Week 5 Midterm Essay Example
GM520ONO Legal, Political and Ethical Dimensions. Week 5 Midterm.
1. TCO B. Infuriated when Harry Reid is re-elected during the 2010 fall election, the Republican National Committee decides to take matters into its own hands. In 2011, the House of Representatives passes a new "Freedom isn't Free Act" that requires that anyone who wants to vote in the 2012 presidential election must prove that they paid at least $200 in federal income tax in the past year, including people aged 18 (who typically are deducted on their parents' returns and do not pay income tax). Anyone who received the "earned income credit" is barred from voting unless they return the payment from the government. Proof of payment of the tax can be made by showing a copy of the prior year's W2, a copy of the prior year's tax return, or a signed statement from the IRS stating that the payment of more than $200 in federal income tax has been made. Citizens who do not pay taxes can still vote if they donate $200.00 to the federal government as voluntary income tax and get a statement from the IRS that they have done so. The law sunsets on December 31, 2012. List two bases under which someone impacted by this law could argue to have the law overturned. (Points : 15)
The United states government, and the United States constitution has many provisions to ensure that people can vote, freely, regardless of skin color, gender, race, or other such factors beyond their control. What the republicans are essentially trying to do is to establish a tax on voting, much akin to the post-civil war "Black Codes" and "Grandfather Clauses" which were aimed just at that -- to prevent voters, who would otherwise vote against the landed gentry, from voting, on account of their ancestry or ability to pay. One law which was passed by president Bush in 2002 is the Help America Vote Act, which granted homeless people assistance in registering and voting -- the law provides for people who do not even own an address to be
1. TCO B. Infuriated when Harry Reid is re-elected during the 2010 fall election, the Republican National Committee decides to take matters into its own hands. In 2011, the House of Representatives passes a new "Freedom isn't Free Act" that requires that anyone who wants to vote in the 2012 presidential election must prove that they paid at least $200 in federal income tax in the past year, including people aged 18 (who typically are deducted on their parents' returns and do not pay income tax). Anyone who received the "earned income credit" is barred from voting unless they return the payment from the government. Proof of payment of the tax can be made by showing a copy of the prior year's W2, a copy of the prior year's tax return, or a signed statement from the IRS stating that the payment of more than $200 in federal income tax has been made. Citizens who do not pay taxes can still vote if they donate $200.00 to the federal government as voluntary income tax and get a statement from the IRS that they have done so. The law sunsets on December 31, 2012. List two bases under which someone impacted by this law could argue to have the law overturned. (Points : 15)
The United states government, and the United States constitution has many provisions to ensure that people can vote, freely, regardless of skin color, gender, race, or other such factors beyond their control. What the republicans are essentially trying to do is to establish a tax on voting, much akin to the post-civil war "Black Codes" and "Grandfather Clauses" which were aimed just at that -- to prevent voters, who would otherwise vote against the landed gentry, from voting, on account of their ancestry or ability to pay. One law which was passed by president Bush in 2002 is the Help America Vote Act, which granted homeless people assistance in registering and voting -- the law provides for people who do not even own an address to be