There should never have been a problem with the Dakota Access Pipeline, and it should be built. The pipeline has many benefits, and few, if any, actual problems. Nodaplsolidarity.org, a site dedicated to opposing and protesting the pipeline, avoids the issue of what the problems with it actually are, saying that the pipeline is a violation of the United Nation’s Declaration of Universal Human Rights, and a violation of the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, without actually naming what it is about the pipeline that violates these declarations. Since there appear to be no actual issues violated (and they are declarations of the United Nations, not the United States) these problems can be dismissed, leaving us with…
NAFTA is a free-trade deal that came into action in January 1994, it was signed by U.S. president Bill Clinton, Mexican president Carlos Salinas, and Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien. The main purpose of the agreement is to eliminate most tariffs on products traded among the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This agreement took away important tariffs in several different industries like, agriculture, textiles and automobiles. The NAFTA agreement also included things like intellectual property protections in the three selected countries. The partners of NAFTA include Canada, United States Of America and Mexico. Removing tariffs were important to this agreement because it allowed balance throughout each country. Mexican tariffs on US made products were 250 percent higher than US duties on Mexican products. NAFTA removed the tariffs creating this balance between the countries when…
Even though the bill C-51 is more likely a violation of freedom and can be used as a power of dictatorship, but the purpose of Harper’s government were good: protect Canadian residents from the danger of terrorism, by setting certain groups of people on the watching list, it could reduce the rate of terrorism and crime activities. So people could living in a society which is safer, more peaceful.…
The thirteen American colonies required a functioning government after the Revolutionary War. The Founding Fathers’ John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington wrote up the first attempt at a government called The Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation gave majority power to the states, this weakened the newly created government system. The Articles of Confederation replaced the U.S. Constitution because there needed to be a checks and balance system between the U.S. Government and its states by ensuring neither party had majority power.…
I recall reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” every Monday and Friday morning to render respect to the Flag of the United States of America. It also include “One Nation under God.” (UShistory.org, 2017). Then, I read that Mr. President Obama ban the Pledge of Allegiance from any Federal funded school or work area under the executed order number 13738. First, I will discuss three things that connects President Abraham Lincoln and Baptist Minister Mr. Luther M. King Jr. Secondly, how the position power and the era that separates them. Thirdly, what attract my attention of President Lincoln’s address in his second term inauguration and Dr. King’s letter while he was Birmingham jail.…
Are older sibling’s people we should look up to or learn and be better than? The Scarlet Ibis written by James Hurst told by the eldest brother describing Doodle a gentle boy who was born crippled who triumphed over his own illness by learning to crawl and walk with his older brother pushing him to be "normal".…
At what cost are citizens willing to go in exchange for protection? With the increasing amount of terrorist attacks such as the Orlando Shootings, the Paris Attacks, the Brussels Bombings, etc. occurring around the world with no end in sight, it is not a coincidence that paranoia and fear has risen as well. With more fear in the population, more political pressure is placed on the shoulders of the government, which Canada is no exception to. Due to this, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives has decided to enact Bill C-51, the anti-terror legislation, which essentially allows police, federal institutions and CSIS further powers to gather info and detain “potential terrorists”. This may sound reasonable on the outside, but the…
The Fathers of Confederation conceived of the Senate as a “chamber of sober second thought.” However, almost ever since its creation, as the unelected arm of the legislature, people have suggested ways in which to reform the upper house. Concerns of illegitimate representation, party loyalty, and patronage are the main reasons the argument for change continues. This paper aims to review a couple of recent reform proposals, and then argue, leaving constitutional practicality behind, that the Senate should receive a major overhaul in how it is formed and represented.…
The number of presidential vetoes varies from year to year partly because there are different times of presidency when there are partisan or bi-partisan governing. So president may get a partisan control in the congress when his party dominates in both chambers, bi-partisan control is the time when president has support dominance of opposition party in both House of Representatives and Senate and bi-partisan control when opposition party dominates in either chambers. Switch form two types of governing can occur every 2 years period in Mid term elections. George W. Bush has the smallest record of presidential vetoes because out of 8 years of his ruling (2 terms) 6 were under partisan control of Republican party. As result of dominance of his own party in congress he had only 12 vetoes (11 regular + 1 pocket) comparing to 37 vetoes under Bill Clinton. He made relatively high number of vetoes because out of 8 years of his presidency 6 years the congress was under control of opposition Republican party. Ideological incompatibility with Republican dominated congress has lead him to place majority of 37 vetoes.…
Actions that are made by an individual that may seem like the best decision in their own eyes may not be the best decision to someone else or even a group of people, so is the same with the government. When the founding fathers drafted the constitution they realized that not one person or specific branch should hold all authority over any one decision, so they developed a system of checks and balances. This system serves as a mediator between branches of government so that each decision is made in the utmost confidence. Having been weighed, measured and determined the wisest decision, then it will be appointed and passed up the chain of command so to speak.…
Members of Congress hold more loyalty towards their home states than to their party, because it is the appeasement of the state that will ensure their careers. Also, along with the “folks back home” attitude, there is the influence of pressure groups on various members of Congress, more so than the pressure to vote along party lines. A President can try to combat this with the coattails effect, though this is only effective if a President is well liked. A Congress member endorsed by a well-liked President can ensure is re-election, at the price of toeing party lines. However, the United States system prides itself on a strict separation of powers and does not suffer from the elective dictatorships such as Tony Blair in the United Kingdom, even the Presidential veto of a bill can be overturned by a two-thirds majority. However, these are difficult to achieve, but if they are, they can make a President look weak or…
Filibusters are a good way to show that that the United States adequately balances majority rule with minority rights. If the United Sates did not adequately balance minority rights and majority rule then it would run as smoothly as it has for this many years.…
The president is more than unconstitutional, he is uncontrollable, too. President Obama is uncontrollable in his actions when illegal decisions are made more than once regarding Obamacare and when a large part of our government system is being questioned due to his disregard for the law. Obama went too far to get what he wanted. Checks and balances aren’t being taken seriously, if he can get away with it, so can everyone else. Obama unconstitutionally delayed the caps on payments without approval from Congress. He is uncontrollable and imperial because he shows with these examples that he thinks he can just go around Congress more than once regarding only one piece of legislation…
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 27, 2017. The order bans citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for at least 90 days. The order also suspended refugee admission program of the US for 120 days. US officials added that the order is only a first step toward a wider ban, which is aimed at protecting the US from terrorist attacks. The executive order is in line with President Trump’s campaign pledge. He promised a total and complete shutdown of Muslim immigration during his presidential campaign.…
While it is true that a more businesslike approach would create a tighter environment, it must be remembered that there are different branches to consider. Government does not have one CEO as a business employs. (153) Decisions must be addressed by congress, senate, and the executive branch the costs for those decisions are funneled to the taxpayers and when taxes go up it causes distrust in actual costs involved. Since the costs of schools, infrastructure, military are high it brings up the question as to how much of the money spent on those things are wasted. (154) While it is true there is evidence of waste and inefficiency in business as well as government how is the happy medium found. There are many complex decisions to be made in government and some of those decisions may on the outside look ill-advised and tend to be easily condemned. In a perfect world, the outcome would make everyone happy however; even coming to a middle road can be difficult at times. When the outcome does not please the vast majority, often results in stereotyping the entire bureaucracy as something that should be eradicated which of course will hopefully never happen. What needs to happen is that well informed dedicated people should become involved in government. the populace should elect officials that will work together with others in government to make better…