Politcal final
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?
X axis concern for the enviormnet Y is accepting strong state
what is a statue?
a law passed by Congress (Legislative)
what is a regulation/rule?
a law promulgated by a federal agency(Executive branch).
Why did the framers of the Constitution create a Congress that was composed of both a House of Representatives and a Senate?
Balance of smaller states and big states equal representation
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?
Ban or restrict certain actions. Force people an do company's to cost for there extertanlies. Bans to change behavior
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"?
a place that is vast and available to take over without regard to its natural state.
According to Layzer, why did Senator Ed Muskie eventually propose an air pollution bill (most of which eventually became law) that was significantly stronger than what President Nixon had asked for?
Because It called for nationally uniform air quality standards that ignored economics cost and technological feasibility considerations and were based solely on health and welfare criteria.
What was the Prairie States Forestry Project and its "shelter belt," and how did this also help to combat soil erosion?
a program to put local farmers to work planting trees as windbreaks on farms across the Great Plains. Shelter belts are usually a row of trees along fence lines. They are planted mainly to protect animals or crops from cold winds. It helps reduce soil erosion by wind, conserve soil moisture and reduce wind damages to crops.
Tragedy of the Commons
Big common recourse of over consuming putting induival needs over collective. Not thinking about future generations.
What is a "bill", what is a "statute", and what is the difference between them?
Bill is legislative passes the bill . Statue is if executive branch signs it
Why did railroads like Union Pacific support the establishment of national parks?
Buissness to make money. Logging for money building hotels, houses
In politics, what does it mean to build a "coalition" of support
a temporary alliance of distinct parties, persons, or states for joint action; may not see eye to on every policy Include ppl that dont agree 100% with all of the oppinins of the orgs (it has to be bigger than just their strongest supporters) In order to get any policy passed there need to be majority
What kind of political coalition (broad or narrow) was Roosevelt able to mobilize in favor of the New Deal? What are some examples of social-political groups that were a part of Roosevelt's New Deal coalition?
able to create a big coalition, the new deal paid people to go and work, electric lines, highways, prepare and make national parks all need to be built. Potential settlers, people, farmers, non-farmers, people convicted that the downturn in the farm economy helped to cause the great depression
What specifically did the Homestead Act of 1862 do?
accelerated the settlement of the western territory by granting adult heads of families 160 acres of surveyed public land for a minimal filing fee and five years of continuous residence on that land
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?
Can "Federal laws and regulations concerning waters of the United States cannot cover matters which exceed that constitutional source of authority" ? Good Example—Judicial branch, meaning the Supreme Court, has granted authority to Congress under the Commerce Clause
Political scientist Theodore Lowi and environmental advocate Ralph Nader wrote reports that influenced the debate over what powers the EPA should have. What were some concerns that Lowi and Nader had, and how did lawmakers address these concerns in the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act?
Concerns of agencies arguing out of public eye, strike bargains with the interest group most affected but their polices rather than implementing polices in ways that serve a broader national interest. They preferred strict, action-forcing statues- reasoning that unambugicoius laws would limit bureacrats ability to pander into interest groups.
What are some specific ways in which money allows civil society organizations to exercise power?
Contribute to campaigns, can afford to hire lobbyists, soft landing, supporting other organizations and individuals
What is a "negative externality"? What are some examples of environmental problems that are caused by negative externalities?
Costs that don' effect the factory. Exertnal to the factories but harmful to environment
For what reasons did Congress pass the original bill that established Yellowstone National Park in 1871? What about the land that became Yellowstone seemed special and worth protecting to people at that time?
Curiosity, gizers not found in european settlers land , wouldn't impact material goods, wasn't good for farming, made into recreation.
Money =
connections, power, funding, merchandise, events with the community
The Adirondack Forest Preserve was established in 1885 under New York State law. What end up being the most important and persuasive argument in favor of setting aside large tracts of land in the Adirondacks? Why did this argument carry so much weight?
could be used for water
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?
focuses more on the economic well-being affected by environmental issues (value growing economy over environment). They see environmentalists as sentimental and irrational pessimistic while their perspective is logical, rational and optimistic in addressing environmental problems
Were railroad companies for or against creating Yellowstone National Park? Why?
for profit
"social-political groups"?
groups of people who share similar broad environmental values and similar views on environmental issues.
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?
he controlled them and had a huge influence on their decisions, he was able to get secret codes into the bill that would allow him to do things under the law with no one knowing what it ment
what are the three main kinds of political resources that organizations and groups can draw on to exercise power?
money, power, experts
Moderate Cornucopianism
Economic growth and personal freedom are fundamental goods Enviro. problems can be worrisome
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 more value and expanding. Preservation of nature was less important because they viewed nature and wilderness as something that needed to be taken over
What role do committees play in Congress? Why are they important?
Economic, The library, prinitng and taxation. Formed around issues. Allows legislators to develop expertise
According to Whitaker (and Layzer), what role did post-WWII American affluence and prosperity play in the spread of environmentalist values? Why, in Whitaker's view, are affluence and environmentalist values connected?
Educated rich people advocated for enviromenet, money gave them time to advocate
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?
to attract more modern environmentalists, modern cornucopians to be on their side. Also, it would strengthen the strong environmentalists' arguments by incorporating economic aspects of environmental issues.
What is the IPCC? Is it powerful? Why? What resource or resources does it have that makes it powerful? Or, what resource or resources does it lack that makes it weak?
Established by the united nations (civil society) to have knowledge of the science of climate change , the social and econmic impact of climate change and potential response strategies and elements for inclusion in a possible future international convention on climate
What are politically appointed officials (for instance, "administrators" at the federal level), and what do they do?
nominated by the president and subject to confirmation by the Senate; are the cabinet members, heads of agencies, ambassadors, and members of federal boards/ commissions.
What are some key difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Every state has 2 senators so there are currently 100 senators in the senate and States are allotted representation in the House based on population: 1 representative for every 711,000 residents in the house of representative.
What were some of the environmental (and eventually economic) consequences that resulted from the federal government's policies to encourage intensive agriculture in the Midwest and Great Plains?
Exhausted land ,struggling people, overfarming
What are some specific ways in which homesteading and intensive agriculture contributed to the Dust Bowl?
Farmers getting land from the homestead act then converting grasslands to intense crop production with years of extreme drought conditions, accompanied by strong winds and high temperatures
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 unconstitutional Find that executive actions violate statutory law/constitution Interpret statutory laws/rules/regulations to their reach
Quarles highlights the 1970 decision by Nixon's Secretary of the Interior, Walter Hickel, to sue the Florida Power and Light Company. What was this lawsuit about, and why was it important?
Florida light system was sued because it was effecting the environment and public health. One of the first big battles
According to Whitaker, what was the role of experts and scientists in the spread of environmentalist values during the 1960s?
Government had more money to put in research for the environment
What does Andersen mean by "government failure"? What are some reasons why government agencies entrusted with protecting the environment might fail to do so?
Government is bad at regulation. They can get information wrong. Might not represent our needs
Why did Bennett think that soil erosion was such an important problem?
He believed that soil erosion was such an important problem because it caused a lot of harm to the earby environments such as the grazing and cultivated lands, climatic conditions, and wastage which has an immediate effect on the farmer who loses crops and therefore loses revenue Causes the land to lose productivity
What was Gifford Pinchot's basic attitude toward nature? Why do you think that Pinchot's views ultimately became known as "conservationism"?
He has environmentalist values toward nature. Because he is resistant to the change of natures natural state.
The EPA was a pretty radical idea, and President Nixon was no environmentalist. According to Quarles, why did Nixon become a champion of a new agency in the executive branch that would have broad powers to reduce pollution?
He wanted support from voters
What is the fundamental power that a legislative body (like Congress) has?
If legislature passes a bill and the chief executive signs it, this bill becomes a new law Called a statue
How did the Morrill Act fund the establishment of land-grant universities in every state?
It distributed public domain lands to raise funds for fledgling colleges across the nation.
What are some examples of contemporary environmental problems that play out like a tragedy of the commons?
parks, fish
How do forests benefit people, according to Pinchot? Why does Pinchot want the government to establish forest preserves?
It makes them money. To protect the forests from deforestation
How did the AAA, the Soil Conservation Service and the Prairie States Forest Project begin to reflect what we've been calling "environmentalist" values? Think about both "axes of values" that we've talked about in this class!
It prioritized protecting the environment instead of taking the traditional economy-first mentality. It utilized federal laws/services to control land usage. This meant more people were open to federal government intervention and a strong state.
What was "homesteading," and how did it reflect cornucopian values?
personal responsibility and right to property independent of government, reflects cornucopian beliefs of right to property with limited government control.
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 states to protect private property
How did public opinion about environmental issues change over the course of the 1960s and into the early 1970s? Why did this matter to politicians and elected officials?
More publicized, More oil spills, Politcians constants were scared and wanted to make the change so they would be re elected
What are "think tanks," and what role do they play in climate change denial?
NGOs that support sciatic research focused on particular issues, sometimes through employing researchers directly, and sometimes through grants. Think tanks exist on a spectrum from objective and non-partisan,to highly ideological, depending on where their funding comes from
Strong Environmentalism
Nature is precious and fragile Ethics and human welfare obligate people to prioritize caring for the earth over growing the economy
What was the particular significance of Earth Day in the environmental politics of the time? What happened on Earth Day, and what difference did it make in the push to get strong new environmental laws passed?
No clean air or water act before earthly, people wanted pollution to be put on national scale which led to EPA
What are "civil society organizations"?
Non-governmental not for profit organizations that have a presence in public lode expressing the interests and values of their member or others based on the ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious, philanthropic, considerations
Who are "civil employees"? How are they different from political appointees?
Officials in government agencies whose employment is not subject to change for political reasons— i.e. these officials don't get fired when the administration changes Whereas Political appointed officers are nominated by the Chief Executive and are usually Top Agency Officers
Strong Cornucopianism
People should be as free as possible, Economic growth is the greatest good, People should exploit natural resources to their fullest potential
How did the Morrill Act lead to violence against Native Americans, and violations of their rights?
reconstructed approximately 10.7 million acres taken from nearly 250 tribes, bands and communities through over 160 violence-backed land cessions
Whitaker worked in the White House under President Nixon in the 1970s. According to Whitaker, how was Nixon influenced by changing public opinion on environmental issues?
Political was influenced by public opinion, relied on voters opinion
What are some reasons why, in Layzer's view, public opinion on environmental issues changed so dramatically over this time period?
Population was more younger, more college students, people had more time and money, change in communication.
What was the Soil Conservation Service (which today is called the Natural Resources Conservation Service)? What are some things that SCS did to address the soil erosion problem?
the first major†federal commitment to the preservation of natural resources in private hands. introduced many projects and services aimed at reducing soil erosion: taught soil conservation techniques, researched soil and erosion, managed plant nurseries, supported irrigation work, constructed flood and control plans, and weather supply forecast
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?
the first step a legislator must take to build a winning coalition; Layzer emphasizes the importance of embracing issues that are deemed important because it creates a sense of trust in a legislator when they focus on problems the public sees as crucial, and this is tied to what type of solutions will be considered.
According to Quarles, how did changing public opinion on environmental issues play a role in getting Hickel to sue Florida Power and Light? What are some examples of how Hickel became aware that public opinion on environmental issues was changing?
Protests and Outcries against Santa Barbra oil spill in 1969, protests of protecting national parks, people against pipeline in Alaska, people aghast highways being built running through natural area and People were demanding change in the old policy of the nations resources was all evidence of the public opinion changing. Public support would be helpful to bring awareness to the Florida Power and Light case.
To what major social forces does Quarles attribute the establishment of the EPA? Are these the same forces that drove Hickel to sue Florida Power and Light, or different ones?
Racheal carsons book, politicized protests, similar forces to drive Hickel to sue Florda power and Light.
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?
Re-elections
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)?
Refuse to pass chief executive proposals, override chiefs executives veto (requires 2/3 vote from both houses) Starve bureaucracies (power of the purse) or limit what they can do through legislation. Limit power to the executive to declare war and pass new statues to supersede court rulings
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?
Regularity states has power to protect the environment but cornacopians are questioning there freedom
How did Bennett's big recommendations for government policy toward agriculture represent a break with the cornucopian values of homesteading and agricultural expansion?
represented an environmental stance with a slight appeal to the cornucopian side because he focused on the harm caused to the grazing farmland affected by soil erosion while also mentioning the economic loss that would come from it Heavy focus on environmental issues that would arise; causes unproductive soil, destroys crops, destroys ecosystems (ultimately impacting consumer)
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?
Some examples are PETA (establishes and defends the rights of animals), Sunrise Movement (advocates for political action on climate change), ASPCA (animal protection), faith-based organizations. They organize people for democratic participation as well as advocate for particular ethical/political views, provide social services and resist government oppression.They set out to influence environmental values such as how important/ vulnerable it is as well as values about more economic/freedom/amt of power the state has
What are perfectly legal ways that wealthy donors to political campaigns can benefit from special access to politicians?
Some ways are that they can gain more power and acknowledgment. They can help push points of view towards the media and influence public opinion.
sunrise movement
Sunrise Movement is an American youth-led political movement coordinated by Sunrise, a 501 political action organization that advocates political action on climate change. camps
What was the "New Deal" of President Franklin Roosevelt?
series of programs and projects instituted during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that aimed to restore prosperity to Americans.
What was John Muir's basic attitude toward nature, and especially toward wilderness? Why do you think that Muir's views ultimately become known as "preservationism"?
That it should be protected from humans. Because he believed only nature should be used for observation.
Who was Rachel Carson?
The author of the Silent Spring. Warned of the harms of continued pesticide use.
When people refer to "the administration" at the federal level, what do they mean?
The chief executive and his or her political appointees in the executive branch
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 collision of American agricultural expansion into the Great Plains (converting grasslands to intense crop production) with years of extreme drought conditions, accompanied by strong winds and high temperatures. Prices for crops plummeted below subsistence levels, causing a widespread exodus of farmers and their families out the affected regions, the economy and natural environment both effected badly.
What does it mean to say that the judicial branch is fundamentally "reactive", whereas the legislative branch and executive branch are "proactive"?
The courts cannot act on their own in terms of cases or laws, they react/ take action during the cases that are put in front of them. The legislative and executive branches however can make laws and decide what to 'go after' in terms of revisiting and such (with limits).
Moderate Environmentalism
The earth's resources are limited and vulnerable exploitation Economic growth can impose unacceptable environmental costs
Why does Woolen say that the conservation initiatives in the New Deal represent the first time the U.S. government made "sustainable development" a goal?
The federal government hadn't priorly interfered with farming practices but started to plant trees to prevent soil degradation and erosion. It was considered sustainable development for future use like long term environmental planning.
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?
shapes how we impact the environment in so many ways because "lawmakers of both parties believed that subject-matter experts in technical agencies could make better, more consistently up-to-date regulations than professional legislators".
Muir won some important early battles for his preservationist vision, like getting Yosemite Valley preserved and convincing President Roosevelt to make the Grand Canyon a national park. But he didn't get his way with the national forests. Think about the social-political groups and businesses and organizations who had a stake in the national forest debate. Why do you think that Pinchot's side won?
The political coalition behind conservatism was much larger and more powerful, conservatism values led to important milestones In environmental politics
What do the authors mean by "issue boxes"—and why is this term so important?
Think outside the box - the way you frame your problem, how you think about an issue
What did the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) do that was quite revolutionary?
This act payed people not to farm on land that's vulnerable to erosion, in order to make it farmable in the future, and to avoid another dust bowl.
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?
This clarification expands the reach of the Clean Water Act to many wetlands and other water sources, even if they are not necessarily navigable. This extends the federal ability to regulate and protect more land, water, and businesses from pollution. Prevented Rapanos from polluting wetlands
Does the "wise use" philosophy view nature as resilient or fragile? Why? What are the implications of this view?
Views nature as tough and resilient, because the world is about curiosity, learning optimism
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?
Ways other branches can keep eachother in check or preventing too much power
How did the New Deal reflect a new approach to farm policy that was more "environmentalist" in character?
(AAA) Pay farmers to stop farming cash crops, but instead plant more grass & legumes which are more environmentally beneficial/ less harmful. (pay farmers to conserve nature) , Like Pinchot Prairies states conservation incentivize people to replant forests, the new forest will act as a "windbreak" and provent more dust, it will also help with the clean water flow ect.
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)?
1.Veto bills approved by both houses of Congress 2.Use the "bully pulpit" to put political pressure on Congress to approve legislation that the president wants 3. Find a way to achieve goals using only existing law and agencies in the executive branch
What are values?
A person's beliefs about what is right or wrong, important or unimportant, worthy or unworthy of desire
What is meant by the term "bully pulpit"? Why is this such an important, unwritten power of the president?
Ability to influence public opinion through his/her platform (i.e. State of the Union (speech to Congress), public addresses, speeches/rallies); drawing attention to self, social media, fireside chat. It is an important unwritten power because of its Physical intimidation
What are "astroturf groups," and what role do they play in organized climate change denial? (Bonus points if you know where the term "astroturf" comes from!)
Advocacy organizations designed to appear like they're created and let by "regular people",but which in reality derive significant support from other wealthy NGOs and individuals.
What are "front groups," and what role do they play in climate change denial?
Advocacy organizations designed to appear objective and nonpartisan, but which in reality are funded by other NGOs ,foundations, and individuals which have a definite political agenda.
According to Quarles, why did Ruckelshaus, the first administrator of the EPA (the big boss), work his new staff so hard? What was he responding to? (Quarles' thoughts on this topic are on the last few pages of the chapter.)'
wanted to test out the powers of the era
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?
when one is seeking to influence a politician or any public official on a particular issue. A lobbyist is a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators. Oftentimes, freebies, gifts, favors, and other extravlent items in order to entice a politician to side with their issue. This shows that the businesses who hire or have lobbyists on their payroll have the money to impact political decisions, whether or not it is actually for overall good for the public. With a good stream of money, businesses can use lobbyists to keep politicians under them in order for these politicians to carry out the beliefs of big businesses.
