Understanding Washington: A Deep Dive into Federalism

 

 

On Wednesday, August 9, Meridian hosted 30 newly arrived foreign diplomats for training on the complex system of governance in the United States. Akram Elias, President of Capital Communications Group, delivered an insightful framework to consider constitutional decentralization, the role of civil society, and the electoral college. By employing relatable analogies to explain the affiliation system of political parties in the U.S. and telling the stories behind terms like “lobbying” to explain the origins of the practice, Mr. Elias was able to make nuanced aspects of government and governance accessible and easily understood.

Elias provided an important overview of the separation of powers, checks and balances, and the ‘three-legged stool’ metaphor, weighing public, private, and government interests.  Beyond structural explanations of federal, state, and local levels of governments, Elias also answered questions from the audience, with many centered on policymaking structures that govern current social issues, including gun rights, abortion, and statehood. Diplomats left the program with a new understanding of the inner workings of the U.S. government system, as well as new connections with their counterparts in the diplomatic corps.