POL-135: State and Local Government

      State and local governments are becoming increasingly important in American politics as the federal government cuts back its roles in policy making, spending, and administration. This course explores activities of state and local governments, with special attention to the City of Cedar Rapids and the State of Iowa. We will examine political institutions and citizen participation at the state and local level; relations between state and local governments; and specific current issues.  In 2005 we will pay particular attention to issues of cultural conflict.

      The course includes trips to observe governments in action, as well as meetings with people involved in local politics and government. In 1998 we met with:

In 1999 we met with:

In 2001 we met with: In 2002 we met with: In 2003 we met with: In 2005 we met with:
      State and Local Government is offered as a first-year seminar course, in odd-numbered falls.  It is a Writing Emphasis course, and fulfills an "American government" requirement for the Political Science major and/or secondary school teaching endorsement.

State and Local Links

Cedar Rapids government page

Cedar Rapids Community School District page 

Iowa state government page and general assembly page

Linn County page

Illinois government page

National Association of Counties website

Search for other state and local government web sites

Cedar Rapids Gazette coverage of Iowa legislature and Cedar Rapids city government (NOTE that the Gazette now charges for access to articles but you can use the index for free and track down the articles at the library)

Des Moines Register coverage of Iowa legislature as well as local governments in the "golden circle"

A sampling of other local newspapers

"Assessing the New Federalism" State Database: much social welfare data

Statistics on crime and criminal justice and education from the federal government

Dennis Hill's blog on Cedar Rapids politics

Citzens for Responsible Government offers a skeptical view of C.R. government (but I don't have their current web address)

Mound View Neighborhood Association home page (last updated spring 1997)

A survey of Mound View residents done in early 2007

U.S. Conference of Mayors

Smart Growth Network website

Yahoo general directory of U.S. states and cities

Coe's Stewart Memorial Library portal

MLA guide to citation 

                          REQUIRED TEXTS (FALL 2005)
	Stephen G. Bloom, Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America (Harcourt, updated ed., 2000)
	Ann O'M. Bowman and Richard C. Kearney, State and Local Government (Houghton Mifflin, 6th ed., 2005)
	Richard O. Davies, Main Street Blues: The Decline of Small-Town America (Ohio State University Press, 1998)
	Ronald Keith Gaddie, Born to Run: Origins of the Political Career (Rowman & Littlefield, 2004)

                       COURSE SCHEDULE <>Important Dates:
Sun., Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m. Cafe de Coe dinner, Gage Union cafeteria 
Thurs., Sept. 8, 11:00 a.m. Presentation by author Stephen Bloom, Sinclair Auditorium
Sat., Sept. 10, 10-11 a.m. Mound View Neighborhood Association, Central Park Presbyterian Church, 1700 B Av NE
Mon., Sept. 12, 11:00 a.m. Guest Speaker: Dale Todd, former Cedar Rapids Commissioner of Parks and Recreation
Wed., Sept. 28, 11:00 a.m. Guest Speaker: Randall McVey, Long Range Planning Coordinator, Cedar Rapids Department of Development
Wed., Oct. 5, 7:00 p.m. Formal City Council meeting, City Hall, 50 2nd Av Bridge, 4th floor
Thurs., Oct. 13, 11:00 a.m. Meet at Library
Thurs., Oct. 20, 11:00 a.m. lecture on science topic, Cherry Auditorium (TENTATIVE)
Thurs., Nov. 10, 11:00 a.m. Lecture on "The Learned Ladies", Dows Auditorium (TENTATIVE)
Sat., Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m. Coe Theater Department, "The Learned Ladies," Dows Auditorium  (TENTATIVE)
Thurs., Dec. 1, 11:00 a.m. Meet at Career Services

Outline of Readings:

I. SMALL TOWNS AND CULTURAL CONFLICT

Founding Camden: Davies prologue & ch. 1
Cultural conflict: Bloom 6
The early days: Davies 2-3
Camden in the 1930s: Davies 4
Cultural conflict II: Bloom t.b.a.
Camden in the 1940s: Davies 5
Camden in decline: Davies 6
Camden today: Davies ch. 7 & epilogue

II. LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND POLICY ISSUES

Local government: BK 10
Leadership at the local level: BK 11
Finance: BK 13
Development: BK 14
Annexation: Bloom 20
 Education: BK 15
Criminal justice: BK 16
Environmental issues: BK 18

III. STATE GOVERNMENT

State legislatures: BK 6
Governors: BK 7
Bureaucracy: BK 8
Participation and elections: BK 4
Political parties and interest groups: BK pp 110-130
State-local relations: BK pp 336-353

IV.  ORIGINS OF THE POLITICAL CAREER

Why Run?: Gaddie 1
Ambition: Gaddie 2
Shane Hunt of Oklahoma: Gaddie 3
Joe Handrick of Wisconsin: Gaddie 4
Adrian Smith of Nebraska: Gaddie 5
Thad Balkman of Oklahoma: Gaddie 6
Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield of Georgia: Gaddie 7
Mike Saxl of Maine: Gaddie 8
Kenneth Corn of Oklahoma: Gaddie 9
Joe Bruning of Nebraska: Gaddie 10
Conclusion--Born to Run?: Gaddie 11

   
Last Course:  American National Government

Next Course:  Religion and American Politics

Back to My Home Page

Last update: 5/3/07