protect endangered species Antiquities Act National Environmental Policy Act
Powers of Congress
Collect taxes, borrow money, regulate commerce with other nations, coin money, declare war, control armed forces, make necessary laws.
When a president goes around congress what are the risks
Congress can refuse to pass the president's proposals Can override the president's veto with a ⅔ vote (from both houses) Can limit bureaucracies' power to enact the president's statutes (via legislation) The next president can undo anything the previous one did
how does congress check the president
Congress checks the President by refusing to pass legislature the executive wants, power of the purse, overriding the veto, using impeachment powers, refusing to approve an appointment (Senate only), and refusing to ratify a treaty (Senate only).
What are some ways in which conservative/cornucopian philanthropists, like Joseph Coors and the Koch brothers, have played a central role in organized climate change denial?
Cornucopian lobbyists have so much more money than their counterparts (environmentalists) This money flows into think tanks, front groups, astroturf groups
cornucopians value
Cornucopians value innovation and the power of human ingenuity; they generally prioritize economic growth over environmental protection because they believe that technology will continue to solve environmental problems. They also generally prioritize personal freedoms over environmental protection.
Does Hendrix think that people are more likely to get involved in local government than national politics? Why? Do you agree?
Depends on what media they watch Depends on the demographic Local affects people more directly
Tempered Cornucopianism
Economic growth and personal freedom are fundamental goods Enviro. problems can be worrisome Free markets and human ingenuity can be trusted to grow the economy and protect the environment • strong focus on personal freedoms and less about money
Leopold- role of economic principles of conservation
Economic principles should be thought of as conservation "efforts to preserve the integrity stability and beauty of the biotic community"
environmental agencies
Environmental Protection Agency Bureau of Land Management Department of Fish and Wildlife Department of Agriculture Department of Energy Department of the Interior Department of Defense Army Corps of Engineers
why do environmentalists tell a cause and effect story
Environmental groups do this in order to gain a larger following and relate to people in a more accurate way while still simplifying the narrative
environmentalists value
Environmentalists value the limited nature of environmental resources and hold that the natural world has equal or greater rights than humans. They also view nature as precious/vulnerable; something that must be protected even at the cost of personal freedom/economic growth. Environmentalists put high value towards preserving the "stability and beauty of the biotic community." Environmentalist believe that a continued unregulated market makes room for further abuse of resources and an abuse of power from humans that allows an anthropocentric view on the economy and way of being Environmentalists can be 'strong' or 'tempered' Ethics and human welfare obligate environmentalists to prioritize caring for the Earth over other issues. Deep ecologist----pragmatic environmentalist
strong environmentalism
Ethics and human welfare obligate people to prioritize caring for the earth over growing the economy Protecting the environment means strong limits on individual freedoms
Is Sharpe James powerful?
Familiarity, plays dirty, control of code enforce/ home field advantage Had 'home field advantage' Used being mayor to his advantage Using his relationships and networking connections People inclined to give donations towards campaign (food, money) Volunteers and paid people (door to door, flyers, people at polling sites with signs) Time of the people (canvassing, flyers, spreading info, giving resources, spreading word, posters/signs) Visibility, influence, connections, lots of resources Code enforcements, lying/misinformation
Why do cornucopians believe that a minimal state, with a focus just on protecting private property rights, is the best thing for environmental protection and conservation of natural resources
Giving an individual the freedom to ownership of property will allow for better treatment of the environment and removes the risk of the government abusing the property; people will take care of something better if it is legally theirs. A big government is prone to failure and ownership is a better solution. We can out smart any environmental problems with technology.
Andersons solution to the tragedy of the commons
Government regulation Private ownership/Free market
According to Krugman, what are some of the "major personal financial awards" that politicians may look forward to after leaving office in the U.S.?
If ex-politicians supported policies during their time in office that work in favor of wealthy organizations, these organizations will take care of them after they leave, ex: offering them jobs, putting them in powerful positions, taking care of them financially.
In its ruling in Rapanos v. United States, the Supreme Court (through Justice Anthony Kennedy) said that the phrase "Waters of the United States" should be interpreted to include small bodies of water with a "significant nexus" to larger, navigable bodies of water. Why does this matter for the Clean Water Act?
In the Obama administration, they defined this to include more bodies of water because they had environmentalist views. In the Trump administration, they narrowed this definition to take away power from agencies like the EPA.
Once Obama acted, which branch of government became central to the plans of Obama's opponents for stopping executive branch efforts to address climate change?
Judicial branch; Most of Obama's opponents filed many suits (courts) saying he does not have the authority to use of the EPA to pass his agenda The legislative branch could also be used to pass legislation that limits the EPA's power to enforce the Clean Power Plan (though lawsuits are comparatively easier)
How do you think Kraft would respond to Andersen's call (earlier in this lecture) for "free market environmentalism"?
Kraft disagrees with the free market, focuses on scale , projects are too small, National parks can have larger overseers. Policies enforces behaviours from companies and the public This engages the public with incentives
Three branchs of government
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Is Corey Booker powerful?
Loyalty and trust as a result from his morals and playing a 'cleaner' game Dedication Didn't have as much money but it was okay Showed he cared in a genuine way by showing his willingness to put in the effort needed
The Waxman-Markey bill to address climate change passed the House in 2009, when Democrats were in the majority. On the Senate side, Senators Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman spent a lot of time trying to get Republican senators to support the bill, even though Democrats had the majority in the Senate, too. Why
Make sure the 60 senator threshold was reached to prevent a filibuster
What are political resources?
Money, people, and experts
civil society
Non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious, or philanthropic considerations. Examples would be Sierra club,labor unions, churches/organized religion
How is Obama's Clean Power Plan a good example of the relationship between a statute and a regulation or rule?
Obama's clean power plan exploits the fact that congress passed a statute saying that the EPA has the job of regulating emissions that endanger public health
tragedy of the commons current examples
Overfishing is an example because each company wants the most profit, therefore some species are becoming endangered and not being able to reproduce effectively, which leads to the disruption of the ecosystem. Tree removal, logging Air/ water pollution Overgrazing
How is the polling data discussed in this article an example of Gifford and Nelson's point that personal and social factors "moderate and mediate" one another?
Personal and social factors add so many nuances to the values of the latino community that it's hard to grab the "latino vote" as a whole with general promises
According to Krugman, why does this give wealthy people power in U.S. politics?
Politicians' campaigns are often funded by wealthy donors, who may promise additional rewards (see below) if the candidate acts in accordance with their values while in office The wealthy tend to care about the national deficit and want lower taxes on their income bracket
issue boxes
Ppl get stuck in a framing of an issue, not heard by cornucopians because they may not be interested Escaping the issue box entails acknowledging religious, societal, and political views to gain more recognition from the public! Need to use terminology so others can understand and relate
the administration
President and his/her political appointees (cabinet) in executive branch, Chief Exec
What are the major ways that the President (the executive branch) is able to "check" the powers of Congress (the legislative branch) and the courts (the judicial branch)?
President has the power to veto bills that are passed by both houses of Congress (unless a supermajority) The President has the power to appoint new judges to the Supreme Court (need confirmation) + very important agencies such as the CIA, homeland security etc. pardoning powers
social political groups
Refers to smaller groups within the public Broad generalization of people in society based on specific characteristics including religion, race, gender, income, etc. They are not represented by a specific organization
regulations
Regulations are created by executive branch agencies after a statute is passed by Congress and signed by the president. Regulations are designed to define how the statute is implemented/put into effect.
regulation
Regulations are written by agencies in the executive branch to implement a statute
Why did President Obama feel the need to use the EPA's authority under the Clean Air Act to address climate change?
Republicans in Senate blocked many of the bills that addressed climate change EPA already had the authority to issue new rules/regulations regarding pollution
: What does it mean to be politically powerful?
Sharpe James-lies a lot on TV, gaslighting the public to believe him, he had a lot of money, influence, power, inside experience and resources, existing power- police, city contracts, born in Newark Corey Brooker- loyal, knows all, well educated (half say to trust bc educated, half say don't trust him because of that), used the support of the ones who wanted sharpe out of office, young-but inexperienced, not born in Newark, lots of rich friends to fund him
modern state with strong regulatory powers is necessary for environmental protection?
State has power to create policy over a wide area; esp. Preventing property owners from taking actions that do harm to other people/the environment (negative externalities) but benefit themselves State can sponsor scientific research (has more funding) that has the public interest in mind (rather than private interest research biased towards a single company/entity) Large-scale conservation projects Other large-scale projects
What is the Clean Water Act and why is it important? What does it give the executive branch (through agencies like the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers) the power to do?
The Clean Water Act is a statute (bill that has already been passed) It is the landmark water pollution bill used to protect the United States. The legislature of congress has given power to the executive branch (agencies like the EPA & army core) to enforce this statute. Point source pollution, different designations of bodies of water have different rules about what can and can't be done there. Navigable water and commerce clause gives feds power to enforce waterways between states. Prohibits unauthorized discharge of pollutants into water.
Why did the Obama administration view addressing climate change through the existing Clean Air Act as a second-best solution?
The Clean air act wasn't written for climate change and wasn't ideal for that purpose. It was written for smog and toxic pollution. CO2 isn't dangerous in the same way Supreme court could have struck down this interpretation Each future president could still over turn it
What part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate water pollution through laws like the Clean Water Act?
The Commerce Clause gives the federal government the power to regulate water pollution because of its passing through different states and the flow of the water being a part of the transportations of goods through ships etc.
key difference between the house and senate
The House of representative is based on population density and size but the senate is two per state no matter the size of the population.
Why do cornucopian groups often try to cast doubt on the scientific story that environmental groups want to tell?
The cornucopians cast doubt in order to undermine the environmentalists
tempered environmentalism
The earth's resources are limited and vulnerable to exploitation• Economic growth can impose unacceptable environmental costs• Protecting the environment means limiting individual freedoms• willing to compromise more than strong
Why does Hendrix think that local governments do a better job than the federal government of actually representing the views and values of regular people?
The local governments know more and are directly affected by the laws passed for the area. "You know your backyard." they are affected by the people they interact with and their opinions on bills
reasons why individual property owners are better at protecting and conserving natural resources than government agencies
The motivation of individual owners are more towards protecting/conserving resources. Private ownership creates incentives for owners to be invested in the quality of their property (
What are two main ways in which the kind of "regulatory" state favored by Kraft and modern environmentalists can try to address environmental problems that are caused by negative externalities?
The state can tax polluters an amount equivalent to the harm they are causing to the public. By the same argument, they can subsidise those who generate positive externalities Command and control example: Incentive based vs. command and control
axises of environmental beliefs
The two axes are the willingness to accept a strong state versus concern for the environment. Strong cornucopianism and strong environmentalism would be placed on opposite extremes of the axes due to their contrasting values. The tempered cornucopianism and environmentalism would be placed more towards the middle
politically appointed officials
These are the cabinet members, heads of agencies, ambassadors, and members of federal boards/ commissions that change with each admisitration
Why should environmentalists put economic arguments at the center of their efforts to engage the public?
They recommend making economic arguments the center of engagement because it is the frame that cornucopians see the world. To convince someone to agree with you, you need to put environmental issues in the language they understand, money.
What are some examples of how Graham and Lieberman tried to convince Republican senators, like Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Olympia Snowe of Maine, to support their bill to address climate change?
They tried to convince Murkowski and Snowe to support their bill by making concessions to it - offer trade items. Graham and Lieberman kept adding exceptions to the bill. It did not work because Murkowski and Snowe were leading them on by saying they were going to back the bill but never publicly backed it and voted against it. Murkowski wanted arctic drilling and Snowe wanted to protect a specific fishery. Pork barrel spending (adding local spending onto a federal bill)
why is there a house of representatives and senate
To have power divided equally among the states but also allow the states with more power to have more of an impact. Since the house of representatives is based on state population, those states contribute to a greater amount of the general United States population. Logically it makes sense to have those states' opinions weigh more in certain decisions. But it is also not "fair" to have the bigger states contribute to the whole United States decisions that may benefit them but not the smaller states. Therefore, the senate is two people per state and divides that power evenly.
What are some recent examples of concrete ways in which local governments have tried to make a difference in environmental issues?
Zoning laws passed by the local govt: in charge of what can be built. Trash pick up, water, snow removal, etc Transportation: bike lane Building codes Housing policies - reducing plastic
values
a collectives or individuals beliefs on what is important and deserving
Congressional Committees
a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty
civil society organization
a local nongovernmental organization that challenges state policies and uneven development, and advocates for resources and opportunities for members of its local communities
bill
a proposed law presented to a legislative body for consideration
coalition
a temporary group of individuals with a common interest regardless of political party
statute
a written law passed by a legislative body
statute
a written law passed by congress and signed by the president
clean power plan
clean air act cut CO2 emissions by 32% by 2030 (released under Obama admin) Each state creates their own plan how to reduce emissions Car fuel efficiency standards Building efficiency standards
republicans
cornicopian
Why do cornucopian groups try to focus attention on the economic costs of taking action to address environmental problems?
cornucopian groups focus attention on the economic costs of taking action because the economy is the base of their belief systems, so despite any other arguments from environmentalists the cornicopianists will continue to argue for the economy
Arnolds views
cornucopian- rural people use wise use
steps to issues a regulation
draft comment period revision approval through congress lawsuits
democrats
environmentalists
civil employees
government employees hired and fired under normal procedures. do not change with each new administration
wise use
nature is resilient, believe that urban environmentalists are too removed from the middle landscape technology will outsmart any damage
congresses motivation
reelection
Why did Senator John McCain (Republican) back away from supporting a strong bill to address climate change in 2009, even though he was helping to write it?
serious competition in election
Tragedy of the Commons
situation in which people acting individually and in their own interest use up commonly available but limited resources, creating disaster for the entire community... Bunny example
negative externality
the harm, cost, or inconvenience suffered by a third party because of actions by others
Bully Pulpit
the president's use of his prestige, intimidation, and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public
Authoritarian personality hypothesis
values can predict who would follow and authoritarian regime
What are some ways that the President can "go around" Congress to achieve her goals?
veto, bully pulpit, executive orders, regulations
values impact
voting and predict individual choices and group behaviors
defining a problem
when a coalition has a clear goal that when solved will dissolve the coalition. important first step
