Politics of Environmental Issues
What was Gifford Pinchot's basic attitude toward nature? Why do you think that Pinchot's views ultimately became known as "conservationism"?
- tempered environmentalist/cornucopian (middle ground) - utilie resources in a way that still conserves it - using resources but also replenising - believed we should protect nature but for our sake
What was the federal government seeking to accomplish with the Morrill Act of 1862, which established "land-grant universities"? How did this also reflect cornucopian values?
- the government wanted to create universities to research agriculture/mechanica fiels to make agroculture more efficient and productive - also used to educate farmers on best practices - cornucopian bc they wanted to make the most out of the land
Which "social-political groups" (as we understand the term) would have supported and benefited from cornucopian agricultural policies like homesteading and the land-grant university system? Why?
-farmers - poor people/unemployed - entrepreneurs - white people
Carter describes many issues in environmental politics and policy that have impacted the South Bronx over the decades, from where to locate incinerators, power plants, and highways, to where to build parks. Could you use Carter's talk as a resource for describing one or more "social-political groups" that might be relevant to understanding environmental politics in the South Bronx? If so, how?
Identifying socio-political groups in Bronx & their relationship w pollution→allowed for formation of civil society organizations & increased activism Identified that there were no powerful organizations advocating for the needs of people living in the Bronx
What is a "bill", what is a "statute", and what is the difference between them?
A bill is a legislative proposal for enactment of a law. A bill becomes a law (statute) after it is passed and signed by the chief executive.
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? (point 1)
How many years Latinos have lived in America is a factor Recently immigrated Latinos are more democratic and liberal compared to Latinos who have been living in the country for a long time. These Latinos are generally more republican
What do the authors mean by "issue boxes"—and why is this term so important?
It refers to the attitude that people take when excusing themselves for not helping →ppl more likely to join together to work focus on single factors as opposed to diff contributing factors as a whole all interests need to start thinking outside the conceptual boxes
What is the Sunrise Movement organization? Is it powerful? Why or why not? (Think in terms of political resources.)
It's a political action organization made up of young Americans who want to stop climate change, stop fossil fuel executives from lobbying, and to elect leaders with the public interest in mind
What are the "three branches" of government, for both the federal government (the whole U.S.) and state governments (like New Jersey)?
Judicial- supreme & federal courts, state courts, municipal courts Executive- president & EPA, governor, mayors, & Legislative-congress, state legislature, city & county councils
In your view, was there anything even remotely "environmentalist" (in Layzer's sense) about how Americans in the 1700s and 1800s regarded wilderness? Could you envision Americans during this time eventually developing something like environmentalist values? Why or why not?
No eventually appreciated of nature as art
Does Reynolds think that the Homestead Act would have passed if Southern states were still present in Congress in 1862? Why or why not? How does this reflect the importance of process in shaping who "wins" in politics?
No because they thought that giving away land would not maintain the slave economy. most of the people taking advantage of the homestead act were poorer and thus woud not be purchasing slaves. so there would be more farmers and competition for the plantations but they would not be buying slaves from the plantations
What can we learn from this article about the importance of conceptualizing social-political groups in terms of several different social, economic, and political characteristics, as opposed to just one?
Not just one view pertaining to just one group—subgroups; ex) distance from immigration experiences, religion not just one experience, everyone goes through different situations→should not conceptualize that all latinos vote for one party or the stances they take on certain policies
What are politically appointed officials (for instance, "administrators" at the federal level), and what do they do?
Officials in executive branch nominated by the chief executive subject to confirmation by senate-top agency officials are political appointees
Who are "civil employees"? How are they different from political appointees?
Officials in gov't agencies whose employment is not subject to change for political reasons (don't get fired when administration changes)
Why do the authors recommend that environmentalists put economic arguments at the center of their efforts to engage the public? Do you agree with this recommendation? Why or why not?
gives more of an incentive for widespread cooperation→ more jobs & positive inspiring vision general public more invested if they know their livelihood had potential to be enhanced, more jobs that have to do w transition to clean energy=more money in pockets of general public if environmentalists underline their proposals & policies around core american values they would be more likely to get voters on conservative side
What are some reasons that Anderson is skeptical of "big government" solutions to environmental problems?
gov't individual self interests resources→ineffiecient &wasteful-make decisions that benefit certain parties-their original intentions end up being diverted
What does Andersen mean by "government failure"? What are some reasons why government agencies entrusted with protecting the environment might fail to do so?
gov't makes decisions that isn't necessarily for the greatest good→ failure of economic regulation leading to formation of monopolies vulnerable to capture by special interests
Why is it important for environmental groups to be able to tell a clear cause-and-effect story about environmental problems? Why do cornucopian groups often try to cast doubt on the scientific story that environmental groups want to tell?
lots of groups try to invalidate arguments of environmentalists, necessary to have a clear line of reasoning when explaining environmental problems cornucopians cast doubt bc they only have economic interests in mind & don't want those interests to be threatened
What question did the Supreme Court have to decide in Rapanos v. United States? Why is this a good example of power of the judicial branch in environmental politics?
making polluting/altering of wetlands illegal
Why do cornucopians believe that a minimal state (as we'll call it) with a focus just on protecting basic property rights, is the best thing for environmental protection and conservation of natural resources?
minimal state: giving ppl more incentive to care→asset; valuable-protects individual rights; property rights, keeps people & property safe→ ppl good stewards of own property & take care of what's theirs gov't not always right, easily influenced by $$ and government regulation hurts the economy
What are some specific ways in which homesteading and intensive agriculture contributed to the Dust Bowl?
moved to areas that were not affected by the dust bowl - people moved to the areas that were given by the Homestead Act out west, they over plowed the land - overturned the land where deep rooted grasses were grown and planted crops with less deep roots - the top of the land was not secure to the ground
What are "civil society organizations"?
non-gov't non-profit organizations-presence in public life express interests & vals of members/others-ethical, cultural, political , scientific, religious, or philanthropic considerations.
How do you think Kraft and Amy would respond to Andersen's call for "free market environmentalism"?
not fans; creates unfair situations, decisions made at individual level made in unfair ways
According to thinkers like Kraft and Amy, what are some things that governments can do (and should do) when negative externalities threaten to cause environmental problems?
positive incentives for companies to act upon environmental issues→incentive based for market (internalize cost of production) & control & restrictions
What lessons can we learn from the Six Americas studies about the importance of coalition-building in politics and social movements?
progress on climate change requires strong, coordinated and sustained action & more organization & organization are needed groups in middle (disengaged & uninformed) should be prioritized bc they have least amt of knowledge
Why do environmentalists believe that a regulatory state (as we'll call it), with broad powers to restrict what people and companies can do, is the best thing for environmental protection and conservation of natural resources?
protect private property but also have regulations-rules protect and conserve nature's resources; gov't intervention is needed only strong gov't can prevent negative externality, support scientific research for public benefit, large-scale conservation may require public ownership of land, and large projects to help environment require gov't support
Layzer In general, what do "environmentalists" value? How do environmentalists understand the relationship between protecting the environment and economic growth?'
protecting the environment at all costs, governmental control of environment to make it last longer nature is precious and vulnerable, and that the environment must be protected even if this limits freedom or economic growth
What are some examples of contemporary environmental problems that play out like a tragedy of the commons?
rainforests, overfishing, hunting, poaching of endangered species, logging, air & water consumption, air pollution (climate)
For the purposes of this class, what are the three main kinds of political resources that organizations and groups can draw on to exercise power?
Values, power, process-all influence diff ways Power- get what you want done-get ppl to enact certain laws and policies Sharpe james & corey booker-get ppl to help them reach their goals The ability influence how debates in environmental politics turn out especially as regards decisions ab environmental policy Politicians influence people's views- trust, familiarity Power comes from political resources- the chief assets that a civil society organization or social political group can draw on to win 3 major kinds- Money, People, Experts Money- having money allows you to accomplish your goals in politics Campaign funding for ads, merch- pay people to spread the message
According to Layzer, what is the fundamental thing that most motivates members of Congress? How does this relate to the role of polls in measuring the "salience" of an issue to residents of a state or congressional district?
Views of constituents to get re-elected→ focus on issues that have salience with ppl they're trying to get votes from polling→ gives reps an understanding what constituents care about
In your view, was there a broad coalition of people in favor of homesteading? Why or why not, and what difference did this make for government policy around agriculture?
settlers and entrepreneurs favored homesteading
What is a "negative externality"? What are some examples of environmental problems that are caused by negative externalities?
when someone makes a decision based only on how they can benefit themselves and not on how others/environment will be impacted/harmed by their actions→ externalization of cost of action while internalizing benefits ie) air pollution
In its ruling in Rapanos v. United States, the Supreme Court 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?
allows for regulation of water,wetlands, etc. 1970-72 by Nixon- law went out and legislative branch checked if they had right to create act-federal gov't has the right to regulate interstate commerce→ navigable waterways, things that flow from one state to another rapanos disagreed wanted to create wetlands -ruled that the definition of navigable waters included wetlands-increased jurisdiction of EPA- gives jurisdiction over more bodies water-increased nexus to bodies of water
What does Layzer mean by "defining a problem"?
framing information to draw attention to some elements of a problem while obscuring or minimizing others Highlight benefit while obscuring the costs
What are some reasons why understanding what people value is an important part of social science?
•They help predict what people do-parenting, voting, buying •can be associated with important characteristics of society & predict what direction it goes in
Which social-political groups were harmed by homesteading, or were unable to benefit fully from it? In your view, what explains why these groups did not have equal access to benefits from homesteading or were actively harmed by it?
- native americans (the land was taken) - emancipated slaves
According to the Krugman reading, what are some of the "major personal financial rewards" that politicians may look forward to after leaving office in the U.S.? Does this remind you of anything that Jack Abramoff talked about in his interview?
"Soft landing"—revolving door between Washington and wall street private sector Support multitude of other orgs & indv most ppl on capitol hill wanted to come work on K screen wanted to be lobbyists bribing-selling opinions to politicians & market what they want
Why does Andersen think that, in many cases, individual property owners are better at protecting and conserving natural resources than government agencies?
"what is common to many is taken least care of"; people are more likely to take better care of what is theirs→ gov't intervention may make it worse; incentives ($$) affect individual & group decisions responsibility-bystander effect→ no one wants responsibility
Nash talks about early Americans' attitudes toward wilderness; Zinn talks about how Americans in the early/mid-1800s viewed and treated Native Americans*. Do you see any similarities between what these two writers have to say about Americans' values during these times? That is, do you see any similarities between Americans' values regarding wilderness, and regarding Native Americans? Any differences?
- settlers maintained cornucopian values towards people and land. what they could get out of the land ownership and conquest was important to them "taming the wilderness" - native americans maintained a more symbiotic relationship with the environment where the land was respected and could not be owned - settlers tried to take land and drive out native americans
Do you see modern cornucopian values reflected in how Andrew Jackson and other prominent Americans at this time viewed Native Americans? In what way?
- Jackson took a cornucopian approach and used whatever means necessary to gain land and resources. - Despite there being native americans, he used brutality to remove them. I.e cotton - Jackson was an aggressive enemy of Native Americans and organized massive Indian removal through treaties that deceived them (example: Trail of Tears). - Conquest, warfare, and land ownership are values that are still kind of around. - Forced the concept of land ownership onto the Native Americans who saw land as a common to be shared
For Americans in the time periods that Nash covers, how important was economic growth? How important was the preservation of nature in a more-or-less untouched state? Which was more important, and why?
- economic growth was important but that was also for survival. they needed to buil everything from scratch - environmnetalism was not considered much - wise use and strong cornucopian
How did the Morrill Act lead to violence against Native Americans, and violations of their rights?
- expropriated ~11 million acres of indigenous land - indigidenous people received little to no compensation - driven off their land
What are values?
A person's belief about what is right or wrong, important or unimportant, worthy or unworthy of desire-collective conceptions
In politics, what does it mean to build a "coalition" of support?
A temporary alliance of distinct parties, persons, or states for joint action goal & strategy- define problems strategically in ways they think will resonate with a majority of the public→ simplifying a complex reality
What was "homesteading," and how did it reflect cornucopian values?
A way for people to own their own land in the midwest, started farming, so much land wanted it to become useful/profitable (sitting empty) 1862 (same year as civil war)
Leopold- What is the main difference between how people in the "A" category think about nature, and how people in the "B" category think about nature?
A- Nature should lead to innovation, nature is a resource Easily manipulated for human gain Land=soil, made for human consumption & extraction Industrial agriculture, hunting & fishing B- Land is something greater and something to protect Land=biota—forestry: preserving ecosystems "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity,stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
Access to experts and information that typical people don't—UN—hires experts that write reports for policy makers about climate change emphasize effects of climate change and environmental problems Roles of contrarian scientists—highlight uncertainties that cast doubt on general consensus
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? (point 3)
Age and gender is also a factor Young Latinos tend to be more liberal — but less loyal to the Democratic Party — than older generations, Over the past few years, turnout among Hispanic women has risen, and they've simultaneously become an even more reliable Democratic voting group
Why did Jack Abramoff encourage his clients to make contributions to the campaigns of people running for Congress?
Bribery- created leverage using money to give them power and influencing them to work for you-money to retain positions
What is the Tragedy of the Commons—what does this term refer to, and what unfortunate unfolding of events does it describe?
Bunnies in a field; people decide how many they want to take at a time→leads to depletion of goods and can demonstrate business' impact on the environment privatized: take better care of personal property--public: overconsumed & depleted
What are checks and balances, and why do they exist in the U.S. system? Why did the framers of the Constitution want each branch of government to be able to "check" the others?
Checks & Balances-each branch of gov't limits powers of other branches ⅔ of a vote to veto a bill impeach president- house votes and senate approves
What are the "two value axes" that we talk about in this class? Why is it important to think about views about the importance of nature and the environment, and views about the acceptability of a strong government, as two different things?
Concern for the environment & Willingness to accept a strong state → different people fall on different axes and different levels of axes; different levels of emphasis for concern ab environment vs economy
Why do cornucopian groups try to focus attention on the economic costs of taking action to address environmental problems? What can environmental groups do in response?
Cornucopians don't want to invest in alternative technology bc the current economic system benefits them. enviro groups can highlight possible economic benefits from action
How did the Morrill Act fund the establishment of land-grant universities in every state?
Creating land grant universities for agricultural research
In this class, what do we mean when we talk about "social-political groups"?
Defined as ppl who share environmental values, experiences of environment Trace vals/views/experiences back to other social characteristics that they share- generation, gender, education, work, race/ethnicity, religion, economic status, origin (country), residence
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)?
Find laws that are unconstitutional Interpret statutory law or rules/regulations to limit (or expand) their reach Find that executive actions violate statutory law or the constitution Congress may pass a bill to restrict executive branch—executive order challenged in supreme court Legislative branch can impeach president (executive)
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?
Determine what is a hazardous air pollutant- determine how much of it is okay—regulation/rule—determines "maximum achievable reduction" for each pollutant Give EPA this power because they don't have time or expertise—coming up w rules & regs is time consuming & would take congress forever—puts environmental policy in realm of executive branch
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? (point 2)
Ethnicity is also another factor, "Mexican Americans, who may find it hard to relate to Cuban Americans. This, in turn, can affect how and why they vote" "Cuban Americans have been drifting toward Democrats "Mexican Americans are also more democratic" Puerto Ricans in Florida (where they make up 21 percent of the Hispanic population, as opposed to just under 10 percent nationally) are less Democratic than their counterparts in the Northeast.
What does Jack Abramoff mean when he says that he "owned" certain politicians and members of their staffs? What, in Abramoff's view, was the source of his power over them?
Every request they make- they're going to do and would think of things for them to do to benefit their goals Many corrupted moments Strong influence in 100+ offices
What are some of the steps that agencies (like the EPA) have to take when they issue regulations?
Gather information, weigh costs and benefits, publish a draft rule, allow for public to comment, respond to public comments and modify if necessary, publish final rule, hope it is not challenged in court
What specifically did the Homestead Act of 1862 do?
Granted 160 acres of land to white men households; had to prove they could improve this land in 5 years
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)?
In environmental policy: Policy is not neutral—involves actions of executive and legislative branches Created by congress signed by president—executive— creating an agency, appoints administrators, give them staff, money, and mission and give them an issue to solve Gets to decide whether they like the bill or not—refusing to sign bills & preventing them from becoming law President hand picks supreme court justices & judges—change composition of the courts National monuments & legislations—declares lands that gov't owns to become national monument President can use existing law to achieve what they want to happen- using only existing law-veto Power to make regulations or rules
Branches of Government and their roles
Legislative makes the laws Executive verifies them Judicial interprets the law and its power
According to these two readings (and what we talk about in class), why might politicians open their doors to people who donate large sums of money to their campaigns?
Letters that imply donations had greater odds for getting meeting with member of congress-getting their attention Money buys access and helps you get ppl in power to influence their decisions in your benefit
What is lobbying, and what does a "lobbyist" do? Why does the ability to hire lobbyists represent an important way in which power is exercised by businesses and civil society organizations?
Lobbying is communicating directly with gov't official for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action lobbyist-use money to influence legislation- provide freebies and gifts w the expectation that those whom he "spoiled" would return favors the ability to hire lobbyists demonstrates the power that wealthy business or well-funded civil society organizations can have over political decisions.
What are some specific ways in which money allows civil society organizations to exercise power?
Make contributions to the campaigns of preferred candidates, indirectly provide support in other ways Ppl w more money more often win-100% of people who win are those who spend the most money Maintain large staffs of lobbyists and professionals who put pressure on policy makers to support or oppose policies (civil society staff) Provide a "soft-landing" for elected officials who leave office & for their staff members
What role do committees play in Congress? Why are they important?
Members of both parties-voice opinions & bring it back to congress; issue-oriented focused on different bills related to issues Committees vote for bills to be approved before moving to house/senate
Where would you place Aldo Leopold on the environmentalist-to-cornucopian spectrum?
Moderate Environmentalism
What are four specific reasons why, according to Kraft, a modern state with strong regulatory powers is necessary for environmental protection? (Hint: there are also some lecture slides on this.)
Only a strong government can prevent property owners from taking actions that benefit themselves, but that harm other people or the environment (that's the problem of a "negative externality"). Only government will (or can) support large-scale scientific research projects solely with the public interest in mind. Really large-scale conservation projects may require public ownership and management of large tracts of land. Other really big projects to benefit the environment (like public transportation systems and "green" energy grids, etc.) require government support.
What are some of the personal characteristics and social factors that Gifford and Nelson examine for their possible relationship to people's environmental views?
Personal characteristics- experience, knowledge/education, personality/sense of self control, values/political views, goals/responsibilities, biases, age/gender Social Factors- religion, urban/rural residence, societal norms, societal class, proximity to problem sites, cultural variation, ethnic variation
What are some ways in which the ability to organize people allows civil society organizations to exercise power? Why do elected officials respond to mass mobilizations of people?
Popular support helps civil society NGOs to exercise power (influence power) by making it possible to Demonstrate how strongly ppl feel about certain issues, through public protests, letter-writing, petitions Boost number of ppl who participate in electoral process by voting & donating money to political campaigns First earth day & formation of EPA—ppl did sit ins and protests to have power in environmental protests
What are some ways in which the ability to mobilize experts allows civil society organizations to exercise power? (Layzer also talks about this.)
Ppl who can speak credibly ab an issue—draws attention and sway public opinion Directly communicate w policy makers about benefits and risks of diff ways of dealing with environmental problems—ie climate change
What does it mean to say that the judicial branch is fundamentally "reactive", whereas the legislative branch and executive branch are "proactive"?
Reactive bc cannot act on their own—they can only issue decisions on cases that are brought before them by civil society Courts—if agency does something & it exceeds power— ppl go to court and regulate the agency's power Proactive bc they make decisions
What are some key differences between the two major political parties in the U.S.—Republicans and Democrats? Which party tends to hold more cornucopian values? Which party tends to hold more environmentalist values?
Reps-rep in red; Cornucopians-less worried ab environment, focused on economy Dems-reps in blue; current maj in house Environmentalists-less worried ab economy,focus on enviro & humanistic problems
According to Leopold, what should be the role of economic principles in conservation?
Sees conservation as an effort to preserve environment Sees economic standpoint but thinks that it should never be more important than conservation of the environment
What is the fundamental power that a legislative body (like Congress) has?
Senate & House of Representatives (Congress) Power to make laws—Checks & Balances-each branch of gov't limits powers of other branches Statute-legislature passes bill & chief executive signs bill & it becomes a new law called a statute—power to make rules & regulations Regulatory—regulations
What are some key difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Senate- 2 reps for every state—smaller states-equal rep Every state has two senators, so there are currently 100 senators. Senators are elected every six years, and only 1/3 of senators are up for re-election at any one time. The Senate provides "advice and consent" to the president on nominations to top executive jobs. Senate rules give the minority party important powers to block or slow legislation supported by the majority House-Rep based on population—larger states-more influence States are allotted representation in the House based on population: 1representative for every 711,000 residents. There are currently 435 representatives, and big states have more representatives than little states. All representatives up for re-election every two years. House rules give the minority party very little power.
Why did the framers of the Constitution create a Congress that was composed of both a House of Representatives and a Senate?
Split power-Small states get equal rep in senate and big states get rep in house
What is the difference between a "statute" and a "regulation/rule"? Which branch of government is responsible for which?
Statute- law passed by congress (legislative branch) Regulation- law promulgated by a federal agency (executive branch)
Where would you place Wes Arnold and "wise use" on the environmentalist-to-cornucopian spectrum?
Strong Cornucopian- against government involvement
According to Nash, how did most European settlers of North America regard the wild state of nature that they found? How did they feel about "wilderness"?
They thought it was their God given right to conquer North America. They feared wilderness. The Native Americans didn't exploit the resources and were not fearful of nature.
What are some differences between "strong" and "moderate" environmentalism? Between "strong" and "moderate" cornucopianism?
Strong Environmentalists- strong governmental control over environment and production-environment>economy Moderate Environmentalists- See the importance of economy, but also understand and believe that the environment is important; support environmental policy but understand the other side Moderate cornucopians- understand that the environment is important and that environmental problems are real and need to be solved, but they also support cornucopian ideals. Strong Cornucopians-Man is made to live his best life and make use of all his resources. economy>environment, nature is resilient enough to "handle it"
What are some specific things that Sunrise Movement is training young activists to do? Why does the organization think that these activities will influence the outcome of debates over climate policy?
Take action on climate change- public protests and marches, training camps for activism (to attract people to big events and sway public opinion get the attention of policy makers)
What is meant by the term "bully pulpit"? Why is this such an important, unwritten power of the president?
Teddy Roosevelt—popularized term; gathering where president sets the agenda for their presidency—convince congress to pass legislation they feel strongly about
What are the major ways that Congress (the legislative branch) is able to "check" the powers of the president (the executive branch) and the courts (the judicial branch)?
To avoid over-use of all branches of gov't-so one branch doesn't have more power than another Refuse to pass chief exec proposal Override chief executive veto-⅔ of a vote to veto a bill Starve bureaucracies or limit what they can do thru legislation (power of purse?) Pass new statutes to supersede court rulings
When people refer to "the administration" at the federal level, what do they mean?
The chief executive (the president) & their appointees in the executive branch (cabinet)
What are some of the main differences between the groups of people identified in the "Six Americas" studies from 2009 and 2020?
The concerned grew quickly from 2013-2015 but has declined rapidly since, alarmed experienced rapid growth during past five years than any other group & Cautious, Doubtful & Dismissive have been shrinking recently
What was the Dust Bowl? How did the Dust Bowl impact individual farmers, the overall economy, and the natural environment where it took place?
The over farming led to the destruction of the environment, crops could not be harvested, dry/hot/windy not farmable Happened during the great depression
Layzer In general, what do "cornucopians" value? How do cornucopians understand the relationship between protecting the environment and economic growth?
The world is here for humans to use; humans can control the world through technology & changes in market Personal freedom > protecting the environment
Why do campaigns for elected office (like running for Congress) cost so much money? Think back to the documentary Street Fight for some examples...
They cost so much because of all of the funds they need to boost their campaign-ie. little things to "boost morale" and to reel voters in
How are civil society organizations and social-political groups different? How are they related?
They differ from civil society orgs bc they aren't monolithic orgs, but rather social movements based around specific (often personal) issues Civil society organizations - ppl in public based on common value—influence policy members directly representing the values of certain social political groups—formal, official Social political groups- people share views on policy and government, may involve collective conception on what government should be and what government should do—regular people
Does the "wise use" philosophy view nature as resilient or fragile? Why? What are the implications of this view?
Wise users— "we all live upstream"- factory w river; upstream not affected Nature is resilient- bounces back & regenerates; trial & error mindset w land
What does Arnold think about environmentalism in general? What does he view as its major flaws?
Wolf in sheep's clothing: have other motives-view environmentalists as out of touch w reality, don't know what's going on Upperclass, white, urban—not engaged w rural issues: not diverse Environmentalists=victim minded "all live downstream"-don't trust people upstream to do the right thing
Does Reynolds appear to celebrate the Homestead Act? Why or why not? What does he think the Homestead Act accomplished?
best thing since sliced bread, was all for it
What are some examples of civil society organizations, and what are some things that they do? In particular, why do civil society organizations matter for politics?
community & advocacy groups, labor unions, charitable orgs, faith based orgs, etc PeTA, UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders
What are perfectly legal ways that wealthy donors to political campaigns can benefit from special access to politicians?
donors can influence the politicians w their money to ensure that the person who represents their ideals best is properly funded
For both civil society organizations, why is "defining a problem" (in Layzer's sense) in a particular way an important first step to building a winning coalition?
draws people in that have similar interests & establishes a main goal & main strategies
We've talked a lot about modern "cornucopian" values. Do you see cornucopian values reflected in how Americans viewed wilderness in the 1700s and 1800s? In what ways?
they saw land/wilderness as something they could utilize for money
