Current Issues In Public Administration

The question they responded to:
Discuss and describe the nation’s “federal and state relations” and in combination with a description and discussion of the type of “federalism” that has been employed by the federal government and specifically the Trump administration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and b) discuss whether you believe it is appropriate and effective and if so why and if not why not and what changes you would recommend.

This is the person you will reply to and their response to the question:

Vanessa Peterson

Unit 1 Discussion Board
COLLAPSE

The state and federal governments have such a significant impact our daily lives, there should be a sense of balance between the federal and state power (Khan Academy, 2020). The federal government has limited power in specific areas and the state government is charged with protecting the welfare, protection and well-being of their residents.

When the state’s first confirmed the Constitution and agreed to come together as a country, they did not want the federal government to have too much control over the country. As an alternative, they decided on a federal system that divides government powers between the federal and state governments. Some powers were delegated to the federal government and any power not delegated to the federal government would belong to the people and the states, known as reserved powers which allows state government to create rules for the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of their states (Federalism: A Division of Power, n.d.).

Today, it appears that the federal government control has overtaken the states and, on many occasions, overstepped its boundaries. This micromanaging of the federal government has caused many disputes between states and the federal government which has been a continuing theme in American politics. Growing division in politics leads to more disagreements between the federal government and the states and is splitting states into separate Democratic and Republican teams. The textbook states that, “They complain the federal government is often heavy-handed, forcing harmful programs or policies on them without adequate consultation” (Villarruel, 2020, p. 422), but I believe that no matter the subject, whom is in office, what either side proposes, Republicans and/or Democrats will have an issue.

I believe that the Trump Administration mishandled the pandemic in a sense that they downplayed the seriousness and their reaction time was delayed. Maybe the delayed response was because he did not and still does not have a plan but to let the pandemic run its course. President Trump response to the pandemic did not exemplify a steady administration, if anything it portrays an unsteady administration. Donald Trump repeatedly softened the severity of the pandemic as something that would disappear on its own. Early on in the pandemic, President Trump had met with U.S. senators about Covid-19, the president addressed the press that America was prepared and doing a great job. “And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away,” he insisted. He also harassed Joe Biden for wearing a protective mask even though the virus has killed more than 200,000 people in the United States alone(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Even after watching and hearing the stories of cities that were hit hard by COVID-19, Trump reluctantly urged the United States to social distance. At one point he insinuated that the shortage of masks in New York was because they were being sold on the black market and threaten to withhold educational funding if schools refuses to reopen.

Although I do disagree with the way it is being handled it is hard to say what changes I would recommend on how the Trump Administration respond to the pandemic. I do not believe it would make a difference how or when he addressed the nation, what protective measures he or his administration suggests, someone will have an issue with it.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, October 30). National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm

Federalism: A division of Power. (n.d.). The Texas Constitution. Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://dlc.dcccd.edu/txgov1-2/federalism-a-division-of-power

The Relationship between the States and the Federal Government. (2020). Khan Academy. Retrieved Octoer 31, 2020 from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-government-and-civics/us-gov-foundations/us-gov-relationship-between-the-states-and-the-federal-government/a/relationship-between-the-states-and-the-federal-government-article

Remarks by President Trump After Meeting with Republican Senators. (2020, March 10). Briefing Statements. Retrieved October 29, 2020 from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-meeting-republican-senators-2/

Villarruel, A. (Ed). (2020). Issues for Debate in American Public Policy: Selections from CQ Researcher. Sage Publications Ltd.

Instructions:

Read Instructions first – and the Unit II Discussion Reply Board Instructions, Score Matrix and Example by clicking on Unit II DB Reply Instructions, Score Matrix & Example.pdf before accessing and clicking on “Unit II Discussion Reply Board” above to post your Reply to a classmate’s answer taken from the Unit I Discussion Question Board. This is the second of two parts to the Unit I & II Discussion Boards (The first part was the Unit I Discussion Board question assignment). Only if you posted your answer to the Unit I question on the Unit I Discussion Board should you then post your “Reply” on the Unit II Discussion Board to a classmate’s posted answer stating and discussing whether you agree or disagree with your classmate’s answer and why you agree or disagree pursuant to the further instructions below.

Inasmuch as each post is critically graded and due to both space and time constraints you are only to submit/post one (1) Reply to only one (1) and only one (1) classmate’s answer on the Unit II Discussion Board. Please note the Unit I & II Discussion Boards are both reserved just for their assignments and are NOT intended be used as a “chat room,” etc. For all other informal communications in the nature of a chat or blog (which will be not graded) the students should use the Open-Discussion Forum which can be accessed by clicking on it on the vertical menu on the left side of the screen. Accordingly, a deduction of 5 points per post will be imposed for any additional posts.

Format, etc. –

Typed – in Times New Roman black 12 pt. font
Begin Reply with – the initial of the first name followed by the last name of the classmate’s answer that you are replying to (i.e., “J. Smith”).Word
Length – at least 500 words but not more than 1000 words,
Citations -at least 4 in-discussion citations to sources/authorities on the subject, at least one of the in-discussion citations being to the course text in modified (include page #) APA format.

Posting Mechanics –

Word Doc draft – it is recommended that you first prepare your Reply off line on a Word Doc and then copy and paste your Reply by:

Clicking on “Unit II Discussion Board – above on top left-side of these instructions after you have proofed and saved Word Doc draft of your Reply, then
Scroll down to the classmate’s posted answer you have selected for your Reply
Click on the Answer thread of the classmate’s answer you have selected for your Reply
Scroll down to the bottom of your classmate’s answer
Click on “Reply” at the bottom of your classmate’s answer
Post Reply – then type your (or copy and paste your Word Doc draft) Reply in the “Message” box
Submit – Once you have posted your Reply click on “Submit” (not “Cancel” or “Save Draft”).

Grading = (1) substantive quality of the discussion in the Reply, (2) format, (3) length and (4) grammar/spelling. See Score Matrix on Unit II Discussion Board Instructions, Score Matrix and Example.