State and Local Politics 2

Gary Johnson vs. the Legislature

gary Johnson a republican governor faced a legislator controlled by democrats. this led to frequent clashed over spending, policies, ad the role of the govt. he became known for sent the veto a lot. He hushed smaller governments and lower taxes, legislators supported more funding for public programs. this created standoffs over state budget. in short: classic straddle between conservative governor and a legislator w diff priorities

Governor Tony Evers and the Digit Veto

Tony used a controversial form of veto known as “digital veto” during his time as governor is Wisconsin. This type of veto let the governor strike individual numbers form a budget bill, removing certian digits can change funding amounts or timelines without rejecting the whole bill. In the school budget Evers uses the digit veto to extend a school funding increased for much longer than lawmakers intended, this turned short-term plan into a multi-decade commitment. Wisconsin legislature controlled by republicans argued this went beyond the intended use of veto power. this highlights the unique and powerful Wisconsin veto system.

George Ryan and the Death Penalty

took a historic and unexpected stand of the death penalty while serving as the governor of Illinois. in 2000 he declared a moratorium on execution after concern of wrongful convictions. executions had shown more death row inmates were being exonerated than executed in Illinois, raising doubts abt fairness and accuracy. in 2003 he commuted the sentences of all 167 deaths row inmates to life in prison, also pardoned several inmates who were believed to be wrongfully convicted. in short: he halted execution bc he believed system was flawed and can’t be trusted

The Death and Life of Anthony Porter

Ex of wrongful conviction influenced George Ryans decision on the death penalty. porter was convicted of double murder in 1982 in Chicago sentenced to death. 1998 days away from execution close to his final appeal. college class began to investigate the case along with a private investigator they uncovered inconsistent witness testimony's . evidence pointed to Alstory Simon. ported was freed after spending 16 years in prison. Jon Burge

Jon Burge

central figure in one of the most notorious police abbuse scandals in us history, tied closely to wrongful convictions and death penalty cases I Chicago. burge was a Chicago police commander 1970-1990, oversaw south side. purge and officers accused of systematically torturing suspects mostly black men. electric shock, suffocation, betings and psychological abbuse. many concvictions involving death penalty were based on coerced confessions. sever inmates were later exonerated. fired in 1993. served 4 years in fed prison

Lina Hidalgo

county judge for Harris county Texas. elected 2018, democratic, immigrant from Colombia. top executive of county govt, leads emergency response, oversees county budget and major policies

The Fourth Amendment

protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures by the govt. can’t search you or your property without good reason. need a warrant- based on pprfobal cause. reason you don’t need a warrant- consent, search incident to a lawful arrest, emergencies, items in plain view. core part of bill of rights, limits govt power, major role in court cases illegally obtained evidence can be thrown out.

The Exclusionary Rule

legal principle evidence obtained in violation of the 4th amendment can’t be used in court. exceptions good faith: police relied on a warrant they believed was valid. inevitable discovery: evidence would be found legally anyways. Independent source: evidence came form a separate lawful Origin

The Fifth Amendment

bart of the bill or right s and protects individuals in ways related to legal proceeding and govt power. rights against self incrimination, double jeapordy protection, due prosess, grand jury requirements, eminent domain. protects individuals from abuse against the govt

The Sixth Amendment

guarantees protection for people accused of crimes ensuring a fair trial. Right to speedy trial, public trial, an impartial jury, informed of charges, confront witness, compulsory process, legal council. ensures fairness, prevents secret or biased porsecutions, provides tools to defend yourself effectively

Plea Bargaining

process in the criminal justice system where a defendant agrees to plead guilty to a charge in exchange for some form of concession from the prosecutor. defendant might plead guilty to lesser charge or. receive a lighter sentence. cases resolve quicker. might pressure einnoced individuals to plead guilty

Jury Bias

any prejudice or preconceived opinion held by jurors that can affect their abilities to decide a case impartially.

The Eighth Amendment

focusing on limiting government power in criminal punishment. prohibits excessive bail, fines, cruel and unusual punishment. about fairness and humanity in punishments, ensuring the govt can’t do things that are inhumane

Rational Choice vs. Civic Duty

how we explain why people participate in politics. they come from different ways of thinking about human behavior. Rational choice is when people act based on self-interest, weighing costs vs. benefits. civic duty is when people act because they fell a moral obligation to their society

Electoral College vs. Democracy

really about how closely US presidential elections match the ideal of direct rule be the people. democracy is when citizens vote directly for a leader. The candidate can win the presidency without winning the popular vote. unequal influences are when smaller states get slightly more influence per vote

The Expansion of the Vote

how voting rights have extended over time. After the civil war the 15th amendment was passed it prohibited denying the vote based on race color and previous servititude. 19th amendment women’s suffrage, granted women the right to vote nation wide. civil rights era VRA of 1965 banned discriminatory voting practices, 26th amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

Felony Disenfranchisement

the practice of removing or restricting the right to vote from people who have Been convicted of felonies. in the US rules vary by state. There is no single nation rule. seen as undemocratic bc denies right to vote

Voter Fraud is a Fraud

allegations of widespread voter fraud are misleading or exaggerated. studdies have found unperson voter fraud is extremely rare, not wide spread, no evidence it changes national election outcomes

Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network (2023)

centered on false claims about the 2020 presidential election. after election false claims spread that dominion voting machines rigged the elections. dominion company sued Fox News arguing they knowingly aired false statements that damaged its reputation. fox argued claims covered my 1st amendment right

John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023

federal legislature aimed at strengthening and restoring protections for voting rights in the US, especially against racial discrimination. the bill is designed to update and revise the VRA of 1965. requires states and local govts with recent history of descrimination to get federal approval before changing voting laws. protects against minority votes

Political Socialization

where people develop their political beliefs values and attitudes over time. how individuals learn what the govt is and how it works, political parties and issues they support, their sense of civic responsibility. shapes political views. influences opinions on current events. big picture civic duty, voter turnout, liberal vs conservative

Lobbyists and the Revolving Door

lobbyists are individuals or groups who try to influence govt decisions on half of organizations companies or causes. the revolving for refers to the movement of people between govt positions and private sector jobs. How it works a former member of congress becomes a lobbyist. a corporate executive joins a govt agency. they may return to the private sector later. why it matters conflict or interest, officials may favor industries they hope to work for later, unequal influences: wealthy groups have access to policymaker

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2008)

Supreme Court case about camping finance and free speech that reshapes how money is used in US elections. a non-profit group, citizens unites, wanted to air a film critical of Hillary Clinton close to the 2008 democratic primaries. the federal election commission blocked it, arguing it violated campaign finance laws. question: can the govt limit political spending by corporations and unions. decision corporate funding of independent political spending is protected speech under the 1st amendment. the govt can’t restrict independent political spending by corporations, unions, or nonprofits

The Tobacco Wars

term used to describe the long conflict between the tobacco industry and govt/public health efforts to regulate smoking reduce addiction and limit corporate influence. smoking was widely advertised and accepted, little regulations existed, health risks were not widely acknowledged

Public Health and Sugar

debates and policy efforts around how added sugar in food and drinks affect health. linked to lots of health issues. govt tried to reduce sugar consumption through taxes, nutrition labeling, schooling govt guidelines

District of Columbia v. Heller

a landmark Supreme Court case about the right to bear arms. the district of colombia has strict gun laws including, a ban on handgun possession in the home and requirements that firearms kept at the home need to be unloaded and disassembled. police officer Heller challenged the law arguing it violated the 2nd amendment to the constitution. court ruled banning handguns in the home would be unconstitutional

The Challenge of the City

political social and economic problems that arise in urban areas especially in large cities. poverty, housing, homeless, crime public safety infrastructure(traffic) transportation, public health and environment, education. urban challenges require local govt action, state and fed funding

New York City vs. 39 States

shows how one major city can rival or exceed entire states in population. NYC has massive economic power. rep inequality smaller states have disproportionate power in the senate

The Unitary State vs. the City

the tension between centralized government power and the needs and autonomy of cities. a unitary state is a system where all political power is held by the national government, local governments only have powers the central govt gives to them. the city reps large urban areas, cities want flexibility to set policies on housing policing transportation, respond quickly to local problems. the conflict is cities have limited independence

Preemption Laws

a legal principle where a higher level of govt overrides or limits the authority of a lower level of govt when both try to regulate the same issue. comes from the supremacy clause of the US constitution which establishes that federal law generally takes precedence over state law when there’s a conflict. Basic: A higher Leven of govt can overrule a lower one if both try to rule about the same thing.

HB2 in North Carolina

short for House Bill 2 officially called the public facilites privacy and security act, was a 2016 state law in NC. it required people to use public bathrooms based on the sex on their birth certificate. blocked cities from passing their own anti discrimination laws, also stopped local goats from setting their own minimum wage. critics said it was discriminatory against trans people

Redlining

it was a practice where back and governments refused to give loans or services to people in certain neighborhoods bc of race. it worked because maps were drawn minority neighborhood in red it was much harder to buy home, mortgage. it mattered bc it led to long-term discrimination and wealth gaps

Car Dependent Living

its when a place is designed so you need a car for almost everything- work, school, groceries. it looks like stores jobs and homes are far apart

The Suburbs

residential areas just outside the city where people live, usually w more space and less density

levittowns

large planned suburban communities built quickly and cheep after WWII excluded black families encouraged car dependent living and led to less diverse neighborhoods

Long Island Divided

a documentary about racial segregation and inequality on Long Island. focuses on discrimination and segregation. how practices like redlining and housing discrimination kept neighborhoods separate. places like Levittown were built for white families. shows segregation wasn’t accidental

Steering

its when a real estate agent guide buyers or renters to certain neighborhoods based on race or other traits. showing hoes only in certain areas, avoiding certain neighborhoods. based on race

Racial Covenants

rules written into property deeds that banned certain racial groups from buying or living. how it worked a house deed might say only white people can live here. these rules were enforced by homeowners. kept segregation