CHAPTER THREE • FEdERAlISM 63
Our federal system encourages debate over
whether a particular issue should be a national,
state, or local question. Many questions are, in fact,
state or local ones, and it is easier for you to make a
significant contribution to the discussion on these
issues. Even in the largest states, there are many
fewer people to persuade than in the nation as a
whole. Attempts to influence your fellow citizens
can therefore be more effective.Why Should You care? In this chapter, we
have mentioned a variety of issues arising from
our federal system that may concern you directly.
Although the national government provides aid to
educational programs, education is still primarily
a state and local responsibility. The total amount of
money spent on education is determined by state
and local governments. Therefore, you can address
this issue at the state or local level. Gambling laws
are another state responsibility. Do you enjoy gam-
bling—or do you believe that the effects of gambling
make it a social disaster? State law—or state nego-
tiations with Native American tribes—determines
the availability of gambling.What can You do? In our modern era, the num-
ber of ways in which you can communicate your
opinion is vast. You can post a response on any of
thousands of blogs. You could develop your own
minivideo and post it on YouTube. Politicians use
Facebook and Twitter to organize their supporters
and often have thousands of online “friends.” This
can provide you with the opportunity to present your
views to someone who might be able to act on them.
If you want to effect policy change at the state
or local level, however, the local newspaper, in bothmaking a difference
WRITINg lETTERS TO THE EdITOR
its paper and its online formats, continues to be essen-
tial. Blogs, YouTube, and other online venues tend to be
nationally and even internationally oriented. Still, news-
papers are resolutely local and the natural hub for dis-
cussions of local issues. Most papers allow responses and
comments on their Web sites, and you can make a point
by contributing in that fashion. Nothing, however, will
win you a wider audience than an old- fashioned letter to
the editor. Use the following rules to compose an effective
communication:- Use a computer, and double-space the lines. Use a
spelling checker and grammar checker. - Include a lead topic sentence that is short, to the
point, and powerful. - Keep your thoughts on target—choose only one topic
to discuss. Make sure it is newsworthy and timely. - Make sure your communication is concise; never let
it exceed a page and a half in length (double-spaced). - If you know that facts were misstated or left out in
current news stories about your topic, supply the
facts. The public wants to know. - Don’t be afraid to express moral judgments. You can
go a long way by appealing to the reader’s sense of
justice. - Personalize the communication by bringing in your
own experiences, if possible. - If you are writing a letter, sign it and give your
address (including your e-mail address) and your
telephone number. Comments posted to blogs and
other communications may have their own rules for
identifying yourself. Follow them. - If writing a letter, send or e-mail it to the editorial
office of the newspaper of your choice. Almost all pub-
lications now have e-mail addresses. Their Web sites
usually give information on where you can send mail.
Facebook and Twitter are
now used by politicians to organize their
supporters. (Annette Shaff/Shutterstock.com)Copyright 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
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