#4 Conflict Resolution in Government

Local residents meet in a townhall to discuss a proposed tax levy for olice and fire service. It is cear that citizens disagree on the need for the levy. However, after listening to the chief of police give a speech justifying the tax and being shown exactly what services the tax dollars would support, those who were against the tax initially decide that they have been convinced of the need for the police and fire levy. Which of the following explains how the conflict was resolved at the town meeting?

• persuasion

• negotiation

• compromise

• consensus building

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On Friday nights the local high school football team plays in the stadium under the lights. Friday night football games also generate a lot of noise from fans, announcers, and the marching bands. Loudest of all is the recorded music played on the public system. Residents of the neighborhood bordering the school have complained that the noise levels and high-powered lights create a public nuisance; therefore, they are requesting that football game be moved to earlier in the day to avoid disturbances at night. Students and other community members argue that the tradition and community pride generated by the football games is worth too much to give it up. What would be an example of how the two could reach a compromise on the issue?

• students persuade the residents to withdraw their complaint

• it is decided that after halftime, only live music from the marching band will be played

• football game times are moved to the afternoon so the lights are no longer needed.

• the school continues to hold games at night with the use of lights and loud recorded music.

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During campaign season each candidate wants to gain the most votes to be in office. In order to do that, which conflict resolution strategy should be utilized?

• persuasion

• negotiation

• resignation

• compromise

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Anytown school district school board would like to change the grading scale to be 95%-100% is an A. 90%-94% is a B. 85-89% is a C. 80-84% is a D and any grade less than an 80% would be considered an F. After researching the issue, many students and parents are concerned this will negatively impact the students ability to gain acceptance to college. The two groups decided to sit down and discuss the best way to achieve the mutual goal of students gaining accepted to college. The two sides worked together and created a solution that was acceptable to each group.

- What strategy did the community use to resolve this issue?

• voting

• persuasion

• brainstorming

• consensus building

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Workers at a factory want an increase in their wages. The management does not want to give it to them because so many employees call in sick. What would be an example of how the two groups could reach a compromise on the issue?

• the workers receive a pay freeze

• all the workers call in sick and are fired

• the workers strike and then receive an increase in pay

• the workers receive a wage increase but lose one of their own sick days

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On October 1, 2013, the federal government shut down because the two parties (Democrats and Republicans) could not reach an agreement on the debt ceiling. On October 17,2013, the federal government was reopened due to President Obama signing a law passed by Congress. The law was passed because Republicans agreed to fund the government until January 15th, 2014, in exchange for stricter income verification for citizens accessing health care exchanges.

- What technique was used to solve this dilemma?

• filibuster

• persuasion

• veto

• consensus building

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A state legislature is considering passing a law to ban cell phone use while driving. Supporters of the bill believe all cell phone use creates distracted drivers. Opponents want a law that only bans texting, not talking, on cell phones. How can the two sides use compromise to pass a law?

• Each side could make concessions(giving something up), such as banning only texting for adult drivers, but banning all cell phone use for drivers under 18

• Supporters could induce opponents into accepting their point of view by means of reasoning and argumentation.

• Opponents could use a filibuster to prevent a vote on the bill from taking place

• The legislature could pass both laws and let the governor decide which one to sign.

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President Biden was seeking to enact a COVID relief bill early in his tenure. Various groups within the Democratic and the Republican parties wanted various things or aspects of the bill adjusted or set.

Republicans wanted to lower the amount of money in the bill by lowering the amount of people who would receive direct payment checks, or limiting the funds allocated to school and local cities. Some conservatives even felt the bill may be unnecessary given the downward seeming trajectory of the crisis.

Many progressive Democrats wanted to put even more things into the bill including a $15 minimum wage while some such as the West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin actually resisted some of those more progressive options.

In a senate that is split 50-50, the path to the Bill passing is quite difficult and not everyone would be happy. Democrats opted to keep most of its plan, essentially losing all Republican votes but didn't push some of the progressive options Manchin was opposed to. In the end, what process was used to get the bill passed?

• persuasion

• consensus

• negotiating

• bipartisanship

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The act of working with members of an opposing political party to pass legislation is called

• partisanship

• independance

• caucas

• bipartisanship

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All in all, the conflict resolution strategies overlap quite a lot and in fact most politicians should use all four of the methods to pass legislation.

• True

• False

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