Governor and Public Policy Paper Essay.
Governor and Public Policy Paper
Instructions:-
Signature Assignment 3 (Unit 6): Governor and Public Policy Paper
Objective: The objective for this assignment is for students to understand the critical linkage between participatory democracy (elections) and public policy in a representative democracy. It is the individual and corporate responsibility of the voters to make sure that elected officials implement public policy beneficial to the public and, if they do not, to remove them from office the next election. Students must explain how elected governors can use their formal and informal powers to influence public policy.
Scenario for the assignment:
Congratulations! You have recently been elected the Governor of Texas. You built your successful campaign around promises to address four issues that are significant to the voters of Texas: controlling immigration from Mexico, limiting the power of the national government, making sure the death penalty is applied fairly and improving k-12 education. Please discuss each of these issues and focus on the following:
1. Write a paper that answers the questins below.
2. In explaining how you will vote on the bill, be sure to explain the following:
- Why these issues likely helped
get you elected Governor (refer to Campaign message and campaign strategy from
Unit 2)?
- Discuss the formal and informal powers of the Governor Texas?
- What is at least one formal power (do not use the same formal power all of the issues) that you can use to get each policy passed by the legislature?
- What is at least one informal power (do not sue the same informal power for each of the issues) that you can use to get each policy passed by the legislature?
3. The paper should include subject headers (ie. Campaign Issues, Formal Powers, Informal Powers, etc.).
Solution
Governor and Public Policy Paper
Introduction
The political field in the United States is characterized by democracy; that is, both representative and participatory democracy where Americans are involved in the creation of public policy. Elections in the United States are conducted after four years; hence, ensuring people select their representatives who are expected to implement public policy beneficial to the states and country where failure to perform the duty may lead to their removal during the next election. The representatives are selected for positions such as president, senator, or governor; hence, they should possess effective campaign strategies to promote their victory after the elections. Therefore, this paper will focus on the Governor of Texas elective position and the campaign strategies utilized to clinch the position during the general elections in the United States. The essay will also focus on the formal and informal powers associated with the Governor of Texas in the country.
Campaign Issues
The creation of a manifesto is a major strategy where the aspirant documents some of the motives and promises he or she will strive to achieve when elected. In this case, I as the Governor of Texas can create a manifesto based on the issues affecting the people living in Texas. Some of the issues include immigration, limiting the power of the national government, education, and the death penalty debate. Immigration from Mexico has been a challenge affecting Texas since people are moving from Mexico; hence, increasing the state’s population. This has led to the increase in criminal activities such as robbery, rape, homicide, and drug abuse. Therefore, controlling the immigration from Mexico indicates that the population in Texas will be effectively managed; hence, limiting the emergence of criminal practices. Limiting the power of the national government is also a crucial issue where I can implement policies that aim at promoting the rights and freedom of the people in Texas. The improvement of education in Texas may also influence the voters of the state during the election process since some of the disadvantaged communities and families have over the years received low-quality education leading to increased poverty. Therefore, I must address this issue and indicate how I will strive to improve the status of education in Texas. Lastly, I must also address the death penalty debate to enable me to be selected by the voters of Texas. This is because capital punishment in the state has over the years been utilized unfairly where offenders involved in petty crimes have been subjected to the death penalty.
Formal Powers
Formal powers, in this case, are the rights and authority associated with the office of the Texas governor and recognized by the US Constitution. Therefore, the formal powers of the Governor of Texas may be similar to those of other governors in the different states since they are involved in regulating and managing their functions. Therefore, I can utilize the powers to effectively handle the issues affecting the state to ensure people living in Texas are safe and free to conduct their activities. The powers include tenure and appointment, budget, and legislative authority. Tenure and appointment powers are based on indicating I have the right to operate in the position for a four-period term where I am free to appoint individuals to work in the Texas State Government. I also possess budgetary powers that I can utilize to promote the efficient allocation of resources in the state. Therefore, I can allocate resources in the education sector to cater to the needs of the disadvantaged families that cannot access quality education. Lastly, the legislative powers involve the Texas governor managing the operations and activities of the state’s legislature where I can promote the implementation of laws and policies to be observed in Texas. Therefore, the governor can utilize this power to control the immigration of people from Mexico to Texas to ensure the population is effectively managed.
Informal Powers
The informal powers, in this case, are the rights and authority that are not guaranteed by the US Constitution; hence, they may vary from a governor to governor depending on their strength where they may include party power, and power of staff. Party power involves the Governor of Texas being the party leader in the state and has the authority to coordinate the party members to ensure my agendas are successful in Texas. Power of staff, on the other hand, is associated with the Texas governor creating staff positions in the state that are based on political, personal, or professional positions. Therefore, I can also utilize the informal powers to ensure the activities and practices of the state are effectively managed and controlled.
Conclusion
Therefore, this study indicates the campaign policies and strategies that can be utilized by political aspirants in the United States. For instance, individuals aspiring to be the Governor of Texas must utilize effective strategies to enable the voters of Texas to elect them during the general elections. Therefore, they must address crucial issues that affect the operations conducted in the state in their manifesto and indicate how they will strive to eliminate the issues. Some of the campaign issues that can be used in Texas include regulating immigration from Mexico, improving education, addressing the death penalty debate, and limiting the powers of the national government. The office of the Governor of Texas is associated with some powers; that is, both formal and informal powers that enable the governor to effectively manage the state. The formal powers, in this case, include tenure and appointment, budgetary, and legislative powers while informal powers include party power and power of staff.