Abstract
This chapter explores the history and operation of state legislatures. The urban-rural divide characterizes stark political and social differences that fuel legislative behavior. The content of public policies across the United States is influenced by these divisions and contributes to either the support of or opposition to social change. State legislators are on the front lines of these geographic ideological divides. These variations by region contribute to the increase in single-party control and have generated pronounced policy differences.
TopIntroduction
This chapter begins with a short discussion of the history of state legislatures, which refers to the legislative body of any of the country’s 50 states. As a legislative branch of government, a state legislature generally performs state duties in the same way the U.S. Congress performs national duties. Generally, the same system of checks and balances that exists at the federal level exists among the state legislature, the state executive officer (governor), and the state judiciary, although the degree to which this is so varies from one state to another. The decisions made by state legislators impact every aspect of Americans’ daily lives. Constituents often take note of state legislative activities only when something dramatic gains media attention.
Legislators often use focusing events to help define a problem or focus attention on a particular issue. These events can be sudden or dramatic, or they can be subtle measures strategically framed to demonstrate what may be considered a pressing problem (Birkland, 1997). Deborah Stone (2012) argues that policy endeavors to obtain objectives in light of particular goals or aims. These goals are defined by overarching concepts by which government decision-makers are able to construct legitimate policy. Stone argues that equity, efficiency, security, and liberty are contested “goals” that are continuously constructed and reconstructed in the polity (Stone, 2012). Each person has a different interpretation of each concept and assigns a different value to each concept in relation to the others, making these goals subject to a continuous debate in the construction of public policy. Because these goals are disputed, defining a problem is not always simple and frequently is disputed by different segments of society.
This chapter concludes by discussing political contrasts between urban and rural areas. These geographical differences contribute to policy divergence, leading to increased political polarization.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Pluralism: A theory that all groups are well represented and a single interest controls government decisions.
Federalism: A form of government that distributes power between national and subnational governments.
Liberal: A person or group that favors a political philosophy of progress and the protection of civil liberties.
Religious Freedom: Freedom of religion or freedom of belief is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. The concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion.
Culture: Ways of thinking or modes of behavior.
Liberty: The belief that government should allow people the freedom to do as they please without interference from the government.
Polarization: Ideological divisions that create divergence on a range of issues based on a set of beliefs.
Term Limits: A legal restriction that limits the number of terms an officeholder may serve in a particular elected office.
Traditionalism: Adherence to the doctrines or practices of a tradition, especially as to resist change.
Devolution: Shifts of government authority from the national government to state or local governments.
Urban-Rural Divide: The divide between urban and rural voters in the United States.
Ideology: A manner of thinking of an individual, group, or culture.
Equality: The value that all Americans should be treated the same under the law, should be able to influence government, and should have an equal opportunity to succeed in life.
Individualism: A belief that all individuals should be able to succeed based on their talents and abilities, regardless of group characteristics.
Conservative: A person or group that seeks to preserve the status quo.
Trifecta Governments: A political situation in which the same political party controls the executive branch and both chambers of the legislative branch in states that have a bicameral legislative branch.