Sydney University Intro to American Government – Description
Discussion 2: Local Versus National Power
This week and last, we discussed the role of federalism in American politics – the way in which power is distributed across and between various units of government at the national, state, and local levels. During the lecture, we discuss how the role of the federal government has generally increased significantly over the 20th century, though it has arguably received significant pushback in the past few decades. We also look at some of the many arguments over whether power should be found more at the national level, or at the state/local level.
Given the above, your discussion topic for the week:
How do you think power should be allocated in American politics? Ignoring any Constitutional/legal limits, if you could decide on your own, would you give greater power to national government, or to state/local governments? Or would you keep things as they currently are?
Your opinion here can theoretically run the entire spectrum. On one hand, you could argue for the United States being run like many other countries in the world – a unitary state in which the national government holds the overwhelming majority of the power. On the other hand, you could argue for a United States in which decisions are made almost exclusively at the hyper-local level – small communities that control most aspects of daily life, that join together with other communities only for very limited shared purposes. You are also welcome (and perhaps likely) to choose any point in between those two extremes.
You might also think about the issue across specific policy domains. For instance, national government could be given overwhelming control of certain policy areas or domains, while state/local government could primarily control other aspects of policy. This could mirror our current arrangement, or it could be a different mixture of policy control.
This is not necessarily a question of how much power the government has over its citizens. For instance, a hyperlocal system of government could result in a number of highly authoritarian local political arrangements. Conversely, a system in which the national government holds overwhelming control of power could also be one in which citizens have robust and guaranteed rights that limit much of that government’s ability to control them. The question is whether governmental power in the United States, be it expansive or restricted, should be wielded at the national level, or more distributed throughout local governments.
You should consider both the advantages and disadvantages of your preferred arrangement – most points on the spectrum are defensible in at least some way, or have at least some weakness. Ultimately, choosing a point on the spectrum is just about weighing what you see as the benefits of that position against its costs.
You might think about how other countries’ governments work. Consider how the US differs from these countries, and whether their arrangements would be equally successful in the US. At the same time, give genuine thought to whether some other countries have a better arrangement than the one we have here.
You may also consider potential linkages between this lecture and the previous lecture on suffrage. To what extent does national power work to guarantee the rights of minority populations within society? At the same time, to what extent could localized power serve as a potential check against a national government that does things you disagree with? Is there a tension between your thoughts about these two questions?
Writing a good Discussion Post
Your post should be 6-8 sentences minimum. You are welcome (and encouraged) to write as much as you would like.
Your post should practice persuasive writing. Imagine you are trying to convince others to adopt your position. Try to write in a way that will win over people on the fence, or maybe even on the other side, rather than speaking in a way that pleases those who already agree with you.
If you don’t have a strong position, that’s OK! Ultimately, you should try to pick a clear position (locate power more nationally or locally), even if you are on the fence. On balance, which is the best solution? Taking a clear position, even if you are unsure, will make for better writing and more interesting thinking.
You are not required to list sources, but you are strongly encouraged to spend some time reading about this topic, and seeing what others have to say. Even biased sources can be valuable, but avoid using or linking to highly inaccurate/unreliable sources.
Try to avoid grammar/mechanical mistakes, and do your best to write in a way that flows nicely. In politics and elsewhere, people will ignore even a smart message if it is delivered in a sloppy manner.
Rubric for Discussion Post:
16 points: Seriously thoughtful discussion, professionally/persuasively written, fully follows guidelines listed above. Exemplary.
14-15 points: Mostly meets the requirements above, but does not stand out. The median post will receive 14-15 points.
10 points: Does not reflect meaningful effort (too short, or shallow in quality).
0 points: Writing is irrelevant to the topic, far too short, and/or contains hostile/inappropriate language
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