What are the different types of local governments? What are their responsibilities, and what are their sources of authority? How are they funded? How are different types of municipal governments classified? What is the difference between a “home-rule” and a “general law” city? How do the political cultures of the three major cities in Texas differ?
Local governments are those administrative authorities, which are considered to be smaller than a state (Maxwell, Crain, and Santos, 57). The types of this authority are the following: county governments (aim at providing general government in each geographically divided part of the state), municipal governments (are responsible for the local government of the population center), township governments (includes control of a defined area in the state), school districts (promotes the autonomy of educational institutions), and special districts (are authorized by means of state law and are limited with functions).
These local governments are usually funded because of proper control of taxations and their raising. Municipal governments are classified in accordance with their responsibilities: the department of police, public works, fire, finance, tourism, housing, transportation, etc. The peculiar feature of the state of Texas is the presence of two types of cities, “general-law” and “home-rule” and three types of political culture.
A “general-law” city is characterized by the powers, which may be possessed only if the State permits it, and a “home-rule” city is a kind of opposition to the above-mentioned type, where authority “to do whatever is not specifically prohibited by the State” (Anzalone 714). In Texas’ cities, there are three possible political cultures: economic liberalism, when politicians believe in the existence of free markets, social conservatism, when politicians respect morals, and populism, when politics takes care of ordinary people. The major cities of Texas, like Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, are the representatives of such a variety of political cultures.
How does the media cover news? What role do journalists play in defining what is newsworthy, and ultimately in shaping events? In what ways do the media help promote popular government, and in what way do they undermine it? What are the responsibilities of the media? What do you think is the proper role for government in helping to maintain a free and responsible press?
Relations between media and government play a very important role in our every day life (Grossberg 86). Our current media covers news 24/7 by means of newspapers, TV and radio programs, the Internet, and everything else that may attract the attention of people in order to change people’s attitudes, raise their awareness, and stimulate actions. Unfortunately, nowadays, media appreciates financial support first of all, this is why journalists’ role in defying worthy of news lies into defying who can offer more money to cover this or that topic. Popular government cannot create proper relations with media, because the latter admits that “they were denied access to the information needed to inform the public” (Norris and Kern 43).
On the one hand, media promotes government and spends much time and space to tell about this sphere of life, and on the other hand, media undermines government because of attention to governmental secrets, which are unknown to people. Press has to be responsible and free in order to inform people and provide them with opportunities to improve this life, and government should not be on the way of discovering truth but should try to improve own actions and have nothing to hide.
What are political parties? What is their function in our political process? Identify the two main parties in the U. S., and briefly outline how they evolved. What are critical elections and realignments? Which electoral realignment effectively reversed the principles the parties stand for, and why? Which demographic groups primarily identify with each?
A political party is any kind of political organization that is aimed at maintaining political powers, connecting to government, and demonstrating their policies and ideas during electoral campaigns (Maisel 76).
The major function of our political process is to analyze political procedures, resolve significant for life questions, and discuss the issues, which may touch many people at the same time. And two major parties have to participate in this programs in order to help people and provide every American with good conditions. The representatives of Democratic Party support taxes for poor people and criticize war in Iraq, and Republican Part believe that taxes promote economic growth and war in Iraq and Afghanistan should help to achieve success on the political arena (Anderson 80).
The conflict of these two parties usually causes critical elections, also known as realignments, which are characterized by dramatic changes and challenges of the American political system. These elections are characterized by considerable departure from past voting in order to achieve good results with governing. Both parties support such elections, because each of them gets a chance to demonstrate own principles and own ideas.
Describe the steps involved in running a campaign for political office. What roles are played by campaign managers, media consultants, and pollsters? What are the similarities and differences between congressional and presidential elections? In what way has campaigning gone high-tech, and what effect has it had on campaigning? What are the implications for democracy?
“The development of a political campaign strategy is probably the most difficult and necessary part of the campaign process” (Guzzetta 1), this is why it is crucially important to define the major steps of running the campaign and follow them. These steps involve: assurance about personal readiness and quality as a leader, care about enrolment, attention to nomination, development of speeches, participation in debates, clear and captivating promises, which are possible to implement under current conditions, abilities to fight orally with components, informing people about own personality and personal qualities and desires, being yourself.
The following people should help to achieve success during electoral campaign. A campaign manager coordinates all operations within a campaign in order to advertise, poll, contact to public, etc. Media consultants are responsible for connection to ordinary people and advertising information to gain recognition. And pollsters may information about possible pre-election polls, which may improve election strategy.
Congressional elections are direct elections, where voters cast ballots directly to a person (or a party) to be elected, and presidential elections are indirect one, where voters present ballots with a slate of electors. Campaigns become high tech, when computer technologies help to achieve good results, inform more people, and share plans. The effects of this campaign are considerable enough, because people have more opportunities to communication with people to cast votes for and to support democracy that is so important during elections.
Works Cited
Anderson, Dale. The Democratic Party: America’s Oldest Party. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2007.
Anzalone, Christopher. Supreme Courte Cases on Political Representation, 1787-2001. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2002.
Grossberg, Lawrence. Mediamaking: Mass Media in a Popular Culture. Oaks, California: Sage Publications, Inc.
Guzzetta, S. J. The Campaign Manual: A Definitive Study of the Modern Political Campaign Process. Alexandria, VA: Political Publications, 2006.
Maisel, Louis, S. American Political Parties and Elections: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Maxwell, William, E., Crain, E., and Santos, A. Texas Politics Today, 2009-2010. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2009.
Norris, Pippa and Kern, Montague. Framing Terrorism: the News Media, the Government, and the Public. New York, NY: Routledge, 2003.