“Are Mayors the Most Effective Type of Leader?” We asked this question a few months back and featured a discussion that argued the leaders of cities are more influential than members of a legislature, or even heads of state.
Considering energy independence might prove to be a signifcant theme in both campaigns, an event in yesterday’s 2012 Republican National Convention coverage by The Atlantic and the National Journal asked how mayors can be champions of sustainability in their own cities. If the Republican platform seeks to give states and cities more leeway draw up their own plans for energy efficient practices, the burden will fall on the shoulders of local leaders to sell the economic benefits to citizens. Can leaders like mayors run with it and be catalysts for change on issues such as renewable energy, green tech, and eco-friendly urban planning?
Powering Cities: Energy Efficiency, Renewables, New Tech from National Journal and National Journal on FORA.tv
Another issue that will certainly be at the forefront of the debate is healthcare. Though Obamacare promises to provide more affordable care for all Americans and decrease the amount of uninsured, Republicans would like to offer consumers more choices through the free market and reduce the government’s role in community health. Again, municipal leaders, such as those in Oklahoma City who have inspired local citizens to curb obesity as explained in the video below, could be asked to carry a share of the burden when it comes to promoting public health initiatives.
City Care: Innovation & Investment in Community Health from National Journal and National Journal on FORA.tv
