What civic actions have been influenced by individuals’ opposing views?

Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia reportedly asked the above question to Benjamin Franklin, who had taken part in the secret deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.  His response underscores the responsibility that citizens have in maintaining this experiment known as The United States of America, the success of which rests upon civic engagement.

The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement finds in their report, Civic Engagement and the Changing Transition to Adulthood:

“Today’s young adults are less engaged in civic and political activities than their predecessors were 30 years ago. One reason, we argue, is that other aspects of young adulthood have also changed dramatically….As a result, it is not surprising that voting and other forms of engagement are also being delayed. The delay is nevertheless harmful because young adults lose political and civic influence and opportunities to develop skills and networks.”

Unfortunately, rates of civic engagement have been fading for decades; this Wallethub study explores evidence of a growing lack of political engagement among all Americans. Why has this once-cherished American value declined in the last fifty-odd years, and what can we do to reinvigorate it? Why is civic engagement so important?

Case Study

Running for local office is one of the best ways to make a difference in a community, but most people don’t know where to even begin. In Austin, it’s not so difficult with The Center for Austin’s Future’s ATXelerator program. The nonprofit organization seeks to identify, educate, and support local civic leaders and the general public regarding public policy and service, and its three-month program specifically trains and educates potential candidates for local offices such as city councils or local boards and commissions. Mentors in the program are current or former elected officials and community leaders, who teach participants classes on various issues pertaining to communities from land use and economic development to social equity and homelessness.  

What makes the ATXelerator program stand out is its tech-accelerator model – like Shark Tank, but applied to local politics. Participants are immersed in the world of government operations and issues facing their community, and end their experience with a pitch that “enables each participant to put forward a policy platform that they would advocate in a hypothetical race.” Regardless of the route participants take after they complete their training, the program seeks to give citizens the tools they need to “handle the big issues that growing cities face.”

Explanation:

in the united states a public policy is an agreed upon way that our federal, state, or local government fulfills its responsibilities, such as protecting the rights of individuals and promoting the welfare of all the people. some public policies are written into laws by legislatures. other policies are contained in rules and regulations created by executive branches of government, the branches responsible for carrying out and enforcing laws.

the following are examples of public policies and the governmental agencies responsible for carrying them out.

school districts are responsible for making policies regarding student behavior and discipline. teachers and school administrators enforce these policies. state legislatures are responsible for making laws that place speed limits on drivers. police officers enforce these laws. city governments often adopt policies that prohibit people from operating liquor stores near public schools. city inspectors and zoning departments enforce these policies.

when people become aware of problems in their communities, they often want government to develop and carry out policies to deal with those problems. these may be problems for which there are

existing policies or laws that do not work well,

existing policies or laws that are not being enforced,

no policies or laws.

as a citizen of the united states you have a right to say what you think government should do about problems in your community. you also have a right to say what you think about problems in your state, the nation, and about international problems. you have the right to try to influence the decisions people in your government make about all of those problems.

to be able to participate effectively, however, citizens need to know which levels of government and which governmental agencies are responsible for changing, enforcing, or developing a specific public policy. for example, state legislatures may direct agencies to enact policies resulting from federal legislation. or, local governments may create policies in order to carry out responsibilities assigned to them through laws enacted at the state or federal level. additionally, as part of the process of developing and implementing policy, governmental agencies must determine if the new policy conflicts with existing legislation or policy.

this project is intended to you learn how to express your opinions, how to decide which level of government and which agency is most appropriate for dealing with the problem you identify, and how to influence policy decisions at that level of government. it calls for you to work cooperatively with others in your class and, with the of your teacher and adult volunteers, to accomplish the following tas

i do not know the question, but all of the above are correct; ///good luck;