Reminders:
1. Exam #3 takes place in class on Wednesday, November 20. It will cover all material since exam #2, and it will have the same format as the previous exams. A review will posted over the weekend, and we will do a review session on Monday, November 18 (during class).
2. There will be no class on Friday, November 22, as I will be out of town on University business.
3. Please remember that your projects are due in class on Monday, December 2. Don't wait until the last minute!
4. Also, remember that the final exam for this class is Tuesday, December 17, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Believe me: I didn't pick that slot, but if I have to suffer with it, so do you!
Finally, on to the assignment (it's largely a gift). You can have two of the three points for this blog assignment just by signing your name by the deadline (Monday, November 18, at 1 pm). To get the third point, you need to ask a question about state and local government and/or politics that hasn't been answered yet in the class (you should not duplicate questions asked by colleagues who respond more quickly than you do). I will perhaps answer some of these on the blog and some of them during our review during the week of December 2. Good luck!--NB
Hello this is Shannon Martin. My question is where can I find information about who is running for elections and what they believe (or say they believe). I know they sometimes send pamphlets but I have only ever gotten one and none this year. How do I become a more informed voter? Thank you for your time.
ReplyDeleteIf this helps I live in West Virginia year round.
DeleteI can provide some of the answer. The courthouse will have some of this information, though the office will depend on what state you live in. They'll have a list of who has registered to run/paid the fees and all that. You can also get them from the party offices, namely Democrats and Republicans, though some areas have larger third parties than others.
DeleteThe party offices would also have federal election information. If you want to get involved with one of the parties they'll also be able to help with that, too. There are also WVU Republican, Democrat, Libertarian etc. groups. There is even an SGA sponsored debate between the student groups this week in the mountainlair.
DeleteHello my name is Steven Accardi. I have a similar question in regards to elections. I was wondering where and how can I get an absentee ballot? I obviously live here in Morgantown but I from the great state of Massachusetts. I want to be active in local/ federal elections but have been out of state to do so.
ReplyDeleteBrittani Pepper
ReplyDeleteMy question is: How can states have different laws than the federal government? Like for instance legalization of marijuana or gay marriage.
Brittani,
DeleteDr. B will give a more detailed answer, but it's tricky. Gay marriage is no longer against federal law so that's not an issue. The marijuana thing is...different. Obama's administration has said they will not pursue states who have this legislation, though it is still technically illegal because a state law cannot contradict a federal law. It's called "nullification" and we really straightened a lot of that out in the war between the states.
I was wondering if Morgantown has always followed the council-manager structure or if it was something different at first then shifted to a council-manger structure?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Ryan Petrovich
Anthony Pecoraro
ReplyDeleteWhat are the largest expenditures that the state government utilizes?
Michelle Rinaldi
ReplyDeleteI am just wondering is it possible to recall a state elected senate or congressman? If so how would you do it?
Michelle,
DeleteIt is only possible in certain areas and usually by a petition with x amount of signatures.
Alexandria (Alli) Colasante
ReplyDeleteWould the only solutions to receive higher education funds in West Virginia be the state government taxing residents to generate more revenue? What taxes would be imposed upon the highest?
Trinity Gray
ReplyDeleteIs there a place, either in person or online, to find the percentage, dollar amount, and/or origination of the idea (representatives, senators, interest groups, or just federal funding) of the federal funds and usage the city of Morgantown receives/uses?
Kayla Kesselman
ReplyDeleteWhy don't all states take out the same tax deductions? Given thought to West Virginia being a small state and the population is lower than it would be in a larger, more populated state, I believe it would be fair to do so. I mean it would cause controversy, but if the cost of living in each and every state was the same then it would make sense to take out the same tax deductions.
Katelyn Goodnough
ReplyDeleteI have been reading a lot of buzz on the internet about small parts of different states wanting to separate from that state to make a 51st state. Is this possible to do?
It's only happened once, and that was with WV. It is possible, though it's not likely to happen again.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJulia Nass
ReplyDeleteWhat is the legal purpose of a concurrent resolution? I know it is defined as "a resolution adopted by both houses of a legislative assembly that does not require the signature of the chief executive (the president) and that does not have the force of law," but if this is the case, what is it even used for or why does it exist if there is nothing behind it?
Jarrett Walker
ReplyDeleteI would like to know if there was a federally neglected public issue that state and local government implemented, acted upon, and funded in anyway in recently West Virginia?
Cassandra Lang
ReplyDeleteIn the last blog post spoke about getting the students involved in the local government I was wondering if they have ever tried doing this? I feel that with the massive number of students that populate Morgantown it would be something obvious to consider.
Some small groups have done this and that, but with the fact that a lot of the students are not registered to vote in Morgantown there isn't much to be done.
DeleteMy question is about NIMBY. At the meeting I attended people raised issues about the new brand name businesses settling in Morgantown and how it would negativley affect them. All they did was talk about it briefly. The question: how could they actually stop the building of these new businesses if its already been decided to build them?
ReplyDeleteJustin Fiore
Haley Shepard
ReplyDeleteI was wondering why you think women aren't taken as serious in government? Or why do men make up most of our nation's government? For example, only 15-24% of elected officials in national government are women. Do you think there are specific reasons for this?
Does West Virginia get less funding from the government because it has 18 year old bars instead of only 21 year old bars?
ReplyDeleteMichael,
DeleteAre you referring to the fact that 18 year olds can go into bars? Several states have this, but the legal drinking age in all of the US is 21. To my knowledge, it does not affect federal funding.
As a bartender, any place that openly allows 18 year olds to drink is in violation of the law. Be careful if you partake, it is a hefty fine.
Allie Bliss
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what constitutes a legislature being removed from office? What is the process?
Kelsie VanderWijst
ReplyDeleteWhat determines minimum wage? And do you think it is possible for minimum wage to go up even though America in such debt?
There is both a federal and a state minimum wage, with some states having a higher minimum than the federal government. The debt of the nation doesn't really effect the minimum wage and it actually has gone up. When I started working it was around $5 an hour. I've not had a minimum wage job in something, but it's around $8 now, I believe.
DeleteHello there sir, I am Bobby Moore and my question is on term limits. Do the citizens of Morgantown overall like the system that's in place? Has there ever been protests against it here to your knowledge?
ReplyDeleteAbby Miller
ReplyDeleteWhat are some negative aspects of politics and do they have get tired of answering the same questions all the time?
Athena White
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what the biggest cause of Obama's recent approval and trust ratings drop was?
Do you think that he is getting a lot of blame for aspects he has no control over at this time?
Robert Schalge
ReplyDeleteWhat are the main reasons for West Virginia not legalizing gay marriage and marijuana, and how soon do you think these ideas will be legalized?
As with any state, the speed at which something is mage illegal or legal depends highly on the population. Just a few years ago there was a movement to make gay marriage illegal in the state constitution instead of just a law on the books. While it did fail, the message was clear. It won't be legal here anytime soon without a federal law.
DeleteMarijuana is really the same. There is a lot of information out there on both sides of the issue, but our aging population means the image of the drug tends to be more negative and it will take a long time before that changes.
Samantha Strejeck
ReplyDeleteHow does the state government determine the funds that go into different public schools?
Michael Madsen
ReplyDeleteIs there any way for president Obama to fill the vacancies on the U.S. court of appeals for the DC Circuit? or will it require a changing of the senate filibuster rule to get anyone confirmed?
James Goard
ReplyDeleteNovember 13th 2013
In state statutes that regulate the consumption of marijuana start to get more lenient in various states of the United States, is it legal if an 18 year old Navy Seal, smokes marijuana, after he has left the service, and is visiting a state such as Colorado, Washington, Oregon. Is it ethically correct for a police officer to arrest him for the crime.
If the seal has completely let the employment of the service that would not affect the issue. If not, the service has their own rules against drug use like many companies. Legal or illegal they have the right to tell you not to do it.
DeleteWhether it is ethically correct or not depends on the state. If the state has made the use of marijuana legal there shouldn't be an issue about a state cop arresting you, though a federal officer may do something different.
Jordan O'Brian
ReplyDeleteHow are county and regional boundaries set within states?
This is different in every county and every state. It goes by rivers, old property lines, lines of long. and lat. and any other thing you could imagine. There is an interesting series on the origin of the shapes of the states if you're interested.
DeleteChelsea Lindner
ReplyDeleteHow does the government determine whether such things like the legalization of marijuana or gay marriage are rights appointed to the states or to the federal government?
Alexander Wilson:
ReplyDeleteI am curious about the role of layer cake government vs a marble cake government. As we discussed in class, there has been a tendency to move to a more marble cake form of government. Do you see this trend continuing in the future? Do government officials find marble cake preferable because less people pursue their issues with the government?
Hattie Parent
ReplyDeleteDo you think that over time, state laws will become more and more similar to each other or do you believe the diversity between state legislation will stay diverse from state to state?
Joseph Harmon
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that some local bodies of government in college towns, act like the university of the particular town/city is more of a pain than anything else? Shouldn't they be thrilled that there is a university that brings so much to their city/town?
Reid Widders
ReplyDeleteGiven enough time and current trends holding constant do you believe we are slowly moving away from a federal system in the sense that states continually are being checked by the federal government and slowly loosing more and more privileges/rights once held to them alone? It is in my experience in just my lifetime that the national government has been circumventing states rights more and more often and continually takes more powers granted to them in the constitution. Is this trend likely to continue or will there be some political backlash sooner or later?
Devin Jones
ReplyDeleteMy question deals with your personal opinion on education policy? Do you feel school districts receiving different levels of funding is fair? If not, what would you change to make the system more fair?
Judah Longgrear
ReplyDeleteHow strong of a correlation is there between a locally elected government official in successfully getting elected into a federal representative position. For example, does a city council member have a higher chance of getting elected into the House of Representatives over someone who has just a background in let’s just say business? Or is it primarily just whoever has more funding to run a successful campaign?
Ashley Wallace
ReplyDeleteSeeing as we had to do this for a project... what method or course of action, in your opinion, is the best when trying to get your state or local government to change when you want them to?
Would it be possible to simplify local governemnt? It seems to me that there is a lot of "red tape" in local government. -Katherine Simmons
ReplyDeleteKelsey Haught
ReplyDeleteQ: What are the key categories of West Virginia government expenditures? And, how have they changed (if at all) over time?
Thanks
Do you think government has a role in the moral formation of its citizens?
ReplyDelete- Hannah Bowman
I will answer in my opinion and say that no, it does not. It is wrong to say the government should form our morals because many different people believe many different things. The best way to avoid the thing you don't like is to not do it, but we have no right to ask the government to pass laws on our moral beliefs when others may not believe the same.
DeleteHello my name is Marissa Conrad. Since I am from New jersey originally i was curious to know what the standardized testing is like here in West Virginia? Do all the high schools in the area follow the same rules, public and private schools? I know we touched upon this subject a little bit in class the other day but i was curious just because Ive been living in this state for 9 months out of the year for the past 3 years. Also I know this question was already mentioned but where can you get an absentee ballot from? This is also a concern of mine and something I am interested in learning more about.
ReplyDeleteThanks
-Marissa Conrad
In my hometown, city sheriffs are elected. What are some other ways sheriffs are selected?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Megan Hobbs
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDenise Tetangco
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't education a federal concern and a part of the federal budget? More specifically I'm wondering why there isn't some standards for the whole US, when it is so easy for people to move around in the US. So you can for example take your undergrade in West Virginia and then move to another state and then finish it there. The problem I see is that you may have learned more or less at your previously school, which could have been solved by standardizing the school system.
Brian Beck
ReplyDeleteHow are state and local governments dependent on local businesses? What influence/power (if any) do these businesses have over the government?
Hello, sir. My question is this:
ReplyDeleteWhat would it take to change the council-manager system that is in place now? More specifically, how badly would the current system have to fail, and in what ways could you see this happening (or not)?
- Hunter Homistek
Josh Adkins
ReplyDeleteIs there anyway the poor can get tax breaks to try and make up for the breaks the rich get?
Sierra Halstenberg
ReplyDeleteDoes the city of Morgantown have home rule?
Aaron Riel
ReplyDeleteHow does a normal citizen persuade his local or state government to make a change they deem necessary or beneficial to the other citizens in their locale? I.E., If it's an infrastructure concern who do we address or a law proposal, etc.
Emily Cotter
ReplyDeleteHow are members of board elected/appointed and how do they exist? For example, how does the Board of Zoning Appeals exist? Who is in charge of it? How are the board member appointed?
Thanks!
Paige Madden
ReplyDeleteIn what ways in West Virginia's tax system like a "mini-version" of the federal system?
Kayla Forshee
ReplyDeleteQuestion: In Morgantown, what limitations if any are put on campaigning for candidates running for city council?
Alexis Matson
ReplyDeleteWhat determines how many wards are in the municipal council and how likely is it that the Morgantown Council could add another ward for students?
Zachary Oser
ReplyDeleteIs there any way that politics can function without bureaucracy in your opinion? i.e. Can American politicians afford to be 100 percent truthful when there's such a large viewing audience?
Bonus question: Why aren't more teachers like you?
Thanks for the gift. Thanks for the semester.
Jacob Powers
ReplyDeleteOn average how much do political campaigns cost on a local level?
Hannah West
ReplyDeleteIn local government, are people more likely to voice their opinions (go to a city council meeting) for PPIMBY or NIMBY issues?
Alexandra Yazbek
ReplyDeleteMy question is how can a bill such as Obamacare be mandated to states without infringing on the individual states' rights
Well, there are several ways. There is the elastic clause or, as they have done this time, the interstate commerce part of the constitution. Many people still believe it infringes on states rights, but I think that when the evidence shows we are 33rd on the list of lifespans and are the worlds wealthiest country than something has to be done.
DeleteRachel Root
ReplyDeleteMy question is why do independent parties spend less on presidential elections?
Because they have less money to spend.
DeleteLeann Brown
ReplyDeleteMy question is will the insurance commissioner of West Virginia approve the recommendation of President Obama regarding his recent decision about the Affordable Care Act.
Kelsie Lantz
ReplyDeleteHere in Morgantown, does the public become really involved in campaigning and elections?
In your notes you say "Equalization plans generally lower the ceiling rather than raise the floor." Why does this occur?
ReplyDeleteChristian Conner
Why is the sales tax not a proportional tax?
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn Coviello
How do you know how much income someone makes to tax them every time they buy something? It is seemingly proportional in the sense that the more you have the more you will buy, but it would be difficult to change it for each purchase depending on income.
DeleteJessica Mazelon
ReplyDeleteWhy wouldn't more states join forces by agreeing upon laws, such as legalizing gay marriage? Together, the states would be taking power away from the federal government by forcing the government to legalize controversial laws rather than take state funding away.
Natalie Redick
ReplyDeleteWhen you ran for a position in your local government did you find that most people were doing it for the satisfaction of making the government better? Or using it as a strategy to get to a higher position?
Timothy Saar
ReplyDeleteI remember a while ago, there was that big kerfuffle about some states threatening to secede. I realize nothing came of it and that it was largely just a statement, but how possible is it for a state to secede, and what would be the ramifications if, say, Texas were to secede?
We settled the issue of succession. It won't happen again because of the civil war and the evidence shows that no state alone could exist as a viable economic force without federal money.
DeleteKarey Eyo
ReplyDeleteHas voter turnout increased in the past 50 years or decreased in the past 50 years? What are the main variables or factors for why voter turnout has increased or decreased in the past 50 years?
Zack Veltri,
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how hard it is to change the way our state elections are ran? For example, to change the time limit we have to register for the election prior too. What all would need to happen to change that??
Evelyn Merithew
ReplyDeleteI have more of a personal opinion question regarding third parties running in gubernatorial elections. I am from Richmond, VA and Dem. Terry McAuliffe just won election for governor. Rep. Ken Cuccinelli was a (surprisingly) close second. I typically vote republican, but I voted for McAuliffe in this election. In fact, both of these candidates were so publicly disapproved of that the Richmond Times Dispatch, my local newspaper that is distributed widely throughout the state, refused to endorse either candidate (I think the WSJ actually did too). Robert Sarvis, running third-party/libertarian, received only 6.5% of the vote. Of course, after learning in class about third-party's struggles and Duverger's law, it is obvious that Sarvis had basically no shot of winning. What I don't understand is what these third parties can do to help their campaigns come out of a rut. "A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush" -- in my case, a vote for Sarvis would have been a vote for Cuccinelli. Why is there ever even a third-party candidate who runs when we favor a two-party system? Doesn't this just take away votes from the better rep. or dem. candidate? How, do you think, can third parties show that they better represent a bigger part of the population?
Iman Hasan
ReplyDeleteWho decides which roads do or don't get cleaned in the winter, and what influences that decision?
Matt Kuhbach
ReplyDeleteWhat does West Virginia use their fiscal federalism money for?
Good Evening, This is Jacqueline Johnson. In regards to education policy, there seem to be certain programs out that try and give back to students but it some cases, do more harm that good. For example, Teach for America. This programs allows undergraduate students with a bachelors degree and a 2.5 G.P.A., to teach in inner city schools. In most cases, these teachers are unqualified and do not contribute to bettering the quality of education throughout states. It is most of these teachers who "teach to the test" as discussed in class. What can states do or have done (besides giving out tests) to ensure that programs like these do not negatively effect students education?
ReplyDeleteCaitlin Worrell.
ReplyDeleteHow can some states manage to not collect a sales tax?
Mariah Mandy
ReplyDeleteWhat is the difference between a continuing resolution and clean resolution? Furthermore, is it possible for lower levels of government to use resolutions or are these only put into use by Congress?
Where can I find out how our taxes are spent? What percentage of our taxes actually benefit citizens? What percentage is used to pay off government debts?
ReplyDeleteArman Aminian
My question is this....how does a bureaucratic agency (eg. The Health Department) have the authority to make public policy that effects private citizens (eg. smoking ban in private businesses) when they are not elected by the public?
ReplyDeleteJoey England
Roy Labaton
ReplyDeleteNot particularly my town, but there are areas around me that, such as parks, lakes and other areas of public interest that arent as well kept as others. Is there a way that the state can get involved to create sanctions to solve this problem? Does the governor have the authority to make that mandatory?
Hello! Keegan Campbell Here!
ReplyDeleteSo I have lived in morgantown for the last 4 years, and I try to be as active with the community as possible. As of now, I work at The Grind on Willey street, and have noticed the extreme amount of talk of chain companies entering the down town area (Panera, which is extremely visable, Sheetz, and CVS). What can I do as a citizen to help protect small businesses and help keep more chains from entering the downtown area? What laws are able to enforce business zoning?
Ethan Gower
ReplyDeleteMy question is... In larger cities the city mayor has a lot more power than small town city mayors, and those small town city mayors have pretty much the same power as the city council. So in small towns, why do we even need a mayor?
My question: Does an absentee ballot work the same way (through the mail) if someone plans to be overseas for an extended period of time?
ReplyDeleteGeorge Bostic
How do voter identification laws effect turnout in local elections?
ReplyDeleteShannon Reilley
Jessica Ratcliffe
ReplyDeleteWhat is WV's biggest expense at the state government level?
Hello my name is Frank Selario my question is what is the main job of the governor of west Virginia focus on, like the decision that he makes. What does his job title consist of.
ReplyDeleteHow does a state determine what they can and can't put taxes on? EX: PA has no clothing tax or other states that have no property tax.
ReplyDeleteJessica Clarke
Alexander Stone
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding that most democracies use a unitary system of government. Would a unitary system work in the U.S., and what would or would not make it work?
In states like Virginia why do they continue to use an open primary when it can lead to inaccurate results for parties?
ReplyDeleteJeffrey Cazenas
Hi, my name is Christina Wade. And I also have a question about how certain states can have different laws then what the federal law might be ?
ReplyDeleteBrice Games
ReplyDeleteFor school choice, you brought up that transportation becomes a problem. How do places that have school choice deal with it?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKIERRA CROONS
ReplyDeleteIs it really correct to say that sales tax is trusted more because a machine does it? Doesn't a human have to program that machine and have a say in what goes into its criteria?
Holly Netz
ReplyDeleteMy question has to do with gay marriage. Since it's such a huge issue in government today, wouldn't it be easier for the federal government to make a decision instead of waiting for each individual state to decide?
Sophia Enriquez
ReplyDeleteIn your professional opinion, what are some of the major barriers women face when running for offices, etc., if any?
Laura Haight
ReplyDeleteWhy does the state own some roads in Morgantown but the city owns other roads? What dictates who owns what roads? and why is it so hard to fill a pothole?
Ilyssa Miroshnik
ReplyDeleteSince students account for a large portion of population here in Morgantown and contribute to a lot of local businesses, my question is, is there a group on campus that is student oriented and helps bring up student/local/town issues by addressing issues student-related to local courts? There should be a program or group where students can get together and discuss issues, have elected positions that require those elected members (students) to come and discuss the problems to represent the student population in places like city meetings?
Ryan Dougall
ReplyDeleteIn your opinion, do you think cue voting is a better way of doing things or does it create more problems?
Charles Clarke
ReplyDeletehow do issues of jurisdiction between different levels of government get settled?
X: Zach Abe
ReplyDeleteSoooo...."Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution sets three qualifications for senators: 1) they must be at least 30 years old, 2) they must have been citizens of the United States for at least the past nine years, and 3) they must be inhabitants of the states they seek to represent at the time of their election."
With regards to contention 1, if we lowered the age requirement to say, 25 do you think younger voters would be more attracted to vote? Possibly because younger candidates could relate more to the youthful group struggling to find jobs, finish undergrad...then maybe pay for grad school, etc.
Andrew Hardy
ReplyDeleteWhy do state governments refuse to mandate a breathalyzer in every car? If states are that concerned about the well being of others then why do they ignore the technology that has been created to detect drunk drivers? Do you think its the money they get from giving people DUI's or something else that prevents them from making this change?
Nick Pastor
ReplyDeleteI always found it interesting that the mountainous curving highways of West Virginia has a speed limit of 70, whereas flatter states with straighter highways have speed limits of 65. What factors come into question when deciding on the speed limits of each state?
Andrea Oliver
ReplyDeleteI noticed that in the city council meeting, there was a portion of the meeting open for the public to voice concerns. I understand why they don't answer them right away during the meeting, and I heard them say they would address the problems later, but when and how do they get back to the people who spoke at the meetings? Do they contact them personally or post the responses somewhere?
Joshua Bryant-Gainer
ReplyDeleteHi, I live on Brockway Ave and I was wondering if there's a way to get the coal trucks to stop driving in front of my house and take another route. Is there anyway to at least inconvenience them enough to make them go another way, say with a weighing station or something.
Hi there, my question is more of an opinion question that anyone could answer.
ReplyDeleteQ: We've discussed that people are usually 'selfish' and that they are more likely to participate locally, but which one has more of an impact/influence- when they participate in local or national politics?
-Jane L. Abenir
I have a few questions:
ReplyDeleteWhat would Morgantown's permanent population have to be for it to consider transitioning from a council-manager form of government to a council-strong-mayor form? Also
At what rate is standardized test use increasing? How are teacher's and schools "cheating" with respect to standardized testing?
-David Wells
I've heard a lot of people complaining that certain individuals were told that they could keep their old healthcare care if they so pleased, but that Obamacare is not allowing that to happen. Could you explain how exactly Obamacare works, and explain why certain people are so against it?
ReplyDeleteAmanda McComas
ReplyDeleteAre there any "college towns" that allow students to participate in decision making or where the students can hold a position themselves?
Caitlin Caruthers
ReplyDeleteHow do states determine which days will be reserved for special holidays? For instance, when giving state employees the day off for something like Abraham Lincoln's birthday (feb 12) in only the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, N.J and N.Y. Are these special days ever argued over by citizens living in other states across the country as well?
Hi it's Zack Solomon here, question is whether or not Magistrates have the ability to review felony cases in West Virginia and if they can overturn the decision.
ReplyDeleteAshley Daniels
ReplyDeleteHow should local governments establish legally enforce goals of the area, like what is the right way to go about it and what is the wrong way to approach the situation?
My name is Eric Russo. My question is, are local elections heavily effected by political orientation even in the smallest of towns?
ReplyDeleteMichael Luongo- If marijuana was legalized to grow in wv, do you think it would benefit the state or cause more problems?
ReplyDeleteAutumn Collins
ReplyDeleteMy question is if it is possible for a city or town to allow students to run for a respected position in city council, state government, etc.
my name is malika mccray. what is the role of NIMBY and PPIMBY? and who is this role played by?
ReplyDeleteMike Bove
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't it mandatory for all states to use online voting and absentee ballots since it has been proven to increase voter turnout?
My question is does the ADA apply to state and local governments?
ReplyDelete-Anna Blankenship
Kristen Cavanagh
ReplyDeleteMy question is regarding the City Council Meeting I attended the other week. There was a lot of concern about major corporations pushing out the small business owners and one man stated that he was simply there warn the Council that there will be rallies and protests coming. I was just curious as to what the success of rallies and protests can be expected to be? Specifically, has Morgantown ever revoked a decision a decision made by the Council as a result of citizen rallies and/or protests?
Andrew Gavin
ReplyDeleteIt has recently come to my attention that (some of) the powers that be will be attempting to implement a polling station in the Mountainlair. While this would obviously be a boon for student representation, who controls where polling stations are placed and how would one go about making such a change?
Heather Johnson
ReplyDeleteIn a Council-Manager form of local government, like the one in Morgantown, where the Mayor has very little power, why would anyone want to run for Mayor? In other words, what are the perks of becoming Mayor of a place with that kind of local government?
Nicholas Jandora
ReplyDeleteMy question is what are the requirements to run for city council and are there laws and ways people can be voted out of city council?
Teboho Mabuka.
ReplyDeleteHave there ever been any council members found unfit to serve the Morgantown city during their term? If there have been cases like that, how would new members be chosen to replace them?
Richard Millwater
ReplyDeleteNow that we know Obama Care is a complete failure, what will be his legacy?
What is the relationship between states and the federal government when it comes to maintaining border security and dealing with illegal immigration? Specifically, what aspects fall under the states' authority and what aspects fall under the federal government's.
ReplyDelete~Nathan Lewis
Frank Rosario
ReplyDeleteMy question is: What's the process of getting votes on passing rights to pave roads in the city? I know there are city roads, state roads, and county roads.. what differentiates them?
Tyler Jordan
ReplyDeleteWhat are the key categories of local expenditures and how have they changed over time?
Sydney Williams
ReplyDeleteDo you think that college students can effectively get their voices heard in the government?
Ally Brandfass
ReplyDeleteAlthough students do not live in Morgantown year round, they do spend the majority of their time here and I think many students feel as if their needs are not always met.
- In what ways can students become actively involved in decisions made by the state and local governments?
Steven Aquino
ReplyDeleteIs there anyway to check the status of a bill or proposed plan? It would be nice to see the process of community projects as the pass through all the stages. People will be able to know if their ideas were heard.
In regards to corruption in government. What restraints are there in regards to stopping an executive from appointing one person over someone more qualified?
ReplyDeleteI know they have to be agreed upon by the legislature, but are there any others? For example President Obama appointed his Tzars, is there any control over who can be appointed to a position like that?
Schuyler Harvath
Emily Denman
ReplyDeleteI am from Virginia. In the recent election at one point, republican candidate for governor Ken Cuccinelli trailed democrat Terry McAuliffe by less than one percent with many precincts reporting. What would it have taken for Cuccinelli, who lost the election, to ask for a recount? Also, I have heard that absentee ballots are only counted in the case of a tie. Is this true? If a recount had been demanded, even if there was not a tie, would absentee ballots have been taken into account then?
Christopher Damiano.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: I have always wondered what some official day to day duties of the Mayor of a large city are? I know that they take on basic city problems, but what else is on their agenda?
Allison Knox
ReplyDeleteIt is apparent that both the Morgantown and University police departments are unwilling to work with each other regarding crimes and safety across campus "grey areas". Is there a way possible that Morgantown local government and SGA could come together to change this? It is ridiculous for each department to refuse a call for help because it is not in their jurisdiction.
Aimee Minor
ReplyDeleteWhat are your thoughts on School Choice? Do you feel like it is a good thing or not?
Taylor Shipley
ReplyDeleteWhat challenges do women face when running in an election?
Kelsey staggers
ReplyDeleteState and local government entities are obligated to provide individuals with disabilities access to programs, activities and services provided by state and local government.Are time limits for accessible on street parking spaces allowed?
Last week's discussion involved the failures of No Child Left Behind. I was wondering what particular changes to the education system could be put into place to try to make up for such failures?
ReplyDeleteMadeline Carey
Jacqueline Sagar
ReplyDeleteNow that many states have now legalized gay marriage, I was wondering if West Virginia has any plans on doing the same, or if it is even up for debate here. Do you think WV will ever legalize gay marriage in this state?
Tessie Sigman
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the 3 different types of taxation, is any one of those more commonly used or is it a good mix of all 3? With that being said, these 3 types of taxes are really fair to all parties who they are imposed on. Why haven't they developed a single, most fair system across all U.S. government regarding taxation?
Tyler Lemasters
ReplyDeleteQuestion: with the discussion of students not having a say in the local government voting, is the Sga or any student groups trying to show they have Voice and can help better the community by injection new and young ideas?
Hello my name is Logan Barry.
ReplyDeleteMy question might be a little bit confusing, hence that is why I am interested in it. My question relates to local governments that lie on state borders (such as Monongalia County). I know that many counties in states usually work together with other bordering counties within that state, such as law enforcement, roads, emergencies (fires, and emergency crews), property lines, etcetera. But what about counties that have bordering counties that are in another state? Do they work together through a county-to-county basis? Or does the state governments themselves have to intervene when this is the case? I just have never lived in an area that is so close to a state border, and was just wondering how county relations work when they are separated by state borders. So for example, does Monongalia County, West Virginia share any type of relationship with Fayette County or Greene County, Pennsylvania strictly through the control of the county, or does the states of Pennsylvania and West Virginia deal with these relations?
Kasey Sawyer
ReplyDeleteHow is it that the federal government does not approve of the legalization of marijuana and gay marriage, but some states those laws have passed?
Sarah Marino
ReplyDeleteand I have a largely related question to the Morgantown City Council meeting structure, given the meeting I went to was largely about the streets, bike trails, etc...I was curious as to how people felt about it. The grant they want to get for the "bike project" is a total of 54,000, being a resident of Morgantown since I was like 10- I honestly don't think that Morgantown needs that much money pumped into such a thing, that just blew my mind for some reason. I think if you're from Morgantown it does more so, but how does it make people feel in general?
Adam Woodring
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this is a question that has an answer, but why does bureaucracy exist? All it seems to do is make everything that's done in government take longer. And then after something takes longer to do, it doesn't actually get done in the way it was set out to get done
Brianna Jarcy
ReplyDeleteState governments are basically modeled after the national government. So what how are local governments modeled? I know they can choose between the various council/mayor/manager systems, but who decides that? Is it based on whether or not the locality has home rule?
Shannon Sullivan
ReplyDeleteCourtney Jones
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if there was ever a time that the city council did a trial run of students on the council
Tyler Clements
ReplyDeleteHow long has campaigning been such a necessary part of local politics? Is it possible to win an election with minimal campaigning?
Stella Castilano
ReplyDeleteKevin Downes
ReplyDeleteWhat changes must a public entity make to its existing facilities to make them accessible?
Steven Siebert
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to get contact information of people who proposed ideas in a city council meeting in order to contact them about trying to help get their idea/bill passed?
ReplyDeleteDo city council members take less consideration into passing bills or requests that are proposed by temporary citizens? For example, If I am a PA resident but live in Morgantown 9 months out of the year, what is the likelihood they would overlook my idea?
ReplyDelete