- SOC FPX 2000 Assessment 5 Comparing Politics-Law-Policy and Power.
Comparing Politics, Law, Policy and Power
From as far back as two thousand and even more years, Americans have been split into halves when it comes to issues concerning same-sex marriages. Among marriage rights, the one regarding same-sex marriage has also shifted over several years depending on the society’s attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community. Still, the state’s policies were not similar; there were liberal and conservative states, too. This paper will analyze the policies of two states, Florida and Texas, focusing on the same-sex marriage issue.
This is because some lessons may be learned on which aspects of legislation involve more or less sociological reasoning, how policies develop, and the part sociology plays in lawmaking. To that end, the following analysis will focus on the sociological theories these governments have applied in forming their policy decisions and whether these assessments were made based on sound knowledge and evidence at their disposal.
Theoretical Perspectives of Power in Approaches to Same-Sex Marriage
Employing different conceptualizations of power, we shall look at two states’ positions on the issue of homosexual unions. The elite power thesis assumes that the powerful few people with a lot of wealth and influence dictate the affairs of society (Bell & Reed, 2021). There are the Texas Values, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the Republican-dominated Texas government that has been instrumental in shaping public policy in the Lone Star State that does not recognize same-sex marriage (Magee, 2022). You can observe it in the governmental policy of the state; they actively advocate traditional family values and are against same-sex marriages.
Pluralism and Marxism in Same-Sex Marriage Policies
Same-sex marriage, on the other hand, was legalized in Florida in 2015, implying that the state is relatively moderate about the issue (Pennington, 2020). Thus, the concept of pluralism may explain the presence of this variation at the actual grassroots level. This theory postulates that public policy is a function of power distribution in a society with many groups, and each group has interests. In Florida, progressivism, gay rights groups, and business tycoons combined forces and were able to make same-sex marriage legal (Encarnacion, 2020). A good unity of such organizations was vital in reversing this decree by altering the public’s perception and policy against conservative forces.
This brings the Marxist theory into perspective whereby power is located in economic relations and class struggle – another possible angle from which one can understand why Florida and Texas have not identically responded to same-sex marriage. Given the current political climate in Texas, one can only fear that conservative policies will help the upper class entrench its power further. In contrast, minority people in Florida may find something to support and, at the same time, oppose the state’s relatively liberal approach to the issue of same-sex marriage.
Politics Regarding Same-Sex Marriage
Depending on Florida and Texas, same-sex marriage has a very distinct approach compared to each other. Who are the major players involved in formulation and the actors participating in formulating and creating policies and laws? This is the politics of the methods. Especially, Texas is recognized as the state where the Republican Party has dominated for years to grip the Texas legislature firmly. It is also worthy of note that the Republican party has had an issue with marriage between people of the same gender (Arceneaux, 2022). Texas has continued to do this.
Texas vs. Florida: Political Responses to Same-Sex Marriage
Texas’s governor and attorney general have said that they will appeal the decision. That was in 2020, this year, as stated by Coley. Meanwhile, Florida is much more balanced; both Republicans and Democrats can actively participate in the formation of state politics. Voters in Florida processed the definition of marriage in 2008 using a constitutional amendment similar to the one in Texas. However, the prohibition was annulled by a federal court in 2014, and the marriage became legal only in 2015 (Rosky, 2022). Most Republicans have embraced the legalization of same-sex marriages and have not prioritized such an issue, even though some have rejected it, such as the present Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis.
Differences in Politics and Application
To examine the political divergence in LGBTQ+ rights between Texas and Florida, “SOC FPX 2000 Assessment 5 Comparing Politics-Law-Policy and Power” could be beneficial in developing a structured approach to understanding how political climates impact social policies. In Texas, where Republicans control state-level politics, resistance to federal judgments upholding same-sex marriage remains strong.
Christian conservative legislators continue to advocate for traditional marriage, limiting LGBTQ+ rights in the state. Florida, however, shows a less rigid stance; here, even Republican politicians have embraced same-sex marriage, fostering a climate of greater acceptance and legal protection for same-sex couples. This contrast exemplifies how differing state political systems shape LGBTQ+ rights and could further inform a survey design to explore these sociopolitical impacts.
State Policies Affecting Population Migration
It would be hermeneutically naïve to ignore the historical development of each state’s policy on same-sex marriage in understanding the influence that regulations within states might have on the movement of populations. Florida and Texas have been experiencing rapid growth in the last few years (Pennington, 2020). High temperatures, a beautiful climate, and many activities that interest older adults make Florida the favorite retirement state. On the other hand, the increasing number of new job vacancies and reasonable average living costs have recently seen Florida lure families and young people. Texas, however, has always been associated with young professionals being attracted to the major cities because of its economy and friendly climate for business.
Demographic Impact on Same-Sex Marriage Views in FL vs. TX
The historic migration to states such as Florida and Texas could partly answer the question of the vectors of state regulation of same-sex marriage. For example, people who are young professionals and families who value diversity and inclusiveness are also likely to change their minds about moving to Florida if the state is more conservative on the issue of same-sex marriage. However, this means if Texas were to have a more progressive view on same-sex marriage or at least less discrimination against them, possibly more people from the community, along with their allies, would move there in search of a better environment.
Because same-sex marriage has been legalized in some states but not in other states like Florida and Texas, the following demographic differences may have led to the difference. For instance, while examining Texas and its 16. Current: 5% of the population is 65 and over; Florida Advanced Statistic – Twenty (20) percent is the percentage considered old. 5% (Nowotny, 2022). Some older adults may be more likely to conform to traditional marital practices and cultural endowment values. The concentration of whites, too, is relatively higher in Florida than in Texas.
Factors Influencing Same-Sex Marriage Views
It has been Surveyed by Jones et al. in 2021, which reveals that more white evangelical Christians are likely to oppose same-sex marriage. One of these could be geographical factors, such as California being much different from Texas in some ways, for instance, 95. That is 4% of the population of Florida and 86. , 2% of Texans live in metropolitan areas respectively (U. et al. Bureau, 2021). There might be some insight into the Floridian permissiveness of same-sex marriage: the state occupies a large urban area, which is generally more liberal and diverse (Bureau, 2021).
Other religious differences might be evangelical Christians in Florida and Texas, where 24. 6 % of Floridians identified as evangelical Christians compared to 18. 3 % in Texas, according to Pew Research Center 2021. On matters of social justice, such as gay marriage, then the evangelical Christians are likely to be conservative. Finally, there are extreme differences between Florida and Texas regarding equal marriage rights for some people, which may be due to socioeconomic factors.
Florida’s median household income is $59,227, while Texas’s median income per household is $64,283, according to a survey conducted by the U. S Census Bureau in 2021. The literacy rate in Texas is also much higher than that of Florida since more people have a bachelor’s degree or even more – 30. 9% of the population in Texas against 28. 5% in Florida (U. et al. Bureau, 2021). It may be helpful to analyze the issue of tolerance toward same-sex marriage in Texas and see whether there is any association between the level of education and income of the population of Texas and its political preferences regarding the issue.
Contrasts on Diversity Issues
It is refreshing to report that regarding diversity in politics, policy, and the law, Florida and Texas could not be more different. Two issues that clearly could be pointed out while comparing the two states are immigration and same-sex marriage. As far as same-sex marriage, one state, Texas, has a constitutional ban against it, while another, Florida, changed its stance in 2015 after a federal ruling (Pennington, 2020). The Texans have always supported their federal government to maintain high standards of immigration laws, deporting most of the illegal immigrants and restraining most of their rights. On the other hand, the people of Florida have passed legislation to protect the illegals from deportation, and the state is relatively friendly to the immigrants.
Thus, it has been possible to reveal that policy and legislation gaps and inequalities translate into action by affecting the mobility of certain affected groups. For instance, following the federal court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage, many homosexuals and lesbians rushed to Florida to adopt children and legally wed (Hiegert, 2020). Contrarily, the number of same-sex couples in Texas declined due to the state’s US intensified prohibition of the practice. This is true because there has been a reduction in the number of immigrants, including those living in Texas without legal permission.
After all, the state has strict measures on the matter. On the other hand, the migration is from the Latin American nations towards Florida because the state has comparatively more liberal immigration policies. For this reason, future migration directions depend on policy and legal differences between Florida and Texas.
LGBTQ+ couples may remain to relocate from Texas and go to other states that have already approved marriage between people of the same gender (Umberson et al., 2020). Likewise, if the immigration issue persists, Florida could find more immigrants flocking to a state that is friendly to immigration than states like Texas. This analysis relates to SOC FPX 2000 Assessment 5 Comparing Politics-Law-Policy and Power, where the dynamics between law, policy, and political power impact societal migration patterns.
Historical Solutions for Discrepancies in Laws
Reviewing previous cases, we can determine how the states have dealt with diverse issues involving federal and state law conflicts. One of those areas, for example, was education in the early 1960s and 1970s when the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled on desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education (Terbeek, 2021). While a few states initially resisted the order, the process of desegregation of schools began, and all states acceded to it in the end. Diversity-related issues that may be relevant include same-sex marriage and immigration; the latter may learn something critical from this. That same decision also showed that federal law trumps state law in the event of a conflict.
As far as diversity issues are considered similar to the ones above, states that are not ready to change will have to alter their rules to meet the provisions of federal law, for instance, in the case of same-sex marriage. Some States that have never recognized the union, such as Florida and Texas, may change their minds due to federal court rulings or national legislation.
Lessons from Brown v. Board of Education for Modern Social Issues
One of the lessons of the successful decision of the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education is that there must always be campaigning and action in addressing issues that require changes in legislation. Further, eliminating segregation in the schools took years of demonstrations, court battles, and social movements; it was not an overnight affair. On the same note, advocates, organizations, and people concerned about immigration must continue wrestling for reform.
Remember, however, that not all problems are solvable in the way they are done today. A clear example is the integration of schools, which involved the handling of civil rights and equality for black people. The issues of immigration and same-sex marriage are also central to Diversity and Human Rights issues. However, few people may rally against or scrutinize them in the same fashion as desegregation. Such problems may call for slower and more diverse strategies and processes than earlier employed to solve them.
Conclusion
A perhaps more effective way to comprehend such interactions includes the comparison of Florida and Texas regarding same-sex marriage. These variations may be explained by referring to power theories such as pluralism and power elite theory in terms of cultural and demographic aspects. Although these different legislative stands have impacted each state’s LGBTQ+ community differently, for instance, more LGBTQ+ people are likely to move to Florida than Texas. Nevertheless, it needs to be stressed that answers from the past did not always address problems in the present. To develop the right policies and legislation reflecting society’s diversity, we need to be ready for conversation and continual learning. Read more about our sample SOC FPX 2000 Assessment 2 Diversity and the Media for complete information about this class.
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