States, Public Policy, Polarization

The death of expertise:




LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

Max Fine notes an article on current disputes, Myah Ward at Politico:

...Georgia's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, has been even bolder in his moves to reopen the state's businesses shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic. Bowling alleys, gyms, tattoo parlors and hair and nail salons will be allowed to reopen beginning Friday, as long as business owners adhere to social-distancing and hygiene guidelines. Starting next week, movie theaters can reopen and restaurants will be allowed to return to limited dine-in service.

... 

Democratic mayors in the state have condemned the governor’s orders. Mayor Kelly Girtz of Athens-Clarke County, Ga., told CNN Tuesday that he was urging his constituents not to follow the governor’s advice for reopening.

“I’m exhorting everybody in this community to continue to shelter in place. Do not reopen at this point. It’s not the time to do it,” Girtz said. “It’s like telling the quarterback, ‘We don’t have a helmet for you, we don’t have pads, but get out there on the field and just try not to get sacked.”

 Governors and Mayors -- cities are highly dependent on state governments

Blueberries in tomato soup: red states have blue cities, such as Austin, Texas

But even those from the same party often hate each other.

• Cuomo v. DiBlasio
• Pataki v. Giuliani

Also, the incentives of the national party diverge from those of state officials, even those of the same party.

John Wagner at WP:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) drew flak Thursday from governors in both parties after suggesting that states hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak should be allowed to seek bankruptcy protections rather than be given a federal bailout.

McConnell’s comments, made during a radio interview on Wednesday, came amid a renewed push from states for help from Washington to cover lost tax revenue that has been among the dire consequences of the ongoing pandemic.

“This is really one of the dumb ideas of all time,” New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) said during a briefing in Albany in which he warned that bankruptcy declarations by multiple states would lead to “a collapse of this national economy.”

Republicans who panned the idea included Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), chairman of the bipartisan National Governors Association, which has asked McConnell for $500 billion to help states deal with lost revenue.

And state budgets are collapsing -- causing pressure both on GOP tax-cut proposals and Democratic spending proposals. 

THE LIMITED IMPACT OF GOP PROPOSALS. ON ABORTION, MANY PRO-LIFE POLS REALLY ARE RELUCTANT TO PULL THE TRIGGER.

The future:  demographics tend to favor the Democrats