The importance of local government

People all over the country, and even all over the world, are captivated by our current presidential election. As you have no doubt seen, the top stories in practically every major newspaper, practically every day, are something about Obama saying that cats are bitter because of the perception that they are afraid of dogs, Hillary dodging sniper fire in Scranton, Pennsylvania, or how the "Family Recipes" posted on John McCain's website that his wife, Cindy, has supposedly been cooking for years were actually pulled, word for word, off Rachel Ray's website (that one is actually true). While I have not been blessed with the ability to watch CNN since August (one of the many sacrifices I made to study abroad), at least ten minutes of every hour's broadcast on Sky News, the UK's 24-hour news station which is broadcast all around English-speaking Europe, is dedicated to the American presidential race. There is no doubt that this election will have a substantial impact on the country as a whole. The choice the country makes in the national election in November will be quite important.

Less well appreciated, however, is the supreme importance of state and local government. The federal government only has jurisdiction over a limited number of issues; most things, and some of the most important things, are in the hands of the state. State government has strong control over the economy by controlling the minimum wage, encouraging business investment with tax incentives, and by making sure that taxes are fair. The state also provides local aid to towns - money that funds schools, libraries, and local police and fire departments. In tough economic times, like the current ones facing the global community, local policies have more impact than ever. Your state government will likely do more to ease the effects that you and people you know feel from the recession than the national government will. This year in Massachusetts, every single seat in the legislature will be contested in an election. If you live in Massachusetts, your State Representative and State Senator, unless they decided not to run, are both up for reelection. If your incumbent legislator is not running, it is safe to assume that someone else, probably several people, will be. No matter who is running, it is your chance to have your voice heard in government! In a state election, your vote counts much more: State Representatives only represent about 40,000 people, and State Senators less than 160,000, as opposed to 600,000 for Federal Congressional Representatives, and 300,000,000 for the President. Do the research, find a candidate you like, and do what you can to help him or her. Any local candidate will be more than happy to answer your questions about their positions, and would undoubtedly accept any offer of volunteer work. Most candidates have websites where you can contact them directly.

It is important to make sure you vote for the candidate who you think will do the best for you, because the specific people elected to the legislature in Massachusetts matter more than their parties. The legislators' personalities reign supreme, paradoxically, because of the size of Massachusetts's Democratic majority. Democrats outnumber Republicans by seven to one in both houses of the legislature, in addition to controlling the Executive branch. These supermajorities do not lead to the automatic successes of any Democratic-introduced legislation, however. As the recent battle over Governor Patrick's proposed plan for casinos shows, the personal feelings of legislators matters more than party discipline. Massachusetts's government makes decisions based on the issues, instead of the ideologies of the members' parties. While John Adams crafted the state's constitution to ensure that it remain, "a government of laws and not of men," the men and women elected to government definitely have a big impact on the laws that are created.

I write only about Massachusetts because it is the state I know best. However, these arguments apply in some way to all states. Our national government was constructed in such a way as to bring most decisions to the lowest level possible; jurisdiction over any issue proceeds to a higher governmental institution only if the lower one is not equipped to solve the problem. Therefore, the institutions that will have the most impact on your life are those closest to you: your local and state governments. If you want to create some real political change this November, get involved in the local races in your area, and always make sure to vote.