POS 4194 – BEYOND THE BELTWAY: Politics in States, Counties, and Communities

Spring, 2013

Professor Richard K.Scher

204 Anderson

Office Hours: Tu/Th 9:00-10:30 and by appointment

352-273-2356

PURPOSE:

To provide an introduction to politics in the hinterlands of the United States. The emphasis is on familiarizing students with politics outside the Washington beltway, because that’s where the real political dynamics and action take place. The course will examine the structures and dynamics of politics in states, counties, and communities as well as key issues of politics that exist at those levels.

If the class has a theme, it is that Politics Beyond the Beltway, rather than being “Laboratories of Democracy” as is often claimed, is too often government of the few, by the few, and for the few; that corruption is rampant; and that money speaks just as loudly Beyond the Beltway as inside it.

CLASSES:

Lectures will be presented, but this is primarily a discussion course. Students are expected to read the required materials in advance of class, and come prepared to use them as a vehicle for discussion. Attendance will NOT be taken, but students are responsible for everything that happens in class, including announcements and surprise assignments/projects. If a student misses class, it is his/her responsibility to find out what was missed; students are also responsible for all information on the syllabus.

READINGS:

All students must read the following items:

  • Carl Hiaasen, SICK PUPPY (or another of his political novels)
  • Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, THE RICH AND THE REST OF US

EITHER:

  • Anthony Flint, WRESTLING WITH MOSES

OR

  • Robert Caro, THE POWER BROKER: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York

Most of the class readings will consist of articles, chapters, papers, etc. which the instructor will send via the class list serve. These are required, and there are likely to be a lot of them. Studentsshouldopen the email address they provided the Registrar on a regular basis to ensure they receive and read these items. They should be read as directed and archived/bookmarked for use in class and on written and oral assignments.

Specific reading assignments will be made in class and/or over the class list serve.

CLASS LIST SERVE:

  • The class list serve will be used not only to distribute required readings, but for announcements of a variety of kinds.
  • Students are responsible for everything that goes out over the class list serve. Failure to attend to the list serve regularly will put students at a serious disadvantage.

TOPICS COVERED IN COURSE:

  • All Politics is Local – or is it?
  • What do we mean by “Inside the Beltway” politics?
  • What drives it?
  • Why would we expect politics Beyond the Beltway to be different?
  • Is all politics local?
  • Confoundments of the Federal system
  • Federal-state
  • State-local
  • How Democratic are the mechanisms and instruments of state and local government?
  • The “Laboratories of Democracy” mythology
  • Political Corruption – As American As Apple Pie
  • Hiaasen
  • Whose interests are served at state and local levels? How democratic are our mechanisms and instruments of government?
  • Political Parties – big tents, or the circuses inside?
  • Interest Groups – fronts for corruption?
  • Buying Elections – It’s easy, it’s cheap, and it works
  • Governors and Mayors – spokesmen for real people, or representatives of special interests?
  • Legislatures – state and local, the best money can buy
  • Lining Pockets, Denying people: 4 examples of corrupt and anti-democratic politics Beyond the Beltway:
  • Rebuilding Downtown – Sports Stadia, Performing Arts Centers, Convention Centers, and other gimmicks: Economic “Development” paid for by Shell Games, Smoke and Mirrors, and Chicanery
  • Flint or Caro
  • Race, Poverty, Civil Rights – How State and Local Governments keep “Those People” in their place, away from the gated communities.
  • Smiley and West
  • Reapportionment – Making sure YOU are not represented (unless you are a member of the “approved” population)
  • Voting Rights – They keep you from voting, too

REQUIREMENTS: Besides attending regularly, arriving in class informed and engaged, and participating in the intellectual life of the class, students must satisfy the following requirements:

Group Projects – each student must participate in TWO (2)group projects. One project MUST address “Rebuilding Downtown.” Groups are free to choose from any of the other topics mentioned above.

  • Corruption in states, counties, and/or communities: How does corruption undermine democracy?
  • How do state and local governments perpetuate, or combat, problems of race, poverty, and inequality?
  • Reapportionment –how does the process shut out voices and perpetuate the powerful?
  • Voting Rights – Why do state and local governments make it so hard to vote?

All of these will be explained in class. The culmination of each project will be a BRIEF presentation in class (5-7 minutes) and a short report given to the teacher. The instructor will be RUTHLESS as a time keeper. And no late reports will be accepted under ANY circumstances.

The mode of presentation is up to the individual groups. Special attention should be paid to these presentations, because HOW the material is demonstrated affects its SUBSTANCE and MEANING. Students are welcome to use PowerPoint for in-class presentations, but NOT for the reports handed to the instructor. They can however be videos, notebooks, papers, or something else; groups should discuss with the instructor what kind of report they intend to hand in. If students write papers, they should be in the 5 page range, excluding citations.

Due dates:

  • Class presentations will be made on April 16 and 18, with any leftovers for the final day of class, April 23. Groups can choose which report they want to present the first day, and which the second. No group can make two presentations on the same day.
  • BOTH reports from groups are due April 16; NO late reports will be accepted under any circumstances, no exceptions allowed so don’t even think about asking.

Individual Projects:

Each student must prepare two individual projects (probably, but not necessarily, a paper, there are plenty of other possibilities except for PowerPoint slides) on two separate topics of his/her choosing. Topics for the papers MUST be on a subject OTHER than the two chosen for the group reports. Topics need NOT be those studied in class; students should consult with the instructor about the topics chosen. If the student writes a paper, it should be 3-5 pages, excluding citations.No late papers will be accepted without prior permission of the instructor.

Due dates:

  • First individual project – February 28
  • Second individual project –April 2

NOTE: ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN HARD COPY. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS AND ATTACHMENTS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.

NOTE: ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE FULLY DOCUMENTED AND CITED. No particular format is required, but all references must be clear, complete, and accessible.

Make-up Policy – students with UF approved excused absences will be permitted to make up missed assignments or turn in assignments/examinations late as long as appropriate documentation is presented, without penalty. Assignments or examinations missed or turned in late that do not meet UF approved reasons, or which are not accompanied by publicly verifiable documentation, will receive a grade of ZERO. No exceptions.

Examinations: There is no mid-term examination in this class. The final examination will be of the take-home/essay variety. It will be distributed to students on the last day of class (April 23), and will be due in the instructor’s office by noon, Monday, April 29. “Noon” is defined by the official US time service ( ). No late papers will be accepted without the prior approval of the instructor.

Final Grades:

  • 2 group projects – 40 pts (@ 20pts)
  • Individual projects – 30 pts. (@ 15pts)
  • Final examination - 30pts

Students’ final grades are based on the sum of the scores received on each of the course evaluations. Scores will be translated into final grades according to the following scale:

  • 90-100 - A
  • 80-89 - B
  • 70 - 79 - C
  • 60-69 - D
  • < 60 - E
  • + grades are given only when total scores are at the margin between whole grades (e.g., a total of 78/79 receives a C+; a total of 77 receives a C).
  • no minus grades are given in this course.

Make-up Policy:

Students with UF approved excused absences will be permitted to make up missed assignments or turn in assignments/examinations late as long as appropriate documentation is presented, without penalty. Assignments or examinations missed or turned in late that do not meet UF approved reasons, or which are not accompanied by publicly verifiable documentation, will receive a grade of ZERO. No exceptions.

PLEASE NOTE:

Because of budget constraints, there is no hard-copy version of this syllabus. Nor is it posted on any website. There is only the e-version. Please download it or preserve it in some way so you will have ready access to it.