What Are The Levels Of Government Vs Federal Government

Local governments can do a better job of protecting human health and the environment than can the federal government. In classic conservative political theory, the “most significant form of government is what is closest to the people” (Veith 2012). In other words, local governments, in which the citizens select their neighbors to govern the community, are the most important forms of government. As the levels of government become more distant from the people who elected them, political involvement becomes more abstract. Because of this phenomenon the higher levels of government “grow more problematic, especially when it usurps power from the officials closer to the people” (Veith 2012). Many state lawmakers have accused the federal government …show more content…
Local governments legislate and make decisions in areas over which they have legislative authority. Although local laws are not allowed to replicate or be inconsistent with state and federal laws, they have vital influence on issues such as infrastructure, health, and environmental policies. According to research performed by Hsueh et al., the likelihood that a voluntary program offers informational over reputational benefits is 5.4 times higher when it is sponsored by the state government as opposed to the federal government. In the same study, the researchers also discovered that local governments have a “relative informational advantage over the federal government in understanding the specific needs of the sectors in their respective economies”(Hsueh 2012). Since federal laws are more general and have a “one-size-fits-all” model, this leads to local government protests of federal law (Tomescu 2013). Moreover, a benefit of having local governments implement policies before the federal government is that the local government may experiment with new approaches that could be potentially considered a policy model for other states or for the nation as a whole. This …show more content…
Local governments set the overall direction for their municipalities through long-term planning such as council plans, financial plans, municipal strategic statements, and other strategic plans. “Setting the vision, then ensuring that it is achieved, is one of the most important roles of local government” (Good Governance Guide 2011). An example of the importance of local governments is the influence that locally elected officials have. Contrary to popular belief, local elections may be more important than presidential ones. The president is not constitutionally responsible for communities. Instead, states and local governments take care of amenities and infrastructure, such as transportation and schooling. The people elected in local elections have more impact and influence over citizens’ daily lives because they are accountable for the taxes, welfare, and the judiciary. Moreover, locally elected officials are supposed to be a perfect example of democracy. The elected officials act on citizen’s behalf and convey their issues to the federal government. Therefore, participating in local elections is supposed to be the “most democratic aspect of American politics” (Grant 2016). Additionally, human health has become more prevalent of an issue over the past century. The possibility of an influenza