How Is American Democracy Working
Green 1
Angel Green
Professor Trout
American National Government
4 December 2013 Is American Democracy Working?
American democracy is one of the very calm kinds of government in the world while it is a long way from ideal. The American democracy in which we exist has several strengths and weaknesses. Neither strengths or weaknesses out weigh one another, however it is important to have both due to the changing definitions. A democracy is a government that is run by the people. The politicians that we elect to run …show more content…
our government are human and are subject to errors based on their own strengths and weaknesses. The strengths and weaknesses they hold are reflected into our government but at least "we the people" elect them and they are not elected for us.
The present understanding of checks and balances is that the government is divided into independent and distinctive branches.
All branches are able with certain precautions to prevent against concentration and misuse of power. The idea of checks and balances has been generally effected in a variety of constitutional governments, including the United States, where powers are distributed between three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial.
Illustrations of checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution include: the president can veto legislation passed by Congress, however Congress can reverse that veto with a 2/3 vote; the president commands the army however Congress pronounces war and takes funds; the president appoints justices to the Supreme Court, but only with the approval of the Senate; Congress and the president can pass laws, however the Supreme Court can work-to-rule those laws down as unconstitutional.
However people maintain that checks and balances bend to slow the progression of governing thus preventing immediately necessary act from taking place. Though, that is the anticipated effect. Now to guard against bullying, human nature must be
indulged. Green 2
The electoral process in the United States of America I would say deserves 5 on a scale of 1-10, that is respectable, but not bad either. When ranking the United States on its the electoral process, we want a structure of reference, a likeness, because without one a ranking is meaningless. Is the United States electoral process fair? Compared to whom? Does it represent the entire plurality of the nation? What demographics are favored or unfavored? Is their parity between classes, religions, ages or races? These questions make-up the structure of what represents a performing and reasonable democracy, and the USA is average on all counts.
First, the question of campaign finance. Previously the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission the United States had a rich but still unfinished regulation on campaign finances, making sure that elections are reasonable and financial influence from supporters doesn 't motivate campaigns more than actual issues. However, now we have Political Action Committees that basically have indefinite amount of money they can give with minute to no admission. This expands the authority of money in politics and continues to poison an already dismayed system.
Money in politics is perhaps my main reason for giving the United States electoral processes such a low rank. It is my opinion that most, if not all, politicians go into the system selflessly, craving what is best for the people, but also a profession for themselves. However over time they become obligated to the campaign process that needs to raise a large number of monies to find reelection.
The electoral system in the United States can be perfected easily though a change to the ballots and change in the winner-take-all voting system. The ballots give us a choice to vote for one and only one candidate. Although this is democratic it sometimes undercuts democracy itself by enabling the two-party system. As we can only vote for one candidate, several people are disheartened for voting for somebody they believe the greater candidate only because they are not expected to win. We must support voting for the candidates the voters like best, even if that candidate is disliked.
In contrast, it 's not all bad. The United States likes mainly open and free elections. Compared to other supposed democracies we do not face viciousness at our polling places from opponent forces and we do not have extensive voter fraud. Now, there are uglier systems than the United States, such as countries where the elected officials receives 99% of Green 3 the majority votes importantly, however, is our mostly universal suffrage, as women and men (who were never found guilty of a felony in most states) have the right to vote at the age of 18, not questions asked. Despite efforts to make voting more difficult for persons of color, the younger vote, and of course, the poor, these groups can vote freely, at least for now. Fortunately, for us these details keep the United States the electoral process out of a low rank, but our system leaves little to be accepted and much to be perfected.
As far as newspapers and media, people feel we must let them enlighten us about candidates. However the newspaper and media remains the unhealthiest critic of all. Columnists and reporters are paid big bucks to see who can find the smuttiest information on what a person has done. Therefore, what helpful inspirations could the newspaper and media possibly provide to us? The newspapers and media in this country are out of control and they enlighten us on matters we don’t need to know about. Although there are some Americans who crave to hear these kinds of problems, many Americans could not care less. In order to make encouraging campaigns more affective they need to get back to the fundamentals.
Through free media and paid media, the press is able to influence voters by telling them what issues are important at the time. While there is a widespread belief that they media is bias to either the right of the left, it should be less of a concern to the public because the media is largely unsuccessful in shaping opinion. The media also influences the government through the spotlight affect and discussing issues that might not have been at the top of the political agenda. The media has a very strong affect in politics, campaigns and elections by dictating what issues are relevant, what candidates will get the most coverage and what criteria they should use to evaluate candidates. Likewise, the media is moved by the government, who is capable of using the media as a political channel by expanding the political views of whatever power is presently in office. Although it is not outright since unknown factors also form positions, the media, public and government has a recurring relationship that influences one another. Green 4
A determined myth about the American government is that it has a poor documentation of achievement. Conservatives and Libertarians have continually promoted the idea that government disappoints more often than it succeeds. They have been telling Americans for years that government is an incapable institution that has accomplished little of real importance in society. What follows is a list of some of the federal government’s most accomplishments. Now these are policy programs have not only functioned, but have been very effective and have greatly improved the quality of life of most Americans. The programs are Regulation of the Business Cycle, Public Health Programs, Interstate Highway System, Federal Deposit Insurance, Social Security and Medicare, GI Bill, Federal Housing Authority, Consumer Protection, and Anti Discrimination Policies. The list could go on much further. Other clearly successful programs and policies would also include our National Parks, the Voting Rights Act, Rural Electrification, AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Crime Information Center. Again, these are just the achievements of government on the federal level; this isn’t including the thousands of other effective public sector accomplishments on the state and local level.
All of these programs have functioned exceptionally well and have made significant progress in dealing with the problems they are addressing. Many of these efforts have not been easy ones to tackle. For example, regulating the economy, controlling diseases, dismantling segregation, and protecting the environment have all been essentially difficult and complex attempts, which only makes these accomplishments of government even more impressive.
Americans need to stop being taken in by the influences of government haters who contend that the government creates a mess of everything it does. We want to recognize that the government has continually taken on challenging and difficult problems and created considerable progress regarding solving them, and in doing so it has improved our lives in countless ways. Acknowledging this notable record of accomplishment is key if we are to make public support for a more effective government; one that takes on the serious social, economic, and environmental problems we face as a country today.
In conclusion the American political system has about as many strengths and as many weaknesses, but it balances out in the long run. If our democracy contained all of its strengths it would not be fair and equal to all citizens. Green 5
We are diverse and have different beliefs and values so an ideal democracy is not likely. We live in a democracy that has worked mainly because it has improved with society. "We the people" have the right to run the government and if we are not pleased with the government, we have the control to change it, because we are a democracy. Green 6 Works Cited
Lane, Laura. “The Influence of the in Politics, Campaigns and Elections.” 2007. Web. 14 Nov. 2007
Amy, Douglas J. “Government is Good: An Unapologetic Defense of a Vital Institution.” 2007. Web
Kiberling, William C. “Electoral College”. 2008. Web
“Checks and Balances in Government”. Intellectual Takeout. Intellectual Takeout, 2013 Web.
Angel Green
Professor Trout
American National Government
4 December 2013 Is American Democracy Working?
American democracy is one of the very calm kinds of government in the world while it is a long way from ideal. The American democracy in which we exist has several strengths and weaknesses. Neither strengths or weaknesses out weigh one another, however it is important to have both due to the changing definitions. A democracy is a government that is run by the people. The politicians that we elect to run …show more content…
our government are human and are subject to errors based on their own strengths and weaknesses. The strengths and weaknesses they hold are reflected into our government but at least "we the people" elect them and they are not elected for us.
The present understanding of checks and balances is that the government is divided into independent and distinctive branches.
All branches are able with certain precautions to prevent against concentration and misuse of power. The idea of checks and balances has been generally effected in a variety of constitutional governments, including the United States, where powers are distributed between three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial.
Illustrations of checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution include: the president can veto legislation passed by Congress, however Congress can reverse that veto with a 2/3 vote; the president commands the army however Congress pronounces war and takes funds; the president appoints justices to the Supreme Court, but only with the approval of the Senate; Congress and the president can pass laws, however the Supreme Court can work-to-rule those laws down as unconstitutional.
However people maintain that checks and balances bend to slow the progression of governing thus preventing immediately necessary act from taking place. Though, that is the anticipated effect. Now to guard against bullying, human nature must be
indulged. Green 2
The electoral process in the United States of America I would say deserves 5 on a scale of 1-10, that is respectable, but not bad either. When ranking the United States on its the electoral process, we want a structure of reference, a likeness, because without one a ranking is meaningless. Is the United States electoral process fair? Compared to whom? Does it represent the entire plurality of the nation? What demographics are favored or unfavored? Is their parity between classes, religions, ages or races? These questions make-up the structure of what represents a performing and reasonable democracy, and the USA is average on all counts.
First, the question of campaign finance. Previously the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission the United States had a rich but still unfinished regulation on campaign finances, making sure that elections are reasonable and financial influence from supporters doesn 't motivate campaigns more than actual issues. However, now we have Political Action Committees that basically have indefinite amount of money they can give with minute to no admission. This expands the authority of money in politics and continues to poison an already dismayed system.
Money in politics is perhaps my main reason for giving the United States electoral processes such a low rank. It is my opinion that most, if not all, politicians go into the system selflessly, craving what is best for the people, but also a profession for themselves. However over time they become obligated to the campaign process that needs to raise a large number of monies to find reelection.
The electoral system in the United States can be perfected easily though a change to the ballots and change in the winner-take-all voting system. The ballots give us a choice to vote for one and only one candidate. Although this is democratic it sometimes undercuts democracy itself by enabling the two-party system. As we can only vote for one candidate, several people are disheartened for voting for somebody they believe the greater candidate only because they are not expected to win. We must support voting for the candidates the voters like best, even if that candidate is disliked.
In contrast, it 's not all bad. The United States likes mainly open and free elections. Compared to other supposed democracies we do not face viciousness at our polling places from opponent forces and we do not have extensive voter fraud. Now, there are uglier systems than the United States, such as countries where the elected officials receives 99% of Green 3 the majority votes importantly, however, is our mostly universal suffrage, as women and men (who were never found guilty of a felony in most states) have the right to vote at the age of 18, not questions asked. Despite efforts to make voting more difficult for persons of color, the younger vote, and of course, the poor, these groups can vote freely, at least for now. Fortunately, for us these details keep the United States the electoral process out of a low rank, but our system leaves little to be accepted and much to be perfected.
As far as newspapers and media, people feel we must let them enlighten us about candidates. However the newspaper and media remains the unhealthiest critic of all. Columnists and reporters are paid big bucks to see who can find the smuttiest information on what a person has done. Therefore, what helpful inspirations could the newspaper and media possibly provide to us? The newspapers and media in this country are out of control and they enlighten us on matters we don’t need to know about. Although there are some Americans who crave to hear these kinds of problems, many Americans could not care less. In order to make encouraging campaigns more affective they need to get back to the fundamentals.
Through free media and paid media, the press is able to influence voters by telling them what issues are important at the time. While there is a widespread belief that they media is bias to either the right of the left, it should be less of a concern to the public because the media is largely unsuccessful in shaping opinion. The media also influences the government through the spotlight affect and discussing issues that might not have been at the top of the political agenda. The media has a very strong affect in politics, campaigns and elections by dictating what issues are relevant, what candidates will get the most coverage and what criteria they should use to evaluate candidates. Likewise, the media is moved by the government, who is capable of using the media as a political channel by expanding the political views of whatever power is presently in office. Although it is not outright since unknown factors also form positions, the media, public and government has a recurring relationship that influences one another. Green 4
A determined myth about the American government is that it has a poor documentation of achievement. Conservatives and Libertarians have continually promoted the idea that government disappoints more often than it succeeds. They have been telling Americans for years that government is an incapable institution that has accomplished little of real importance in society. What follows is a list of some of the federal government’s most accomplishments. Now these are policy programs have not only functioned, but have been very effective and have greatly improved the quality of life of most Americans. The programs are Regulation of the Business Cycle, Public Health Programs, Interstate Highway System, Federal Deposit Insurance, Social Security and Medicare, GI Bill, Federal Housing Authority, Consumer Protection, and Anti Discrimination Policies. The list could go on much further. Other clearly successful programs and policies would also include our National Parks, the Voting Rights Act, Rural Electrification, AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Crime Information Center. Again, these are just the achievements of government on the federal level; this isn’t including the thousands of other effective public sector accomplishments on the state and local level.
All of these programs have functioned exceptionally well and have made significant progress in dealing with the problems they are addressing. Many of these efforts have not been easy ones to tackle. For example, regulating the economy, controlling diseases, dismantling segregation, and protecting the environment have all been essentially difficult and complex attempts, which only makes these accomplishments of government even more impressive.
Americans need to stop being taken in by the influences of government haters who contend that the government creates a mess of everything it does. We want to recognize that the government has continually taken on challenging and difficult problems and created considerable progress regarding solving them, and in doing so it has improved our lives in countless ways. Acknowledging this notable record of accomplishment is key if we are to make public support for a more effective government; one that takes on the serious social, economic, and environmental problems we face as a country today.
In conclusion the American political system has about as many strengths and as many weaknesses, but it balances out in the long run. If our democracy contained all of its strengths it would not be fair and equal to all citizens. Green 5
We are diverse and have different beliefs and values so an ideal democracy is not likely. We live in a democracy that has worked mainly because it has improved with society. "We the people" have the right to run the government and if we are not pleased with the government, we have the control to change it, because we are a democracy. Green 6 Works Cited
Lane, Laura. “The Influence of the in Politics, Campaigns and Elections.” 2007. Web. 14 Nov. 2007
Amy, Douglas J. “Government is Good: An Unapologetic Defense of a Vital Institution.” 2007. Web
Kiberling, William C. “Electoral College”. 2008. Web
“Checks and Balances in Government”. Intellectual Takeout. Intellectual Takeout, 2013 Web.