Morality Politics in American Cities By Elaine B. Sharp

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Morality Politics in American CitiesBy Elaine B.
Sharp

• A presentation by Abbey and Laconnie. Yay.

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The Author

• Elaine B. Sharp is professor of Political Science
  at the University of Kansas.
• She has written three other politics books.

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Presentation Overview

• Study of Morality Politics
• Abortion
• Gambling
• Sex Industry
• Gay Rights
• Drugs and Health
• Conclusion

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Morality Politics

• Issues of morality have now been brought to the
  mainstream agenda and have been identified as a
  new phenomenon in American politics.
• What accounts for the differences in policies
  from city to city surrounding issues of morality
  (i.e. drugs, gambling, etc.)?

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Morality Politics (Cont.)

• There are two major views on morality politics in
  local governments.
• Petersons classic categorization of city
  politics into developmental, allocational, and
  redistributive sphere of activity. None of the
  sphere of activity are defined to include
  morality issues but are primarily focused on how
  the issues help or hurt the economy.
• Stones regime theory emphasizes economic
  development and overlooks morality issues at the
  local level.

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Studying Morality Politics- Finding a Middle
Ground Approach

• Most studies of morality politics are done
  through Quantitative Analysis
• Pros involves many cities, provides a
  generalizable explanation for differences in
  policies
• Cons No historical perspective, only one issues
  at a time, and focuses on the adoption of a
  particular policy

• Sharps approach is done through data found in
  large quantitative studies and single city case
  studies to find a middle ground and show systemic
  comparisons and contrasts.

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Sharps Approach

• There are four key explanations for official
  action on a morality issues at the local level
• Cultural/Subcultural Explanations
• A city was determined unconventional by 6 issues
  in its community subculture in 1990, those being
  
• Same-sex partner households per 100,000
  households
• Percentage of individuals not living in
  households with married parents and children
  under the age of 19
• Percentage of women in the labor force
• Percentage of the workforce in professional,
  scientific, technical or educational categories
• Percentage of the population aged 25 and older
  with a bachelors degree or higher
• Percentage of the county population not adhering
  to a church
• Institutional Explanations
• Reformed VS Nonreformed
• Economic Explanations
• Declining VS Growing
• Intergovernmental Explanations
• Conflicting VS Cooperative Relationships

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Sharps Approach (Cont.)

• Ten cities were chosen due to their spectrum
  spanning characteristics.
• Five were conventional cities and five were
  unconventional cities.
• Pseudonyms were used for the study cities
  themselves and for individuals, organizations and
  specific places within each city to remind the
  reader that the intent is to move away from the
  mid-set that treats a particular citys
  experiences as being unique to that city. The
  idea is to create a relevant context inside of
  highlighting a citys uniqueness.

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The Study Cities (Unconventional)

• Valley City
• A growing city, home of many high tech companies
  and major exports.
• High medium income and high property values
• Liberal and Progressive
• In the sunbelt
• Voter turn out high but low political activism
• Hybrid reform city

• Western City
• Has a growing population.
• Historically has a boom and bust cycle economy
• Diversified economy with a good business climate
• Global aspirations for a more cosmopolitan city
• Non-reformed governmental structure

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The Study Cities (Unconventional Cont.)

• Port City
• Growing population and booming economy- in high
  tech and service sectors
• Diverse multiracial and multiethnic population
• Progressive on many morality issues
• Only 6 are fundamentalist or evangelical
  Christians
• Non-reformed with a strong mayoral form of
  government

• Hill City
• High tech city with much industrial growth in
  health care sector and tourism
• Focus on environmental issues
• Predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic
  population and smaller Black population
• Liberal oriented local politics
• Counsel Manger form of gov

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The Study Cities (Unconventional cont.)

• Metro City
• Declining job market and population
• Majority/Minority city, 2/3 of the population is
  black
• Good highway system and airport
• Great trade facilities
• Most jobs are going to the suburbs
• Unconventional subculture
• High level of church attendance (mostly in black
  churches)
• Strong mayoral form of government

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The Study Cities (Conventional)

• River City
• Old industrial city
• Top ten in National headquarters homes
• Declining Central City
• A mix between people of progressive and
  traditional values
• Home of civil rights developments and labor union
  power
• Hybrid version of the classic commission form of
  government

• South City
• Key distribution center (overnight drive from 60
  of the nations population)
• Declining city (incomes)
• Bible Belt
• Minimal mobilization of the Gay Community
• Hybrid form of city government

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The Study Cities (Conventional Cont.)

• Border City
• Downtown serves as a home for many national
  businesses
• Economically declining
• Tri-county region is culturally conservative on
  economic, moral and racial issues
• Large Catholic population
• Classic counsel manager form of government

• Lake City
• Economically distressed
• Government is trying to redevelop by building new
  housing and attracting the entertainment industry
  into the central business district (i.e. opening
  casinos and stadiums)
• High level of church membership
• Combination of reform and non-reform elements in
  government

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The Study Cities (Conventional Cont.)

• Coastal City
• In good economic shape! Major elements include
  tourism and the military
• In order to better the economy the city ventures
  into public-private partnerships or become sole
  proprietors of sports, recreation and
  entertainment facilities
• Most liberal city in a conservative state
  (relatively conservative)
• Counsel manager form of government

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ABORTION!
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Case Study Hill City VS. Costal City
Case Study Hill City VS. Costal City

• Hill City exhibits a strong pro-choice approach
  to abortion issues with is understandable based
  on its unconventional subculture.
• Police arrested protesters blocking abortion
  clinic entrances
• City Government increased funding for abortions

• Costal City has no abortion clinic, therefore the
  people who want to protest abortions do so in
  neighboring cities.
• The strong Christian right organizations in this
  conventional city keep abortion clinics out of
  the city.
• The city has not taken any action against
  abortion but the people itself have made it an
  unwelcome climate for the practice.

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In Conclusion

• The differences in community subculture determine
  the policy decisions made on the issue of
  abortion.
• Intergovernmental explanation are also important
  because state or county decisions may conflict
  with local needs.

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CASINOS!

• Gamble, Gamble, Gamble- WHAT!

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Case Study- Lake City VS. South City

• Because of Lake Citys 1970s economic crisis the
  mayor supported gambling even though the state
  prohibited it.
• City counsel submitted a proposal to legalize
  gambling, but it was defeated (i.e. religious
  opposition)
• Even more economic pressure caused the mayor to
  think harder. Proposals were passed supporting
  river boat gambling and Indian reservation
  gambling.
• Finally in 1999 and 2000 casinos were built in
  Lake City.

• Though there is a conventional subculture, most
  residents are in favor of gambling in South City
  because of the positive effects seen in a
  neighboring states economy.
• Gambling isnt legal in the state and efforts to
  overturn this have been shot down because of
  issues with family values.
• Fear of competition led lobbyists from the
  neighboring states casinos to provide incentives
  to discourage South Citys counsel from
  legalizing gambling.
• In the end the state legalized a lottery system
  and betting on horse races, but South City still
  has not received a horse track or the economic
  benefits of having one.

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In Conclusion

• The economic explanation is key in accounting for
  these cities stance toward gambling.
• Officials in declining cities are more receptive
  to gambling, while officials in growing cities
  are either disinterested or hostile.
• Conventional subculture is also another
  important factor in determining gambling policy
  (i.e. religion). But it doesnt entirely deter
  efforts to legalize gambling.
• The institutional explanation plays a minor role
  but there is evidence that strong mayors are
  crucial in the transformation of casinos from a
  moral issue to an economic savior.

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SEX! (The Industry, baby)

• Lets talk about

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Just so you know

• Sex industry policy is dealt with in three ways
• Prohibition- most restrictive, no sexy time is
  permitted
• Regulation- allowed but has limitations
• Prevention- least punitive

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Case Study- Costal City VS. Metro City VS. River
City

• Because of its reputation for being wild, Costal
  City got a reputation as a resort destination.
• The city has been trying to stamp out its sex
  industry because it wants to market itself as a
  family oriented place.

• Metro City has used zoning regulations and liquor
  licensing to slow and stifle the sex industry.
• These efforts have been proven ineffective
  because the actions are targeted at certain
  neighborhoods instead of the whole industry.

• Morality issues surrounding the sex industry have
  been comparatively rare in River City.
• The adult entertainment business was slowly
  bought out of the downtown area over time.
• The city has many ordinances banning or
  prohibiting sexually explicit activity or
  business.

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In Conclusion.

• Economic considerations are important to
  declining and growing cities and can work in more
  than one direction (i.e. permissive or
  restrictive policies).
• Intergovernmental policy is largely the same
  across cities, and subcultural differences do not
  matter as much for this issue.

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Gays, Rights, and Local Morality Politics.
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Case Study- Metro City VS. South City

• Metro City has a thriving openly gay community
  and gays have immerged as a force in politics.
• There was an ordinance bestowing insurance
  benefits on city employees and their live-in
  partners both gay and straight that was vetoed by
  the mayor.
• Gay couples were allowed to register as domestic
  partners, and anti-discriminatory laws regarding
  sexual orientation were implemented, but they
  were still given no benefits.
• But nearly a decade after the battle for health
  insurance started, it was finally granted to all
  domestic partners.

• In South City, efforts to push gay rights have
  been virtually non existent.
• The state had sodomy law the only applied to
  people of the same gender. In 1993 the law was
  challenged and declared unconstitutional.
• There was effort to ban gay marriage.
• Gay and Lesbian activist groups are a new thing
  in South City and have minimal political
  mobilization.
• In South City where gays are politically
  insignificant, city officials have provided
  nothing more than tolerance of gay pride events.

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In Conclusion

• For gay rights issues, local culture matters. The
  distinction of unconventional and conventional
  cities improves our ability to anticipate and
  understand the types of stances city officials
  take on gay issues.

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DRUGSNot your average DARE class..
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Case Study 1 Drug Courts- South City VS. Metro
City

• South City a drug court has been established in
  South County but a treatment oriented drug court
  came late to South County delayed by both
  community politics and conflict with the state
  government.

• Metro City received momentum for the building of
  a drug court due to the efforts of governmental
  and nongovernmental actors that had come together
  before to battle alcohol and drug abuse.
• Gaining resources to support the drug courts was
  a challenge
• Now the drug courts are seen as better options
  than incarceration due to their rehabilitative
  nature

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Case Study 2 Needle Exchange- Valley City and
Lake City.

• In Valley County it is illegal to possess or
  provide hypodermic needles without a prescription
  in the state.
• Valley County officials have been at odds with
  the conservative state officials because they run
  an underground needle exchange program.
• In 1999 underground needle exchange programs were
  legalized.

• Though earlier efforts to create a needle
  exchange program were opposed, in 1996 the city
  counsel approved a needle exchange program.
• Lake Citys needle exchange program has been able
  to solicit private donations in order to continue
  business.
• Some concerns were raised by residents on the
  location of needle exchange programs because of
  fear of drug culture leaking into neighborhoods.

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In Conclusion

• In both cases the subcultural influences are most
  important. Drug courts are more accepted in
  unconventional communities, but have been
  implemented in both conventional and
  unconventional cities. Needle exchange programs
  are much better received in unconventional
  communities.

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CONCLUSION

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN???

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THE END (well kinda)

• The various explanations are not equally relevant
  for each morality topic. Morality issues are
  neither the same, driven by the same dynamics,
  nor shaped by the same factors.
• The weakness of institutional explanation is that
  so many different institutions are potentially
  relevant in morality issue decision making.
• An important consideration for evaluation the
  intergovernmental explanation is the lack of
  variation.

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The End (almost there)

• The explanations that most account for the
  difference in decision making on morality issues
  are the economic and subcultural.

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The REAL END!

• One must distinguish between pure morality and
  material morality issues.
• Pure morality issues are those which the
  competing sides and competing issues frames they
  offer are all grounded in morals rather than
  material benefits or economic stakes.
• Material morality are ones in which there are a
  clash between morals and money.