Local government should be important to us

Harry Hayes, a faculty member in the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, spoke to journalism students Monday morning about the importance of local government, and how it impacts our everyday lives without us knowing it.
Without the small necessities a local government offers, our undemanding lifestyle may be a little different.
Hayes portrayed our federal government as a “quilt of local governments” describing how our national government is simply a link of organized small governments that form together to make our nation operate properly.
Because local governments are creatures of the state and not the federal government, they can provide specific services to citizens based off the citizen’s preference.
This is due to the fact that cities can be created and incorporated by the general population.
Recently, there have been a few new cities added to the Georgia state government based off its growth as a community; Sandy Springs and Dunwoody being the latest.
The local governments of cities like these around the United States provide its citizens with the every day necessities such as sewage, water filtering, and trash services. These are services that we may take for granted, but without them we understand their importance.
Local Governments can also take on a bigger role. Fairfax County recently helped aid in the victims of Japan’s recent tragedy. Hayes stated “since the United States doesn’t have federal rescue unit, local governments are very important in aiding a national crisis.”
Local governments around the United States are extremely vital to our nation’s success, we should appreciate their existence.

U.S. city and state government is unique in many ways

Harry Hayes, a member of The University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government spoke to Journalism students Monday morning about the diverse structures of county and city government in the United States and the uniqueness of America’s freedom in Government.
The consolidation of Counties in the United States can often be decided by its citizens.
In Athens- Clarke County the county failed three times before getting consolidated. Ironically the fourth time the community citizens pushed for consolidation and they succeeded.
This is a unique quality that Americans have the luxury of enjoying that other countries may not.
“There are 3,067 counties in the United States and they all form a quilt of local government” Said Hayes.
Hayes encouraged students to think of our United States government as a quilt that needs its fellow state in order to thrive.
In the United States county governments are required to do similar services as the city governments.
For example, Canada has a national police system that provides protection for the entire country. The United States relies on local police and sheriff services in different jurisdictions. This is an example of the separation of city and county government throughout each state.
Mr. Hayes illustrated how the American way of life and system of government allows citizens to govern as well as be governed in a fair and lawful way.

Journalism a brightspot in a communist country

Brandon Boykin
Assignment #7

Tutor Vlad, the associate director at the Cox center traveled to Romania last week to teach different research methods to students at the National School of Political Studies in Romania.
Vlad was invited to the Romanian University by Remus Pricopie who is the Dean of Communication at the University.
While on the trip, Vlad tried to find ways to help journalist in a communistic country have independence in advertising and marketing.
Vlad spent the majority of his time in classrooms while in Romania, but when he wasn’t teaching he toured the city of Cluj-Napoca, where he visited the school of journalism which he founded and other government buildings.
Vlad is from the city of Cluj-Napoca and his family currently lives there.
Although the trip pleasant overall, there were some events that were controversial.
There were two protests while Vlad was in front of the central government building.
“The protests were a result of salaries decreasing and political tension amongst citizens and government” said Vlad.
The communist ways of Romania are controlling the citizens and distressing their ability to improve their lifestyles.
Although the country is experiencing turmoil there is some noticeable change happening. “The quality of journalism programs have dramatically improved overtime due to the influences from western professors and journalism” stated Vlad.
Independence is the key to a happy future for the citizens of Romania and Tutor Vlad wants to be a part of the solution.