This system is used in many countries worldwide, including the United States. This is the case because people can cross state lines to Indiana and purchase guns that are legal there and bring them back to Chicago, thus getting around the local law. One advantage of so many local and state (i.e., subnational) governments in the United States of America is often attached to freedom. , uragement of domestic and foreign investment in private business FemaleMaleTotalYes382058No112126238Total1,50146296\begin{array}{lccr} Local governments can then focus on their micro-economy, create solutions for needs that occur in their community, and support the national government with their actions simultaneously. That means the decisions it makes are typically based on its own survival first instead of taking the interests of the population under consideration. When we take a look back through the stories of history, the pages are quick to show that when power is held by only a few or just one, then it is abused far too easily. Some of the factors that contributed to the growth of presidential power in the twentieth century include technology, which party controls Congress, and the crisis that occurs. What would government be like if there was only one federal level? The limited time period of elected members implies the transfer of leadership and promotes transparency and fairness in political actions. )Judicial review: Act of congress unconstitutional 2. Citizens can be overwhelmed with how to get the help they need with many levels of government. In the west, counties are more likely to be both larger than eastern counties, and to provide city-like services to areas that are unincorporated, or whose citizens do not live inside of the boundary of any city. Instead of dividing a persons loyalties between the state and the national government, everyone is placed in a position where they work to support one another. Which of the following is an example of an executive agreement? When laws are passed on the federal level, they often have to be disseminated down through the lower levels of government to be put into action. In all systems, to some extent, but especially in federal systems, state and local governments are closest to the citizens, and frequently are the parts of government that deliver services and enforce laws in your city, town or neighborhood. Only Nebraska has a unicameral legislatureA legislature with only one chamber, as opposed to a two-chambered legislature, such as the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress, or the House of Lords and House of Commons in the British Parliament., with one non-partisan chamber to do the states legislative business. Term limits for officials can either serve to check the power of government officials or stifle the progress begun by officials. Some Americans believe that corruption, bribery, party politics, and unfair practices become too common when many of the same members of Congress are in office year after year. are licensed under a, Who Governs? Instead of having multiple layers of bureaucracy to navigate, you have a clear set of expectations to follow. c. Congress may withhold funding needed to implement court decisions. Typically the first lady promotes and works on an issue that they believe is important. Many cities engage in zoning, laws by which rules are set about what can be built where. A unitary system of governing can replicate federated states. Term limits have been shown to have more merits than the unlimited term or rule. \text { Male } U.S. states often delegate local responsibility and authority to cities, counties, townships and special purpose districts. Local authorities are able to adapt to local needs and react more quickly to local problems than central government. Whenever an unexpected situation arises, whether it is from a natural disaster or a declaration of war, the government can respond with better accuracy and more speed domestically or overseas because one decision instead of four or more needs to be made. Even where the government permits the presence of sub-national governments in this structure, there is not a sharing of power. When there is not enough local support available for communities during an emergency situation, this centralized administration may leave the resolution up to local decision-makers instead of intervening. Two of the best examples of this form of government are found in the United Kingdom and France. Explain. Why? Why do you think different polls got such a wide range of estimates of Bushs lead in the polls, ranging from a 12% lead to a 4% lead? ), 20142013Netsales$1,117,204$1,124,591Netincome(loss)66,17654,587Totalassets855,338838,078ShareinformationSharesoutstandingatyear-end64,507,00066,282,000Preferreddividends-0--0-\begin{array}{lcc} How does it fund those operationswhat are its sources of revenue? It provides a smaller structure to the overall state of the nation, potentially reducing the tax burden on households without creating a reduction in the access to services that they require. When this happens, its usually because one of these local governments is too small to support itself. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. What are the three parts of the Constitution? from University of Massachusetts-Boston. B. few barriers to starting new businesses 1097, Nicosia, Cyprus. He has recently been diagnosed with diabetes and takes an oral medication to control his blood glucose. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. This content was accessible as of December 29, 2012, and it was downloaded then by Andy Schmitz in an effort to preserve the availability of this book. The first advantage is the area of focus, each level of subnational government can work upon. Steve Q. is a 52-year-old male with a family history of alcoholism. For example, only the president has term limits, with some caveats. Because you are not contending with multiple layers of bureaucracy under the unitary style, there are fewer administrative costs to manage with this centralized government. Do term limits seem to have more advantages or disadvantages? Remember that the status of sub-national or local depends on whether the nation operates under a federal or under a unitary system. Disparate state laws create inequality and oppression which affect the general country. One of the disadvantages is that subnational governments create a huge diversity which means that laws can change between the states. In large cities in particular, city governments often face a balancing act in promoting economic development while trying to maintain quality of life for existing residents. Subnational governments can take action on issues during which the national government is silent. Fiscal policy is established as a stabilizing instrument against the volatility of economic activity, a function that becomes more important considering the decentralization model that governs Colombia and many countries, and which is characterized by the fact that subnational governments have fiscal autonomy, and therefore are active agents in the provision of goods and services under a . Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. A sample of 150 female SMB owners and 146 male SMB owners revealed the following results: CONCERNEDABOUTLIMITEDACCESSTOMONEY? In Maryland, counties run school systems; in North Carolina, counties do not maintain local roads as they do elsewhere. In the northeastern U.S., counties may be divided into townships, establishing local governments which then have responsibility for a particular area within a county. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo One of the fundamental principles that the United States tries to follow is being close to the population and letting them contribute to the government. Explain." Explain. 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of international trade law. The decision-making process of a unitary government may be fast, but the design of their resources means that the response can be very slow. What are some of the similarities and differences between a parliamentary and presidential democracy? The Founding Fathers did not want to supply one governing body with the absolute power to control all of the states. Defend your answer." Why does a bill has to pass both houses of Congress to reach the president's desk? Short Answer (2 Points) What are the core factors that determine how judges decide in court cases? The amount of time spent on establishing, checking, amending, and defending the rules, regulations, laws, and policies of each level is tremendous. \text{Net income (loss)}&\text{\hspace{19pt}66,176}&\text{\hspace{19pt}54,587}\\ In most countries, these are governments in some way below the national government, whatever form it takes. Like anything government does, zoning helps some people and hurts others. defer to the decisions of the elected branches of government. When considering the disadvantages of having lower levels of government, you should think about how this arrangement makes things more complex. Explain. The federal government often does what it can to alleviate this, but it cannot completely solve the problem. You can research the effectiveness of sub-national governments. \end{array} & \begin{array}{c} How does he formulate his argument? Justices can serve for life, as long as they are mentally and physically capable. \text{Total assets}&\text{\hspace{14pt}855,338}&\text{\hspace{14pt}838,078}\\[10pt] The advantages of having so many subnational governments in the United States is that different regions of the country with different needs have the autonomy and flexibility to. This book uses the The purpose of the unitary government is to have the few control the many. Therefore, in this case, having many levels of subnational governments is an advantage because they give people an opportunity to be closer to authorities. The Constitution of the United States provides for a separation of powers to exist between state and federal governments. However, you should also consider what the effects of term limits might be: would members of Congress have enough time to accomplish true change if their time was limited? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having so many levels of subnational governments in the United States? It has power, but that power relies upon the other branches to be implemented or enforced. B.A. What is the structure of its government? Explain. Discuss why or why not. M.A. The process of redistricting can present problems for congressional representation because _______. But on election day Bush ended up losing the popular vote by a small margin (although winning the electoral vote). Sub-national governments manage local affairs on behalf of national governments. If there is a shift in policy that takes rights away from select groups of people, there might not be anything that the general population can do to stop that process from happening. Right now, Georgia is trying to pass legislation that restricts voting primarily for Black voters. Thus influencing the thoughts and ideas of the people. "What are the advantages and disadvantages of having so many levels of subnational governments in the United States? Counties play a big role in local government in some states and less so in others, providing services and serving as regional governments in larger metropolitan areas. See the license for more details, but that basically means you can share this book as long as you credit the author (but see below), don't make money from it, and do make it available to everyone else under the same terms. How might Congress overcome the fact that such representation does not always best serve constituents' interests? Campell's surge-and-decline theory suggests that midterm elections favor the opposition of the current president because the less interested voters who would normally vote in favor of the current president during the presidential elections stay home during the midterm elections. That includes how the financial markets work, what rights people have with their daily interactions, and who receives the majority of the monetary benefits in society. What Are Civil Rights and How Do We Identify Them? Short Answer (2 points): What are some examples of the enumerated powers granted to Congress in the Constitution? Creative Commons Attribution License There are many advantages and disadvantages of having so many levels of government. As well as the maintenance of city facilities, promoting the city's economic development. Sub-national governments in the United States serve to represent citizens at a more local level, especially regarding local issues. In standing by precedent, a judge relies on the principle of ________. The U.S. Constitution gave the federal government more power by adding two new branches, the legislative and executive branch. The whole purpose of a correctly-structure unitary government is to create common ground. He also reports having occasional low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) and feeling shaky and dizzy. So even as they try to create law and policy that appeals to local residents, they find themselves under pressure from governments above them to spend the money in a particular way, as dictated by state or national governments. The national government is huge and complex, and competing with all the other citizens of the country to have your voice heard and make an impact would be difficult. At the same time, they wanted the states to function with a degree of unity and coherence. It is a governing structure that will protect the central body first. An answer to this question is provided by one of our experts who specializes in politics. Is what we know about her confirmed by primary sources? American Government Exam 3 Free-Response Simp, Government in America: Elections and Updates Edition, George C. Edwards III, Martin P. Wattenberg, Robert L. Lineberry. In which level of substate government would you be most likely to get involved? If citizens are unhappy, they can throw the rascals out and elect a new board. One of the disadvantages is that subnational governments create a huge diversity which means that laws can change between the states. Prior to the November, 2000 presidential election George W. Bush had a comfortable lead in the polls. the power to regulate the sale of tobacco in the states. Laws can vary confusingly from state to state. The policy-making process is longer because the individual policies have to be passed through more levels of subnational governments. legislate in the way he or she believed constituents wanted, regardless of the anticipated outcome. States may create more or less stringent environmental laws; expand or contract marriage rights; and regulate business and commerce within their own borders. Do various levels contradict one another? Many unitary governments do not allow areas of any autonomy. Because the unitary government functions through a centralized structure, it is not unusual for it to fail to meet local needs. &\underline{\textbf{2014}}&\underline{\textbf{2013}}\\[3pt] The 50 U.S. states are in some ways like 50 mini-republics, each with its own executive, legislative and judicial branches. DonorsChoose.org helps people like you help teachers fund their classroom projects, from art supplies to books to calculators. Like cities, county governments may have either an executive and a council, separately elected, or, in the case of smaller counties, an elected board of 35 commissioners who have both executive and legislative power. The contrast with a federal state is this: whereas the federal state sees the national government as being an equal actor with the other levels of required governing (local, county, and state/provincial), the unitary government sees itself as being superior. Defend your answer. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having so many levels of subnational governments in the United States? You can focus on the impacts of these recall options. Because it must suddenly become everything to everyone, the processes can get significantly bogged down. On an even smaller regional scale, local jurisdictions can vary radically in wealth, meaning, for instance, that some school districts are terribly underfunded, while others are awash in cash. Why? This is good to a certain extent; however, the legislator should make decisions that are ultimately in the constituency's best interest, even if the decision initially goes against the constituent's will. If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, Wyoming got to the letter if not the spirit of the law by having state troopers issue tickets for wasting resources for drivers who treated state highways like the German Autobahn (where there often is no speed limit). 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