The strength of America’s communities: A Q&A with Karlyn Bowman

Karlyn Bowman’s recent AEI political report, “My town, the nation,” examines the strength of American communities and perceptions of the US Social Security system. According to poll results, Americans seem confident in their local communities and governments, but dissatisfied with Washington politics. The polls indicate pessimism about Social Security’s viability, but also a somewhat-increased reliance on its benefits. Below, Bowman answers a few questions about her report and its  implications.

What might be some reasons for the dramatic difference between people’s trust in local governments and their trust in the federal government?

Overall, people see their local governments working, said Bowman, but many believe the country as a whole is on the wrong track. In addition, many find local involvement attractive because they can make positive changes directly. Bowman also predicted that compared to previous generations, millennials will be more locally-active and less interested in Washington. “It’s surprising to me how many young people have told me that they still want to get an MPP [Masters in Public Policy],” she said, “but at the same time they’re thinking about using that to go back and make a difference in their local communities.”

Your report points to “American exceptionalism” to explain why the majority (76%) of Americans believe government should not take primary economic responsibility for retirees (as opposed to 37% of Germans and 24% of Italians). How would you define “American exceptionalism,” and how does it relate to American perceptions of Social Security?

American exceptionalism “means that we’re simply different,” said Bowman. “It doesn’t mean that we’re better.” The term comes from Seymour Martin Lipset’s book, “American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword.” According to Lipset, Americans have historically expected smaller government. “We don’t like being told what to do,” said Bowman. Americans jaywalk. Many refuse to wear motorcycle helmets. The prevalent belief that people should fund their own retirements simply reflects America’s widespread individualism.

The fact that an increasing number of Americans (36% in 2015 as opposed to 28% in 2001) believe Social Security will be a major post-retirement income source seems somewhat contradictory to “American exceptionalism” as discussed above. What are your thoughts on this?

“There are certainly going to be some rude awakenings for people,” Bowman said. She speculated that the increased reliance on Social Security is – to some extent – an after-effect of the 2008 recession. Before the recession, she said, people were more optimistic about other sources of income. On a more encouraging note, many non-retired adults (63%) are questioning the Social Security system’s ability to provide for their retirement.

In your op-ed, “Our towns: Americans say they are alive and working well,” you referred to Robert Putnam’s 1995 essay, “Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital.” In your opinion, how do the statistics outlined in your report relate to Putnam’s findings? Do you think American communities are improving, or are people’s expectations of communities evolving?

“I feel more optimistic than perhaps I did 10 years ago about what’s going to be happening in local communities,” said Bowman. While Putnam “surely tapped into something that was real” when he warned against the decline of American social capital in 1995, today’s communities are simply different. For example, Bowman pointed out that new technologies have enabled “good will through social media – something that Putnam couldn’t even have contemplated.”

In “Our towns” you also observed that people consider community service a better way to effect positive change than political involvement. Why might that be?

The inclination toward community service and local involvement is a healthy one, Bowman said. It’s realistic. Not everyone can be president or a member of Congress. It also reflects people’s frustration with Washington’s polarization and inefficiency, and their preference for local communities where such problems are less common. Of her own community, Bowman said that despite political differences, “we help each other, we get things done, and I think that’s true in many places around the country.”

Any final thoughts?

“It’s nice to know that federalism in many ways is still alive and well,” said Bowman. “People seem to have a sense that there are certain responsibilities that are appropriate for different levels of government.” The polls appear to reflect American exceptionalism, trust among local communities, and – although to a lesser extent – self-reliance among retirees. “People are taking responsibility seriously to be good citizens,” concluded Bowman.

Natalie Runkle is an editorial intern at AEI.