Economic Uncertainty That in 2007,

¶ … economic uncertainty that in 2007, before any of the sub-prime mortgages had hit the proverbial fan, money was still a far more influential factor among voters than social policy. According to Ian Urbina, whose article "Spending Trumps Social Issues on Ballots This Time" appeared in the November 5, 2007 issue of the New York Times, noted that far more ballot initiatives had to due with the funding of various public institutions, especially schools, as opposed to changing social policies towards things as diverse as gay marriage, marijuana statutes, and immigration. Though these topics were all highly contentious in the media, the ballots in the various states and localities that Urbina details in his article had far more initiatives and propositions related to changes in public funding not only for schools but also for roadways and healthcare. He notes that the voting public in many localities seem far more concerned with shrinking local budgets and growing local needs than they are with the larger national issues of immigration and other social issues.

The sociological implications of this article are complex, and can be viewed in many different ways depending on the theoretical framework brought to bear on the analysis. There are several key issues at stake in the article, and each would be interpreted differently by different sociological theories. First, there is the fading prominence of socially progressive issues as demonstrated by a decrease in the fervor of both sides of many debates. Second is the growing chasm between the amount of money most localities need in order to provide expected public services and the actual funds that they have available for these programs. Finally, there is the relationship (if any) between these two phenomenon, which may or may not be causal.

Critical theory would not necessarily care to establish whether or not there was any sort of relationship -- causal or otherwise -- between the two phenomenon. Instead, critical theorists would focus on the facts of the situation and the possibilities for the future. If public programs are going under-funded, then resources need to be used more effectively and quite likely more money will be needed, plain and simple. Convincing a population of taxpayers of this might be easier said than done, but if higher taxes are needed to keep public education worthwhile than a critical theorist (who approved of public education) would say so be it. As far as the social issues go, a critical theorist would certainly be vocal in demanding more resolute answers to the listed issues. Whether the sociologist were for or against gay marriage, marijuana use, or closed borders, they would not let their attention be shifted away from these important social considerations by the relatively easy task of appropriating necessary funds for schools and roads.