A short essay written for a political science class discussing recent presidents and their particular approaches to urban policy and city planning.
Table of Contents
1. Failure to Communicate
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the evolution and effectiveness of United States federal urban policies across the administrations of George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, specifically focusing on the challenges of centralizing urban governance and the recurring neglect of metropolitan areas.
- Historical evaluation of federal urban policies and programs.
- Analysis of the Clinton Administration's Community Empowerment Agenda.
- Assessment of the Bush Administration's urban priorities and the impact of Hurricane Katrina.
- Evaluation of the Obama Administration's Office of Urban Affairs and its early implementation challenges.
- The role of intergovernmental coordination and the fiscal pressures on American cities.
Excerpt from the Book
Failure to Communicate
On the eve of January 20th, 2009, mayors were optimistic that new president Barack Obama would have the skill to draft a clear urban development policy for the entire nation. Almost immediately upon taking office, Obama issued an executive order that created the White House Office of Urban Affairs, meant to discover, present, and address problems facing the nation’s crumbling cities, especially those that had been hit even harder due to the severe economic recession. This executive order charged the new Urban Affairs office with responsibilities to “provide leadership, coordinate all aspects of urban policy, ensure appropriate consideration is given to cities by Federal agencies, and to engage in outreach and work closely with state and local officials to address problems” (thewhitehouse.gov). Mayors have a right to be skeptical today, since Obama’s new office has not performed its responsibilities, and this dream meant to unify and organize metropolitan America has devolved into a nightmare of paperwork and red tape.
According to online news magazine The Root, the first troubles for the new office occurred only a few short months after its establishment, when Obama began calling it the office of Urban Affairs rather than Urban policy, a move the magazine called “a notable downgrade” (Olopade 1). The office has also run into difficulty due to the massive numbers of executive appointments in other Federal departments related to urban development, but this new Office of Urban Policy has only had two potential candidates, one of whom, former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr., faces allegations of mismanaging campaign donations and development projects in New York City (Olopade 2). This organization, originally heralded as a beacon meant to lead cities into a new age of progress and reconstruction has found itself grounded to a halt, and with it, the best chance of obtaining a cohesive national urban policy.
Summary of Chapters
1. Failure to Communicate: This chapter provides an overview of the formation of the Obama Administration's Office of Urban Affairs, noting the initial optimism of mayors and the subsequent disappointment regarding the office's administrative and leadership struggles.
Keywords
Urban Policy, Federal Government, Metropolitan Areas, Community Empowerment Agenda, Economic Recession, Obama Administration, Bush Administration, Clinton Administration, Urban Affairs Office, Hurricane Katrina, Infrastructure, Fiscal Policy, Public Housing, Urban Development, Mayoral Relations
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the history and efficacy of federal urban policies in the United States, tracing how different presidential administrations have attempted, and often failed, to create a cohesive national strategy for cities.
What are the central themes of the work?
The central themes include the lack of consistent federal leadership in urban development, the tension between local and federal government, the impact of economic crises on urban survival, and the bureaucratic challenges faced by new policy offices.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to analyze whether the federal government has effectively addressed the needs of American cities and to evaluate the success of various "urban agendas" implemented since the 1980s.
What methodology does the author use?
The author uses a qualitative, analytical approach by synthesizing government reports, journalistic accounts, and academic articles to construct a timeline and critique of federal policy implementation.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body covers the Community Uplift Program under Bush, the Community Empowerment Agenda under Clinton, the fiscal shifts and urban neglect under the second Bush presidency—exacerbated by Hurricane Katrina—and the nascent stage of Obama's urban policy initiatives.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Urban Policy, Federal Government, Metropolitan Areas, Economic Recession, and Urban Development.
Why did the Community Empowerment Agenda under President Clinton eventually struggle?
The agenda struggled due to fiscal roadblocks, difficulties in determining geographical boundaries for empowerment zones, and local officials squabbling over funding, leading to doubts about its long-term impact on poverty.
How did Hurricane Katrina influence the discussion of urban policy?
Hurricane Katrina served as a critical case study that highlighted the disastrous consequences of a lack of a clear, unified national urban policy and the failure of federal support for cities in crisis.
What is the main challenge facing Obama's Office of Urban Affairs according to the author?
The author identifies the inexperience of its leader, Adolfo Carrion, and the office's struggle with staffing and administrative clarity as the primary impediments to its success.
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- Nicholas Liberto (Autor:in), 2010, Obama's Urban Policy, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/264863
