Advisory Neighborhood Commissions: Article Summary

An interest group is, an organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals. Unlike political parties, interest groups in politics try to change policies without the intent to be elected. In this essay I will be explaining my opinions on why interest groups are helpful to the democratic process.

Lance Freeman, an associate professor of urban planning in Columbia, wanted to investigate if there was any displacement going on in two predominantly black neighborhoods that was briskly gentrifying. Much to his dismay, he couldn’t find any correlation between gentrification and displacement. What was surprising to Freeman was his discovery, “poor residents and those without a college education were actually less likely to move if they resided in gentrifying neighborhoods”. (Sternbergh, 19) Freeman adds, “The discourse on gentrification, has tended to overlook the possibility that some of the neighborhood changes associated with gentrification might be appreciated by the prior residents.” (Sternbergh, 19) Essentially, we can concur that a blighted neighborhood that goes through gentrification doesn’t displace the current residents living there, but in fact makes the residents want to stay. With gentrification the area becomes safer, more businesses open up and the neighborhoods become a welcoming, family friendly place to live. Without gentrification a blighted neighborhood stays, as is, a neglected area that doesn’t attract businesses or

What is America to you? Democracy is what first would come to mind, it is the core value of what America stands for. Being democratic has given the United States of America a title of a leader of change by its people. Recent survey information from local University of California, Santa Barbara students, the millennials feel as though the democratic system is up to our values with improvement of representation toleration in our nation.

The intent and effectiveness of any presidential administration’s policies are often highly scrutinized and disputed. President Ronald Reagan’s policies in regards to urban communities, and most specifically to the urban poor, are no exception to that rule. This paper analyzes both Reagan administrations’ (singular or plural? Is or one administration or 2?) urban policies and the consequences of those policies. Furthermore, in fairness to both of those administrations, the urban policies of Reagan’s predecessor Jimmy Carter will also be examined in order to present an accurate depiction of the environment in which Reagan came into office. Overall the evidence shows that the urban policies of Ronald Reagan’s administrations did little if anything to benefit urban communities, but rather in many respects improved the lives of the wealthy and elite throughout America. Additionally, it is important to note that Reagan’s approach stood in stark contrast to that of Presidents who had come before him most of whom had created specific plans in an attempt to correct the issues of poverty and

The Texas legislature created the Sunset Advisory Commission by enacting the Texas Sunset Act, Chapter 325 of the Texas Government Code in August, 1977. By initiating this act, Texas became the second state to establish sunset provisions into their state laws. The Texas government gives it the name “sunset” because this refers to an agency, law, or program that will expire on a certain date unless it is approved by the legislature. The Sunset Advisory Commission was founded in order to prevent government scandals that were occurring at the state and federal levels. State's sunset provisions typically all believe that government agencies and programs should be reviewed. So that the Sunset Advisory Commission can consider innovative changes to improve an agency's or program's actions. However, most of the time, the Sunset Advisory Commission immediately abolishes government branches, unless the legislature decides to continue them. “Through the actions of the Sunset process, for every dollar spent on Sunset provisions, the state of Texas earns about twenty-five dollars in return” (John).

Hey jackson! I completely agree what you said in your discussion. The low voter turnout should not be worried about and that it is a good thing in general. The people should not vote if they are not interested or are not educated on the election. As you said, If you introduce and educate the people on politics this should help the low voter turnout in time.

As it is suggested by the title of the article, Presentation of Partisanship: Constituency Connections and Partisan Congressional Activity by Scott R. Meinke, House members play an imperative role by informing their constituents in regards to the work the members partake in partisan Washington D.C., the nation’s capital. Going into depth, this article challenges and explores the extent of the choice to which the House members “relate their involvement in partisan Washington activity to constituency representation.” (Meinke 854) In essence, Meinke, within the article, discusses that many members of the House involve themselves with committees and higher chair positions within those committees, as well as whip networks

The documentary explores the topics of political shifts within the suburbs, their political influence, their segregated history, their current landscape of diversity, transportation, affordable housing, planned growth, and how to better handle suburban issues. The main message the director wanted to convey to the audience is how American suburbia has its pros and cons, yet is a political force to be reckoned with, as well as a growing, positive place American citizens are eager to continue living in.

The documentary that we needed to watch for this essay is titled "Suburban America: Problems & Promise." The movie is produced and directed by Ron Rudaitis, and its intended audience are students, community leaders, educators, as well as anyone who is interested in learning about the challenges that suburbs face, their history, as well as the role that they played in shaping the American society.

The title of the documentary is “Suburban America: Problems & Promises”. The intended audience for this documentary is individuals that do not know the history of how suburban areas came about, and how they have changed and grown dramatically over the years. It also explains the political impact that the growing suburban areas has on our government and how expanding these areas can change the outcome of an election. Suburban areas grew after the soldiers came home after WWII. Many suburban areas in the beginning were segregated. There was little to no African Americans and Jews were not allowed in many areas. Today, Suburbs are the area where most change is occurring. People are immigrating directly to suburban areas and making them very diverse. These areas also face many problems as well, housing shortages, cost of transportation to jobs and aging areas are a few. Suburban America is very complicated and powerful in its own way.

Situated in historically marginalized racial minority and urban communities it results in the impoverished community being ill-prepared to compete in neoliberalism’s rules of engagement because such communities have little economic, social or political power. The remainder of this essay will address current rebuilding strategies in Baltimore within the framework of the three strategies of urban neliberalization described above (see table 1 for outline). Before doing so it is important to provide context from the past ways racialized neoliberalization community building existed pre-late1900’s. While the label “neoliberalization” became synonymous with the evolving US political economy during the Reagan administration, many of its strategies have been in practice for decades previous, perhaps with greater government oversight, more social welfare, and not as much private ownership of public goods -as a white supremacist liberal political economic system (Kendall 2003). The right of the white individual to secure outcomes in their best interest through a free market system permeates the past liberal and current neoliberal political economies of the US. In the current era of globalization and commodities speculation a broader range and diversity of participants from across the world and larger

The Congress of the United States has multiple jobs they are required to do. These jobs are what keeps America from falling and update the laws that build the protections and freedoms of American citizens.

The inherent argument is that the NIA need to build 250 housing units for low-income earners of the city, claiming that the project will benefit the black and Hispanic residents. The argument is based on grounds that seeking grants from a funder such as the Urban Betterment Foundation will provide a Public-Private partnership with the city. In addition, the warrant of the argument

The review of The Politics of Staying Put by Carolyn Gallaher, read, "The Politics of Staying Put is Gallaher’s effort to understand the law’s role in advancing social justice and a personal account of how she moved from being a beneficiary of such legislation to a critic of its uneven impact.... Though the Washington experience is unique, Gallaher’s ability to place it within the larger debate over the proper balance between government intervention and reliance on market forces thrusts her study into a broader policy framework. As such, The Politics of Staying Put should resonate widely for urban studies scholars."

I am Lily Stacy, and in two years I am eligible to vote. Every citizen in America has the right to vote, and when they turn eighteen years of age they may exercise that right. However, that is not the full truth. Right now anyone living in the District of Columbia are denied full and equal representation. Citizen in DC are not represented in congress or the house of representatives, also having no say in future supreme court justices. They do not get to vote for someone to simply uphold here views and opinions. They are restricted from a right that every American is owed. No matter where you call home, an American citizen should always have their right to vote for representation. DC citizens, like everyone else, should be given that right.