Virginia Government

Institutions and Policy

Liliokanaio Peaslee, Nicholas J. Swartz

• Publisher: CQ Press
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781483321752
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: American Government
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Equally at home as a companion to an introductory text or as a stand-alone resource, Virginia Government offers an excellent introduction to the political institutions, actors, and policy processes of the Old Dominion State. Paying special attention to the governing arrangements that make Virginia unique, from statewide city-county separation to a single-term governor to shifting electoral alignments, Peaslee and Swartz strike the perfect balance, combining necessary background and historical analysis with current events and policy issues to make the information relevant and engaging for today's students. Grounded in the comparative method, the text provides useful comparisons with governing institutions, political processes, and public polices in other states and localities.

CHAPTER1

An Introduction to Government and Policymaking in the Commonwealth

OUTLINE

One State, Many Virginias

An Unparalleled Political History

A Snapshot of Virginia Citizens

The Economy

Plan of the Book

I know no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.

—Thomas Jefferson, 1820

As an introduction to government and policymaking in Virginia, in this book we attempt to answer the charge by Thomas Jefferson—perhaps one of Virginian’s best known countrymen—to ensure a well-educated citizenry. Understanding our political structures and how state-level policy is made and being aware of resulting laws, regulations, and other political decisions are important for all citizens. There are numerous opportunities to participate in government at the state level and even more in local communities. Local governments, in particular, have been called “schools of democracy” where we can learn the art of citizenship. Unfortunately, we are often not as informed about what goes on close to home as we are with national issues, which tend to dominate media coverage. Institutions, like public policy, do not arise spontaneously, nor are they unable to be changed. Both the creation and modification of political institutions are the result of political decisions (though many were made long ago) about how to best govern the polity. Whether you want to work in state or local government, are charged with teaching the next generation of Virginian citizens, or want to be able to better understand and contribute to political discourse, it is important to be informed about government and policymaking in the state.

While the focus of this book is on the state of Virginia, throughout the text we provide comparisons with the political institutions and policy choices made by other states. The Commonwealth shares many similarities with other American states; however, in many respects, Virginia is unique, with policies and governing procedures that differ significantly from those across the country. Examining these similarities and differences can help us better understand why Virginians have made the political choices that govern our lives. Using a comparative method also provides us with examples of other institutional arrangements and alternative policy solutions to public problems. Not only can state policymakers learn a great deal from their neighbors but national decision makers also look to the states for ideas about public policy. Solutions to many different policy problems—from welfare to education to job creation—are often first tried by state legislatures which act as “laboratories” for national public policy experiments.¹

Virginia has a unique political history that has shaped the development of state and local political institutions and citizens’ attitudes about government. The state is also marked by significant diversity—in geography and topography, demographics, the economy, and the politics of its citizens. Each of these characteristics frames the distinct choices about government and policy made by state-level political actors and provides an important context for governing the Commonwealth. These factors are each briefly explored below.

One State, Many Virginias

Situated in the Mid-Atlantic, halfway between New York and Florida, Virginia is often called the “gateway to the South.” To its north, Virginia shares its borders with Maryland and with Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital. To the south are North Carolina and Tennessee and to the west, Kentucky and West Virginia. The Atlantic Ocean runs along the Eastern Shore. This results in wide variability in topographical regions, which has given life to a variety of communities, traditions, and local economies: from coal mining towns in the heart of Appalachia to the mountainous west; from coastal and fishing villages on the Eastern Shore to the bustling D.C. suburbs (Figure 1.1). Virginia has traditions as distinct as car racing and Civil War heritage in the South and the living history of Colonial Williamsburg.² Each provides richness to Virginia’s unique history and people. On the other hand, this diversity in land, resources, problems, and preferences can add complexity to governance.

An Unparalleled Political History

Of all the United States, Virginia has the deepest historical roots. The state is home to the first English colony; Jamestown was chartered in 1607—a decade before the Pilgrims steered the Mayflower onto Plymouth Rock. Unlike most of the other early colonies, Virginia was founded by the London Company and was predominantly a business investment by settlers seeking economic opportunities rather than a safe haven for Englishmen seeking religious freedom. This provides clear contrast to the Pilgrims in Massachusetts or Catholics in Maryland. However, the colony was not unreligious; the Anglican church was the official religion from 1607 to the American Revolution, with the King of England serving as head of both church and state.

The state of Virginia is technically a “commonwealth,” though the two terms are used interchangeably. This designation is shared by just three other states: Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. Meaning “common wealth” (or common good), a commonwealth is a state in which ultimate power is vested in the people and government is created to promote the welfare of its citizens. Reflecting the view of Virginia’s founders that government is a contract between people who are created equally free and independent, the state was designated the Commonwealth when its first constitution was adopted on June 29, 1776.³ Virginia is also sometimes referred to as the “Old Dominion State.” Frank Atkinson explains that “Virginia’s nickname . . . derives from colonial times. In the mid-17th century, King Charles II of England, who was especially fond of the colony, elevated Virginia to the ‘dominion’ status enjoyed by England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. The ‘old’ adjective was added by Virginians to reflect their status as the first of the King’s settlements in the New World.”⁴

Throughout its history, Virginia has also figured prominently in national politics. Eight of our country’s presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson—were all born here, more of them than in any other state. Many of these great men—along with countless other Virginia men and women—played a pivotal role in the American Revolution and in the nation’s founding. During the Civil War—a darker time in American history—the Confederate Congress used the state capitol in Richmond as its home. Virginia’s central place in the country’s founding and its strategic location between the North and South, made the Commonwealth’s decision to break with the Union especially significant for the cause of Southern succession.

Virginia’s history and culture have played an important role in its political culture, which can be defined as the prevailing attitudes and beliefs about the proper size and scope of government. Political culture in Virginia has been identified as traditionalist, rather than moralist or individualist.⁵ Because Virginia is so politically diverse, it can be hard to imagine a uniform political culture throughout the state. The term, however, refers not to citizens’ political ideologies (such as liberal or conservative) but to the underlying political norms that shape the types of political structures and policies created by the Commonwealth. In traditionalist political cultures, politics is dominated by elites with limited political involvement by ordinary citizens. Government’s primary role is to maintain social order, resulting in low spending on social services.⁶ The Old Dominion has undergone many changes over the last four hundred years, and more recent demographic changes are slowly transforming state politics. However, as will be seen in the chapters that follow, compared with many other states Virginia’s government still largely reflects traditional, conservative political values.

A Snapshot of Virginia Citizens

With just over eight million people, Virginia is the twelfth largest state in the United States. Although it has not experienced population growth as extreme as in the South and West, the state grew by 13 percent between 2000 and 2010 (nearly one million people in just ten years).⁷ Most of this growth occurred in Virginia’s metropolitan areas, especially northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. However, the population in Southside and the southwestern parts of the state declined slightly during the same period. While some of the overall population growth can be attributed to an increase in birthrates and life expectancy, importantly, it is also the result of in-migration. Nearly half of Virginia residents were born outside the Commonwealth. According to the 2010 Census, 38 percent of residents were born in another state and 11.4 percent were foreign born.⁸

The Commonwealth is also racially diverse. For the years 2007–2009, Virginia ran...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Halftitle
• CQ Press
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Tables, Figures, and Boxes
• Preface
• About the Author
• 1 An Introduction to Government and Policymaking in the Commonwealth
• 2 A Framework for Governing: Exploring the Virginia State Constitution
• 3 From Blue to Red and Back Again: Voting and Political Participation in Virginia
• 4 Organized Interests: Political Parties and Group Politics in the State Capital
• 5 The Virginia General Assembly: Lawmaking in the Nation’s First Legislature
• 6 Steering the Ship of the State: Executive Power in Virginia
• 7 Law and Order in Virginia: The State Court System
• 8 Administering Government: Bureaucratic Power and Politics in Virginia
• 9 Paying the Bill: Budgeting and Finance in Virginia
• 10 Municipalities and Metropolitanism: Local and Regional Governance in Virginia
• 11 Inside the Laboratory: Public Policymaking in Virginia
• Index
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