Why should U.S. citizens care about intergovernmental relations?

Dwayne Bowser posted Aug 11, 2022

In the article “19th Century Division of Powers, 21st Century Problems: Understanding Canadian Intergovernmental Relations” from the module resources, the author explores three questions from a Canadian perspective.
Read the article and then respond to these questions from a U.S. perspective:

• Why should U.S. citizens care about intergovernmental relations?
• Why are intergovernmental relations often fraught with conflict?
• What can be done to make intergovernmental relations run more smoothly in the future?

I believe the U.S citizens should care about intergovernmental relations because their tax dollars are spent on multiple programs and projects. They should care to know if their tax dollars are delivering services that are needed.

Establishing a reasonable compromise between appointed policy and the individual needs and objectives of the voters systems of a federation can be a fraught process. Some of the most know intergovernmental conflicts in Australia have occurred where the federal government has intervened in areas traditionally belonging to the States. Such conflicts can create an impasse where very little can be achieved (N.d, Colett).

in order to have intergovernmental relations run smoothly, there must be proper communication and cooperation. This where everyone plays a part to reach a common goal and reduce any overlapping which causes duplication and inconsistencies to occur (N.d, Collet).

Collet, E (N.d) http://www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au/resources/federalism/frequently-asked-questions

For your response posts, do the following:

In your responses to your classmates, provide feedback on their answers. Do you agree with their answers to these questions? Why or why not? Are there other factors that could be considered?

Write a post of 1 to 2 paragraphs. 

Consider content from other parts of the course where appropriate. Use proper citation methods for your discipline when referencing scholarly or popular sources.

Demonstrate more depth and thought than saying things like “I agree” or “You are wrong.” Guidance is provided for you in the discussion prompt.