Solutions to Social Problems: Lessons from State and Local Government

This text examines specific cases where states and cities are ahead of the federal government in providing solutions to social problems.   States and cities are sometimes ahead of the federal government in providing solutions to social problems. The federal bureaucracy often prefers no change to change. Congress is sometimes paralyzed by party and ideological differences resulting in stagnation. In this vacuum, some states provide innovative programs to solve social problems that may be applicable at the federal level.   This book examines specific examples of state and local initiatives to solve these representative social problems: undemocratic practices, poverty, inadequate wages for the working poor, unequal educational opportunity by class and race, the inadequate and inefficient health care system, the environmental crisis, and the decaying or inadequate infrastructure.

Table of Contents:
IN THIS SECTION: 1.) BRIEF 2.) COMPREHENSIVE     BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:   Preface   Chapter 1  Introduction:   States and Cities Solving Social Problems Chapter 2  Democracy and Campaign Reform Chapter 3  The Environment:  Initiatives to Reduce Global Warming Chapter 4  Building America’s Infrastructure Chapter 5  Improving Education Chapter 6  Poverty, Homelessness and Affordable Housing Chapter 7  Improving Wages for the Poor and the Near Poor Chapter 8  Health Care for all      COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS: *Each chapter ends with a Summary and References   Preface   Chapter 1  Introduction: States and Cities Solving Social Problems Some Words of Caution   Chapter 2  Democracy and Campaign Reform Democracy and American Elections Financing Political Campaigns Campaign Finance Reform State Governments and Campaign Finance Reform Maine Clean Elections Vermont Clean Elections Arizona Clean Elections Massachusetts Clean Elections Connecticut Clean Elections North Carolina, New Mexico, and New Jersey Public Financing Other States and Public Financing Municipal Governments and Campaign Finance Reform New York City and Campaign Finance Los Angeles and Campaign Finance Portland, Oregon, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, Campaign Finance States and Municipalities Move toward Political Equality with Campaign Finance Reform   Chapter 3  The Environment: Initiatives to Reduce Global Warming The Problem The U.S. Response to Global Warming International Treaties Rescinding Existing Environmental Statutes Lax Enforcement Minimizing the Threat of Global Warming State and Local Initiatives to Lessen Global Warming California Leading the Way Progressive State and Local Initiatives to Halt Global Warming Postscript: The Federal Government Blocks the States’ Efforts to Mandate Emissions   Chapter 4  Building U.S. Infrastructure Infrastructure: The Foundation on Which Modern Societies Are Built Federal Government and Infrastructure American Society of Civil Engineers and Infrastructure The Status of Current U.S. Infrastructure Reasons for the Infrastructure Crisis Solutions to Infrastructure Problems through State and Local Governments States and Infrastructure Cities and Infrastructure   Chapter 5  Improving Education The American Public Education System: Beloved but Plagued by Controversy The Changing Role of the Federal Government in Education Post-World War II: Growing Federalization of Education Federal Intervention in Education in the Twenty-First Century States and Local Communities Lead Education Reform from Prekindergarten through Secondary School Prekindergarten Education Initiatives Elementary and Secondary School Educational Initiatives Charter Schools School Vouchers Magnet Schools Homeschooling Higher Education and Government Initiatives Federal Involvement in Higher Education State Governments and College and University Initiatives   Chapter 6  Poverty, Homelessness, and Affordable Housing Poverty, Homelessness, and Affordable Housing: Meaning and Consequences Federal Poverty Threshold and Guidelines Living in Poverty Rate of Poverty Consequences of Living in Poverty Homelessness: Its Meaning and Consequences Causes of Homelessness Affordable Housing: Its Meaning and Consequences Federal Antipoverty Programs Beginnings of Federal Antipoverty Efforts Social Security--A Retirement and Antipoverty Program Food Stamp Program Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Effectiveness of Federal Antipoverty Programs Minimum Wage as an Antipoverty Program Role of the Federal Government in Alleviating Homelessness Federal Government and Affordable Housing State and Local Governments: Beyond Federal Government Assistance to the Poor State and Local Government Antipoverty Initiatives Examples of DHS Programs Department of Housing and Community Services The Oregon Commission on Children and Families State Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs) Programs State and Local Government: Homelessness and Affordable Housing Initiatives City Programs for the Homeless and Affordable Housing Initiatives   Chapter 7  Improving Wages for the Working Poor and the Near Poo The Working Poor and the Near Poor The Working Poor The Near Poor Government Programs to Ease the Burden on the Working Poor and the Near Poor Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) State and Municipal Earned Income Tax Credit Programs Federal Minimum Wage Minimum Wages Set by the States More Than the Minimum--A Living Wage   Chapter 8  Health Care for All The Crisis in Health Care Rising Health Care Costs The Uninsured Unequal Access to Health Care A Health Care System That Relies on Profit State and Local Health Care Initiatives Statewide Universal Health Care Coverage Massachusetts Vermont Maine California Other State Initiatives for Expanded Coverage