It is useful to think about the relationship between the rulers and the ruled along three lines:
1. Rule of the individual -- a king, tyrant, or charismatic individual who commands a political community.
2. Rule of the few -- an oligarchy, or when a comparatively small group of people rule over a larger political community. The Iron Heel offered an example of a capitalistic oligarchy and so did the novel, 1984.
3. Rule of the many or rule of the people -- a democracy, or when a comparatively larger number of people rule over a political community. The Probability Broach presented a radical democratic republic where at least 90% of the representatives had to cast a vote before a policy could be made into law. The government was small and very democratic.
Look over the sets of questions below and spend some time thinking about and answering a few.
What do you think? Is America ruled by the many? Or is America ruled by the few? Should there be more democracy in America (like the government in the the Probability Broach) or less? If you said that there should be more democracy in America, what about in terms of waterboarding and military matters?
Do you participate (or know people who participate) in governing America? How do you/they participate? Do you/they vote? Do you/they participate in town/county/state councils? Do you/they pay attention to local, state, and/or national political debates? Do you/they work for the government? Do you/they have a sense of civic duty? Do you/they believe that Americans should participate in the government and should have a sense of civic duty?
Is the American government too big or too small or is it just about right in size? Would you like to see a government as small as the government in the Probability Broach or is something larger required? What particular aspects of the government (social security, military, welfare, etc) should be larger or smaller? Why should those aspects of government be larger or smaller?
Or maybe we should not be talking about the size of the government. Maybe we should be talking about the effectiveness of the government. Is the US government effective? If so, give me an example of what you think is effective government? Or is the US government ineffective? If so, give me an example of what you think is ineffective government? What could be changed to make some aspect of government more effective?
In my opinions America is ruled by few because if you think about it the political parties in general terms vote the same. Although there may be disagreements between members of the parties they all generally think in the same manner. The government in Probability and Broach would be ideal too some but it isn't practical in my opinion. I think that by having the government present but distant it helps to keep our society safe, they provide national security. I do not think that enough Americans participate in their government, in most cases they have no idea what is going on. They are uninformed and do not vote in the elections but they want to complain when something goes wrong. I believe if you are going to complain about things that happen you should vote and make sure you are informed on the issue. I think the governing pool in America is a good size but I think they should be more democratic in the selection of those who serve. I think they should be chosen by what they have done in the past not what they say they will do. A candidate will do anything they can in order to get elected.
ReplyDeleteJenica Anders
America's government is definitely rule of the few. No average Joe Shmoe can become president of the United States. It takes money and lots of it to fuel a political campaign large enough to compete for presidency. Also the two party system is designed to prevent any real change from occurring by ruling out the possibility of a third party candidate winning. With that being said I feel that America would be more ideal if it ran off of pure democracy where citizens voted on laws rather than the elected oligarchy which is Congress. This leads me to the view that America needs a smaller governing elite, and instead be brought to the founding principle of democracy which is rule of the people.
ReplyDeleteNick Bowers
100:03
I believe that few people rule the American government. For a candidate to even run for president,they have to be able to put the time, money, and effort into running a campaign. This gives me the idea that America is rule of the few because it takes a committed and reliable individual to take office. Such traits are extremely hard to come by and many people fail to exhibit these qualities. However, even though we, as citizens, see the goodness in the candidate we favor, our vote comes to mean almost nothing as the electoral college is the deciding factor in who will lead us. Running the government in the sense that we have more democracy would better serve the American people as they can have the mind set that their vote will actually count. With this theory in mind, I believe that doing such would allow the popular vote to be much, much more than just being a popular vote. The public would be able to vote for a man or woman that has pride for his country, pride for his people, and pride for himself.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is definitely run by only a select few that have schemed their way into the political system by lieing to the public and telling us goals they will accomplish for us. In some ways thee should be more government in America, like the voting issue we covered in class today. As for waterboarding and torture i'm all for it, i don't mind. I do know a lot of people that vote and my dad works for the government, but that is the closest i know someone to be working in the government. I do believe people should participate in the government more because it keeps people intact with what is going on in the city, town, or county. Some parts of the government such as all government assistance programs should be done with because people take advantage of any assistance possible, they are moochers. Also, social security is rediculous because if you don't save up for retirement, too bad don't live off of my paychecks and then complain that you deserve more, that whole system and government assistance programs are garbage and should be thrown out. We create a society of weak, dependent people by those programs. The government is also ineffective because we give money to Africa because they have aids, if people have forgotten, we have aids here too! and also we give way too much for aid to Haiti and other useless things when we are struggling here and we are the people who need the help. We can't save everyone so why try?
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone above when they say america is only run by a few people. like most of the opinions above i feel like no average person can become president. like we disscussed in class today our presidents have always been elites compared to the normal person. But even though we elect people to vote for us there is no promise they will vote the way we want them to. as for the two party system i think it makes sense. with two parties the votes are kept in a smaller area. if we had say a 8 party system the votes would be way more spread out causing more close races and way more re-counts and things of that nature which would be way more trouble that what it would be worth. i do feel government needs to change some things about itself because it is far from perfect but we are doing some things right here in americaand we need to keep our forefathers ideas in mind.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the government illustrated in the Probability Broach seems much to idealistic to be achievable, I do think the United States, under its current conditions, would be better off with a smaller government. This is due to the fact that because of its size, the government has become ineffective. It seems to me that so many government agencies, committees, and branches have been established to keep each other in check that they’ve all lost sight of their real goals, and subsequently have veered out of control. In my opinion, the easy solution to this problem is to make government more efficient by cutting out the elements that aren’t absolutely necessary to the functioning of a fair, just society.
ReplyDeleteErin Shaw, 100.05
America is ruled by too many people as it is and I believe if we added more democracy it would be impossible to pass any law becuase of the bigger mass of people allowed to vote. Our government should be a little smaller because the way it is now with all of the governmental agencies and what not sucks. It is ineffective as far as keeping the U.S profitable and keeping the poor off the streets.
ReplyDeleteEven though it is a small part anyone who votes helps govern America. We are picking the person who follows our views and who we believe would govern the US how we would want it to be done.
-Tiffany Anders
I believe our country is ruled by many, but I still think too large of the proportion of those ruling are the wealthy and upper class. Everyone of age has the right and ability to vote, and it is up to them to make the effort to do so. I don't agree with the electoral college and think that every vote should be counted. I have yet to vote, but I also just recently turned of age. I do not know if i will vote when the time comes however, simply because I think that due to the fact that the ordinary citizens have so much control in our system, whoever gets placed in office will not have a significant direct effect on my life. Maybe now that I can legally vote I will follow the races more closely and vote. I know that only one of my parents voted this last election. My father says he doesn't have any respect for the politicians because of all the effort they put in bashing their opponet instead of campaining. I can't help but see his point. Maybe I will vote for somebody of a smaller party.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think every person's vote should be accounted for, when it comes to national security the U.S. cannot afford to be entirely open with everyone. Waterboarding is an example of something that we need to trust our leaders with. We need to trust that they use such techniques only when completely necessary, and trust that they use it as safely as possible.
To my eyes our system seems effective. I feel that I am safe and that the government doesn't control too much of my life. I have plenty of choices of what i want to do, and plenty of opportunities. I would never claim our country is perfect because I don't think it is possible. By taking away some of the governments control we would also be taking away some of our safety. By giving them more control, we would then be sacrificing some freedoms. Our system is a god medium and therefore effective.
I think the government is ruled by few, but its a large few. Only those in the government make the decisions and those such as myself who are the regular everyday people living our lives under those rules don't have much say in the matter. I don't think the government should be as little as a liberatarian government, however I do think that the government we have now is way to into our everyday life, and the choices we make. As talked about before with being free and being watched, I think our government is to into the choices we make with our lives.
ReplyDeleteEmily Van Gilder
I think that America is ruled by the few. In America we elected officials to represent us, they go down to DC and fight “for” us. I personally feel that there should be more democracy in America because that way my opinions are really heard and I can be more involved in my federal government. Because all I do now is get involved with my local government and state government. The federal government is set up the way it is in America is because the founding fathers didn’t want common people (I. e. women, other races than white and slaves) giving their opinion because they felt that they weren’t educated enough. Well, sad to say it founding fathers we no longer have slaves and most of the education people receive now is higher than most of the them had while they were setting up this country. In terms of waterboarding I feel that it should be practices when a vote feels like there is a threat to the population. But it should be a public vote, not behind closed doors and brushed underneath a carpet like it is now. I don’t really understand what you mean by military matters but I’ll take a stab at it. Military matters should be solved by the collective, one person shouldn’t say, “hey lets go to war with so and so because they feel like a threat”.
ReplyDeleteYes, I participate in governing America. I participate by being a government employee of the state of Maryland in the town where I just moved from two months ago. I still work there on weekends. I am not longer a voting member of Maryland (now I am a WV voter) but I did participate in the state, county and city elections when they were held. I would watch the city council meetings on TV. and sometimes watch the county ones as well. I guess I do have a sense of civic duty because I have to stuff and hand out the fliers when elects come a long about the upcoming elections. At my job I cannot take sides of who I want to win because that bias. I do believe that Americans should take action by participating in the government at the city, county or state level. You will not believe what goes on and how much these people actually listen to what you say. These people want to talk to you face to face and see what you are thinking.
I feel that the American government is far too large. I feel that the state governments should make the majority of the decision and the federal government should just be there to monitor and come in when things are crazy. I don’t think I would want a government as small as something that we saw in the Probability Broach, but something larger is required. I think something that should be smaller is the cost of welfare. I understand people need help in times of need but I think the government needs to make welfare a temporary thing and there should be some requirements that you need show that you are trying to improve yourself in some way. It’s not right that I am taxed so much because you feel lazy and made mistakes. How is that fair to me when I made all the right choices by not getting pregnant, I am working part time right now because I am in school full time. When I am not in school I work 6 days a week. If anything the people that aren’t working should be taxed because they are just wasting space by not bettering our community. This program should be smaller because maybe it will help people learn that they don’t have this option to fall back on and they will learn to better themselves. I feel that the American government is ineffective of how it rules herself today and we are moving away from the founding fathers wanted this country to be about. The founding fathers wanted this country to be about the constitution not about national security or any of the other words politicians throw out during their campaigns.
Christina Haag
I think that the American government is ruled by the few. Inside the government there are many people, but for something to actually pass, like a law, only a few people have the power to make that a law or not. Every decision is pretty much based off those few people. I think there should be more democracy in America so there will be more chances for people to get their voices out, especially those who aren’t involved with the government who are just the average population. I definitely think that the government is big, where I mean in this case it has too much power. Although, I don’t think that a small government with less power would be as effective as a big government with too much power. So I think that it is necessary to have a big government with too much power. I think that the military should be smaller. The amount of people that are in the military now is a very significantly high number. Each person in the military each gets a high salary plus a paid 4 year college education, and with that probably not even half of them see the battlefield. I guess I’m just trying to say that too much military is too much money wasted, especially in the future when hopefully the war will be over. They should just create a maximum amount of people that they need and train them and put them into battle.
ReplyDeleteThe government is ruled by a select few, and which is run by a majority of wealthy and upper class people. I feel that the perfect example between us and the government would be voting. As discussed in class, it made me think of "does my vote serve a purpose?" and to be honest as I'm writing this right now, I still question it. Prior to the elections of Senator John McCain and President Obama, I felt that it was my "American" duty to vote and get the word out. But looking at it now, our votes truly don't matter. Yes, by voting we are supporting the rights we believe in and letting our voices be heard (but through other people) my question is what do we sincerely get out of it? --nothing. I feel that we are only numbers, or another face in the crowd within the government. I have worked with many campaigns and have been an intern in Washington D.C. before, and though I have that experience, I'm probably still looked at as another individual in the United States. I feel that its necessary to have a government as big and powerful as we do in the United States and that the military as well should remain the amount it is. We definitely have strengthen over many years and have truly expanded. My only wish is for our troops to come home, I feel that we have been in the Middle East for more than we should and that President Obama isn't trying hard enough to pull us out. I might be the only that feels this way but this is what I believe.
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth L. Higgins
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that the government is big but run by too many. It seems to be that because of all of these separate niches of our national government, our "rulers" cannot govern cohesively. Everyone seems divided on issues and they aren't cooperating and making decisions like the government should. It bothers me how it seems that everyone has a different agenda but tell then tell us they are doing these things to help us. I think the system should be more democratic in that way, but I also think that too much democracy could lead to chaos within the citizens (The Probability Broach was portrayed quite idealisticly).
ReplyDeleteLaura Gentile 100.04
Yes, America is rules by the few. The 3 branches in the government have equal powers thanks to the Checks and Balances. I do believe there should be more democracy in America as in the “Probability Broach “. Government helps nations through difficult and hard times. Without this government we have, I believe America wouldn’t be where it is. Not only more order is maintained, but few crimes are likely to occur. In terms of water boarding, I don’t really found it a problem if it is the only way to get answer from terrorist. I may be shifting away from democrats point of view, but if it is the only way to get answer from terrorist to protect this Great Nation. We are better off using such awful technique. Plus consequences need to be set for people doing worse than breaking rules.
ReplyDeleteSending people to jail, doesn’t resolve anything, most of them come back being worse than before. Plus if the individual didn’t want to be water boarded or anything, he wouldn’t be involved in such crimes at first. America on other hand is the one trying to act tough on other nations. It is our fault we are being attacked by terrorist. America need to stop getting involved in nations not seeking help. They are simply better off turning in to a dictating nation like North Korea if that what they wish. In addition, Russia is closer to Iraq. Why should we worry about Iraq when a huge nation like Russia can maintain the whole European continent? We spend way too much on War. I know it is to protect this nation, but we instead need to defend the constitution as said given in Oaths rather than focusing on national security. We put a lot of people’s life at sakes just fighting in ridiculous wars. Nations that need our help should ask for it, rather than getting in without permission. This is the main reason we are getting more terrorist attack. They are sending attacks in response to leaving their nation alone. Every nation needs their privacy and it should be respected. If we value life of every individual, why risk it instead of turning them in to lawyers or doctors. All this money going to the army could have done something great in this nation. We are simply the bad guy trying to be tough while getting more debts from the Chinese government.
In my opinion, the American government is too big, I am not against immigration, but I’d be good if America could be a smaller nation. This is the land of opportunity and I understand why many people come over here. Those coming here just to cause disruption instead of seeking an education to be a better person just make us all bad guys. People coming in America need to come for a purpose because if not, they are simply blocking the path of the intruders behind them who maybe seeking a better life for them and their families.
I know someone who participates in governing America. I am not exactly sure of what job they do but they work for the government. They are not involved in local issues but focus a lot on national debates and votes. I believe they have a sense of civic duty and they are just interested in getting people to vote for during presidential elections. After conversation from last class, it really makes no sense voting for nationally if you are not first off interested in local town issues. Local issue is the starting point to get you to understand State and National debate. National and state problem should be the last thing in anyone’s mind.
Yes, America is rules by the few. The 3 branches in the government have equal powers thanks to the Checks and Balances. I do believe there should be more democracy in America as in the “Probability Broach “. Government helps nations through difficult and hard times. Without this government we have, I believe America wouldn’t be where it is. Not only more order is maintained, but few crimes are likely to occur. In terms of water boarding, I don’t really found it a problem if it is the only way to get answer from terrorist. I may be shifting away from democrats point of view, but if it is the only way to get answer from terrorist to protect this Great Nation. We are better off using such awful technique. Plus consequences need to be set for people doing worse than breaking rules.
ReplyDeleteSending people to jail, doesn’t resolve anything, most of them come back being worse than before. Plus if the individual didn’t want to be water boarded or anything, he wouldn’t be involved in such crimes at first. America on other hand is the one trying to act tough on other nations. It is our fault we are being attacked by terrorist. America need to stop getting involved in nations not seeking help. They are simply better off turning in to a dictating nation like North Korea if that what they wish. In addition, Russia is closer to Iraq. Why should we worry about Iraq when a huge nation like Russia can maintain the whole European continent? We spend way too much on War. I know it is to protect this nation, but we instead need to defend the constitution as said given in Oaths rather than focusing on national security. We put a lot of people’s life at sakes just fighting in ridiculous wars. Nations that need our help should ask for it, rather than getting in without permission. This is the main reason we are getting more terrorist attack. They are sending attacks in response to leaving their nation alone. Every nation needs their privacy and it should be respected. If we value life of every individual, why risk it instead of turning them in to lawyers or doctors. All this money going to the army could have done something great in this nation. We are simply the bad guy trying to be tough while getting more debts from the Chinese government.
In my opinion, the American government is too big, I am not against immigration, but I’d be good if America could be a smaller nation. This is the land of opportunity and I understand why many people come over here. Those coming here just to cause disruption instead of seeking an education to be a better person just make us all bad guys. People coming in America need to come for a purpose because if not, they are simply blocking the path of the intruders behind them who maybe seeking a better life for them and their families.
I know someone who participates in governing America. I am not exactly sure of what job they do but they work for the government. They are not involved in local issues but focus a lot on national debates and votes. I believe they have a sense of civic duty and they are just interested in getting people to vote for during presidential elections. After conversation from last class, it really makes no sense voting for nationally if you are not first off interested in local town issues. Local issue is the starting point to get you to understand State and National debate. National and state problem should be the last thing in anyone’s mind.
Frank Oben
I feel as though America is run by a select few. Those few are often blind to others opinions, no matter what they may say. I think there should be more democracy in America, but not to the extreme because as one of the other posts said it would end in chaos. As we discussed in class today, even if people wouldn't vote a president would still be elected through the electoral college.
ReplyDeleteI feel that America is run by a few. Yes, we have the president and he’s supposed to be the “top” go-to- guy but if you think about it, it’s not just him who makes the decision for the president. We have the judicial system, the electoral college, and also the people who represent the local government and state government. I also feel that there should be more democracy in America because this country is about the people and if this is true then the people should have more of a say in how their country is run.
ReplyDeleteI do not participate in the government because I legally cannot, although I know many people who do participate. My grandmother is very interested in poitics and does follow the local, state, and national politics but my mother is not really one who pays that much attention. Everyone I know who is old enough votes .
I fell that America is too large. Although I am happy with how much security we have in the country but I feel at times the government should back down a little and let the people’s voice be heard.
Jenna Benke
I def. feel America is run by the few, and yes I def. think there should be more democracy. It would be nice to have it the way it is in the Probability Broach, but that's not going to happen over night. Government officials need to start taking baby steps now, so my children can have more democracy when they are my age. I have not been able to vote yet, but I'm sure I will. I do not believe the electoral college should be soul responsible for our new president. It's an outrage really. Healthcare should def be larger in the government, Arnold S. governor of California passed the first health exchange of the US last week, now others need to follow. It's baby steps but one day we may get to where we need to be and where we should. America is supposed to be a role model to other countries and I feel we can't be that role model without more democracy. And i do believe that it's not the size of the govt. it's the effect.
ReplyDeleteTHe government, i see, is far too large for its own good. They have way to many people for jobs that are unnecessary. When it comes to voting the electoral college should not have as much power as they do. The people should actually have the power to elect the president, not just a group of men. although in reality we have the power when we elect our officials for our state, but no one really pays attention. So yes there should be more democracy, i feel like were going into the wrong direction. and pretty soon people will have no say in government what so ever if something doesn't happen
ReplyDeleteWow! I had to really think about this one before I began my blog. I feel our government is run by a few, but these people are a larger few. Only select members may be directly involved with our country's politics and be in charge. I am comfortable with the size of our government and thankful for its checks and balances system.I do vote in elections. It is important to have one's voice heard, although we as voters do not have the final say. I feel as if it is not only my right to vote but my duty as well. Women fought so hard in this country to earn these rights and if I do not exercise them, then I feel as if somehow their struggles were all in vain.In my opinion every woman who is 18 should make an effort to vote and be heard.On the matter of whether or not our government is run effectively,I have to say that I do not think it always runs as smoothly as we would hope. There have been major glitches along the way, but I do believe the government tries to have our best interest at heart. I do not agree with everything it stands for. I do believe we need better, more affordable healthcare in this country. Many people become ill and just fade away because they can not afford to go to a doctor, or purchase the medicine they need. This should not be.
ReplyDeleteI know an individual involved in local government; he goes to our church and is very friendly and welcomes any and all questions we may have about how things are running in West Virginia. He does not appear to be the typical politician because he is so open with us and he never comes across as fake or as if he is out to impress anyone. Laura Remsburg 100-04
I believe America is ruled by the many. No one person decides everything. Actually I think the media rules America but thats off topic. The amount of democracy in America is pretty fair, but nobody's perfect. I myself do not really participate in any form of government listed in the questions above. As for the rest of America I believe it should be completely up to the individual person on wether or not they should participate in government or have a sense of civic duty. I think American government has gotten too big. It was never envisioned to get this big and I think we would have a lot less problems in this country is the size of the government was reduced. For the most part the government seems effective with some things. I mean I'm no expert but at the same token it seems like they waste a lot of time with little stupid things that shouldn't even matter. Thats my two cents anyway
ReplyDeleteAmerica, in my opinion, is definetly run by only a select few. There is a lack of defintion between democracy and liberalism in America. We are not a set one way over another. It is a mixture which makes for confusion.
ReplyDeleteThere is not just one person that makes all the decisions for the country. I dont ever involve myself in politics because its just an unessarsary stress. We are never going to be happy with the government so why even bother? Government is ineffective in meeting the needs of everyone, because of social class. Its either the poor dont have enough money and the others will not want it taken. We have no control. I would rather just deal with whatever comes rather than try to change it because I cant. Casting my vote, in my personal opinion is a waste of gas driving to the poll.
The government only works for the people who are in that "inner circle" as i would call it. Only the ones who create, benefit.
Jessica Dant 100-05
I think that America is ruled by a select few. You have to be "somebody" to actually rule America. We have the electoral college who really decides who is going to become president. There is not just one person ruling America a is a few little groups that make decisions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jessica, i don't get into politics. It is just a waste of my time because they are going to do what they are going to do and no one is going to stop them.
Megan Williams
I believe that america is run by the few. There is most prominently a small, select few who do in fact run the government. Not anyone can rule/have political power in America. We seem to be very picky in who we choose and they almost always have to meet the unwritten criteria we have formed over the years. I believe there should be more democracy in america, but not nearly as much as there is in "the probability broach," that seems extremely unrealistic and I feel as though nothing would ever get accomplished or that it would take an immense amount of time. The fact that it has to be 90% would be much too ridiculous. Although I believe there should be more democracy, I also feel as though there should be some things (such as water boarding) that the government should have complete control over. It is not personally affecting us as people besides the fact that it may go against some peoples morals, but in the long run, it does not and will not affect or everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteI do not personally participate in anything to do with governing america, whether it be voting, on town council, etc. Mostly because I just turned 18 so I couldn't before but I do not plan on participating any time soon until I am more educated on the subject and what is really going on as oppose to just agreeing with what my parents believe like most people my age. I believe that if you truly are concerned with whats happening in our country and it really seems to affect you personally, then yes you should be an active participant. If you do not care, then no you shouldn't and there shouldn't ever be anyone forcing you to either.
I believe that our government as a whole, is just the right size...for now. It definitely should not be as small at it is in "the probability broach." I feel as though not one aspect should be that much larger or smaller than another because for the most part, they are all equally important and if one gets more attention than the other, it could cause the downfall of that one particular aspect which would not be good.
Im not sure if I have a stance on whether the government is effective or ineffective. For the most part, I'd have to say its effective because I feel secure and the government is run pretty well. I can't exactly think of any changes i'd make at this point and age, someday though.
I believe that America is not ruled by many, but ruled by a few. I learned in class that it isn’t really the people who even vote for our presidents, it’s those who make up the Electoral College. I think that America should be more democratic like in the Probability Broach. It would be nice to be able to see people elected into power who are just like anyone else and don’t have billions of dollars. It would be nice if we the people elected them as well. As far as size goes, I think that if a government is going to limit itself to what it runs, like the economy, international affairs and the military then the government should be fairly small. But if it is going to reach out and get involved in as many things that America does then I think we almost need a larger government.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Yingling
Alexander Pope said "Only fools quibble over forms of government, history has a good thing to say about all of them..."
ReplyDeleteI find our form of government to be the best there is but it is far from perfect. It is an interesting form of government. It allows for deception, and encouragement, as well as the possibility to implement your will upon the social order. It also shows brilliant efforts to help many. No matter what opinion people may possess about George W. Bush, he has provided a greater effort, more than any other President, in the treatment of Aids and malaria in Africa plus many more humanitarian projects. Our government has given much hope, and the idea that gives us the ability to help others and show compassion.
If you take a look at history, most democracies have end with chaos and tyranny. They fell because someone or a group used the route to power with the ability to persuade. We see how Politicians use methods to persuade, not to say it is what will lead us to a tyranny, but politicians in a democracy have that ability to persuade the population to take their route of how things should be. If you doubt this, look at what our current president has become that is far greater change (“change that you can believe in”) than the constitution originally wrote about. Our current president is not the first and I believe that real change in the role of the president came around Teddy Roosevelt and Taft that would become a real progressive change with President Hoover and so forth. There are many arguments and disagreements but these are my beliefs and I am only touching on some of them.
There have been a few democracies that have worked for a long period but they are more of an example of republics, Athens, the Dutch, good period of the Roman Empire, etc. In their time they have produced a cultural fluorescence that is hard to rival by any means. With Rome, Greece, and other forms of democracy in human history the men called our “Four Fathers” used these examples of governments to help write our constitution. Understanding that a Government to big can become corrupt and a republic not supported by a democracy could be doomed to fail.
Plato: "The forgiving spirit of democracy... These and other kindred characteristics are proper to democracy, which is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequal’s alike."
America is ruled by the few I believe. The President and others in power are the ones who make decisions for bills, war, a treaty, etc. It is not as if there is a poll for us to take saying "DO YOU WANT TO GO TO WAR? YES OR NO?", and then whichever side has the highest we do.
ReplyDeleteNot too sure how smoothly that would work...
100.04
I would have to agree mostly with the comment shortly before this, by Veronica. Most of the points she makes I can say that I feel very similar. Only a few run America, compared to the billions of people here. What's sad is they are the elite. For the most part, I don't think they have ever dealt with things most average individuals do in our society. It seems they were almost 'born' into the wealth needed to even RUN for presidency. It takes too much money for the average american to decide to run for president and actually have a standing chance. I'm pretty sure that I have not met anyone who will win the presidency in my lifetime of meeting people. It's just not common. Maybe it's more like, they are already above the average and the only way to go is up. Yet I am not complaining for myself or for America.. Because I'm pretty sure if it were some average american running for office american citizens WOULDNT vote for him unless he seemed to act and dress in a way we deem fit for presidency.
ReplyDeleteIt's very hard to decide if I feel the government is too large or too small. I almost stand in a neutral position with a slight sway toward the government being too large. But we dont have enough democracy in the US. We can't even choose our own president. What kind of demoncracy is that? Don't WE, too, have to live with the decisions this individual is going to make for us? Even if we have an opinion we would like to share.. our only option is to send a letter (good luck on it being read).
Kristi Barrett
I think that America is ruled by the few. I also learned in class that Americans do not actually vote the President into office, that job is left up to the Electoral college. I think that Americans should have more of a say in who is elected president and what not, but not entirely. I do believe if some Americans have more of a say, there would be some who would purposely act stupid and try to elect the wrong person into office, maybe out of spite or for another reason. I suppose the way the government is being run right now is alright, but I do think Americans should have a little more of a say.
ReplyDeleteWell, the size of the government could be bigger in order to have more people making decisions. As well as giving more people the voice to make a difference, the government would need to be larger. Issue is the uncertainty of the people. Will this person offer good advice, would said person shoot me, would he be criticizing, or would he be a mindless drone drooling about the person in power? Because the human mind is not fully certain at all times, having access to the leaders of government is very difficult because of what has happened. If the government was smaller, there would be less figure heads to reach out to. If it was bigger there would be more figureheads to talk to. Granted it's not always certain that the figure head is willing to listen at all. In cases like this, there needs to be more people to reach out to. But again if the government is bigger, the head honcho can't make a decision because of all the voices shouting this and that. It's hard to do get a good consensus in the government does not voice every person's concerns. Which is why it's not easy to determine a good sized government.
ReplyDeletei think america is run by the few that is run by the whole. because as we do vote, electoral college put the president into office. And there are a group of people that govern us as a nation. yet, we as the people have the right to protest their decisions and representatives out of office if we decide that he or she does not represent what we want. I believe that a government like in the probability broach would not work just because if we did not have military and some other country attacked us, we would be in a ton of trouble. We would be the only nation with that type of government and we cannot just ignore what has happened in out history...other countries- our allies and enemies will try and drag us into war. I do not think that this would be a beneficial type of government to have in our world, because of the world around us
ReplyDeleteAmerica is ruled by the few who make it into office.I don't feel that it is right that our votes really don't make a difference and the Elctoral College chooses the president. We do have some input though when we ellect senators and such that we want to represent us. This gives us some kind of ruling but the represenative could end up not being accountable and we have no purpose. I don't think there should be too much democracy because we need a larger organization for things such as national security. I know individuals that are on town council and who vote regurally. These individuals follow politics and are educated about what is going on. I think more people should be more educated so that they can voice their opinions in a better way.
ReplyDeleteI think we are ruled by the few. We get to vote but just how much does that vote mean. In the presidential elctions we get the vote but the majority vote doesnt always win. I think we need to be more of a democracy to a certian extent. We should get to vote on all the big issues personally. While i think that there are certain things the governtment should keep from the public such as waterboarding.
ReplyDeleteRiley Strawdwerman
I believe that our country is ruled by the few.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I rarely understand any of the political mumbo-jumbo that I do hear, and life experience has taught me that when things get overly wordy and complicated they are often lies, so I tend to tune out. I think that many of those who do participate don't really understand either. They just do what someone told them: a talk radio host, celebrity, or their church.
As a result of my own lack of understanding and a rather fatigued faith in my fellow man, my participation has been minimal. I vote on local issues when I have an opinion, and I vote in presidential elections, though I have often thrown my vote away to a third party candidate because I didn't care for either of my options.
As far as the government being too big or small . . . I really don't know. I do tend to like things simple and streamlined though, and libertarianism seems appealing. Hopefully my knowledge on the subject will continue to grow and I will find a stronger desire and better direction.
I believe our country is ruled by the few. Anything that is brought up and voted for is ultimatly our representatives decision regardless of our opinions. We may not elect them again if we dont agree with those choices, but the damage would already be done in a 2 or 6 year term. I believe we can only truly affect things on a local level and even that is not always guranteed to work. For example, I've seen many people protesting against the PATH Powerline. Despite these protests, as far as I know the power line is still going to be built. Also when writing to a member of congress for a project in highschool, the responses we got were usually form letters and generic responses. When writing to a state representative, such as a state senator or delegate, the response was more personal and they seemed more concerned. I'm not sure if the government is too big or too small. There can always be an argument for both sides.
ReplyDeleteOur country is ruled by the few. Yes, we may believe that we actually help make this country what it is, but in reality we really don't participate in any democracy directly. We do have representatives, but unless we are related or know them directly we still don't even have a direct relationship with them. I think we need to have more democracy in America, even if that means to give up our torturous ways to get information, helpful or not. We need to find other ways of doing things. I vote and I try to participate as much as possible, but I am limited to what I can do. I could begin attending city councils and other city events, I work for a contractor for the government, but not the government itself, and I think we definitely should have more action in our government and we should all increase our civic duties. In some ways the government can be effective, but I believe it is mostly ineffective. Why, because it takes months if not years to settle some bill that could be very minor when there are more important things that need more attention to. I believe that the government is too large in every category. I believe that Congress is one of the main government categories that is too large. Yes there are many states larger than some, but I believe there should be a limited amount of senators and representatives that make up the Congress, and perhaps this could make part of the government more effective.
ReplyDeleteAnna Wilt
I think our government is too big and should be downsized but I don't think it should be as small as the one in the Probability Broach. I also think that the government is effective in certain areas but in others they aren't. I think we should have more of a democracy when it comes to choosing the President. I think the people should choose who they want to lead them instead of the Electoral College.
ReplyDelete-Rebecca Harrelson
Our government gives off the appearance of being ruled by the many... but I realize that we are actually ruled by the few. I definitely think there are improvements to be made, but honestly I find our government rather effective (especially in comparison to some others). We do vote on who gets to represent us, and we have to trust that those people will represent us well. In this sense... we DO have that control over our representatives. If they dont uphold the beliefs of their constituents they wont stay in office too long. I think one of the biggest issues with government isn't necessarily the level of democracy, but the level of involvement. So many people just assume their voice will be lost in the crowd but it really doesn't work that way. The opinion of the masses is generally always heard... but we have to present as the 'masses' and if no one votes or participates nothing can change. Maybe I just accept what we are always told about being active in politics... I know in class it was 'revealed' how little control or input we truly have as a single person. I acknowledge that, but I also know that if I dont make my opinion known, who else will? It's all about the majority.
ReplyDeleteI try to be active politically on any level that directly affects me, and it is becoming more and more important to me the older I get. I graduate in December and wont be sheltered by school or parents anymore... I WANT to know what's going on and I want to be active. The best way I know how to do that is to make sure I know who represents me and my state.
I think that our federal government should be smaller and I believe that the states should have more control. I believe that welfare has turned into a joke and is draining non-existent money from our already broke government. Social Security is a good idea but I hate the idea of paying for something I dont think will even be around when I am ready to start collecting checks. The military should be big and well-funded. I dont like paying for things that dont benefit me personally. The military is a necessity to ensure national security... the other two dont seem that way to me.
Overall I think our government is effective... but I know there are tons of ways to improve it.
-Challee Blackwelder
America's government may be large but it is run by few. There are way too many government jobs that are unnecessary. The democracy in the Probability Broach seems way to extreme for America to ever become like that, even if it should. Americans don't really have a say in the government the Electoral College will pick a president whether one person or a million people vote. In the end, Americans do not matter when it comes to the electing aspect of the government. Americans should matter more when it comes to their government not just the elites.
ReplyDeleteI think America is ruled by few, I don’t think the extent of democracy in The Probability Broach is what we need but maybe a little more than what we have. I do vote for local elections and certainly pay attention to the candidate’s policies. I like to watch NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and hear about the elections that are going on right now. I think it’s a sad fact that if you were to have a picture of Snooki from the Jersey Shore and a picture of Christine O’Donnell and asked students to tell us who that person is more people would know Snooki. I can agree that yes at a National level it’s extremely difficult to change policies. You can’t march up to the White House and demand to speak to President Obama but at a local level, you can go sit in during council meetings or write letters to your county commissioner. I don’t think the size of a government matters. People say it’s too big, too much control, I think collectively it could work no matter the size. Unfortunately just because you’re a Democrat and you’re a Republican we can’t get agree on anything. And then we lose sight of the real importance, what’s best for the public. Our government is going to make mistakes, and they are going to make right choices – that’s just how things go. Some people want to have their own “2 Minutes of Hate” when our government drops the ball. Either way people when complain but that’s America that’s freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteTim Zeigler
I look at our government in two ways. I believe that it is ruled by many people because there are so many levels of government. Local, State, Federal, there are so many people involved in the governing of our country. However, the federal and even state governments are ruled by "the few." Like we talked about in class, elites of politics are generally white, religious, wealthy, upper class males. Compared to the population of our country, they are "the few."
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if the public had a little more say in our government and voting. But there are so many people that aren't educated enough to make a valid decision. Outside factors may skew their vote, i.e. someone they know is voting one way, someone they dislike is voting a way and they want to vote the opposite, they may just randomly pick a candidate, and the wrong person may very well end up in office. Our government has kept our country alive for this long, why change it now? I'm not agreeing with everything that is going on, but at least it's working.
Kelsea Weiant
In my opinion America is governed by a few even though it gives off the appearance of being ruled by many. We don't actually participate in the large scale politics and only the votes by the "few" rulers actually count. In local politics there is more of a rule by many approach. Both of my parents work for government agencies and I think this has influenced their participation in politics as well as mine. I live in a small town where local politics thrive and many of my neighbors have been mayors or town councilmen. Now that I can legally vote I actively participate in local government. I personally participate because I when you vote or ask for change you see results almost immediately. I’m a strong believer in democracy and at the local level it is most apparent. Even though I like the idea of democracy I don’t think a government as small as the government in the Probability Broach is practical for America. It think that the national government should be more overseeing and an advisory and smaller more local or state government should make more decisions since they are closer to the people.
ReplyDeleteEmily Johnson
in my opinion I believe that america is run by few..but like the one above me stated it seems like it's being ruled by many but really isn't. here we are thinking that our votes are actually counting but they really aren't, it's the thought that counts...and the effort to make america better by stating our opinions. now that i am of age to vote, i do believe that i will vote from here on out and i feel as if everyone should. you live in this country you contribute your opinion.
ReplyDeletealyssa prager
I believe that the United States is ruled by the few that are elected by the many. The amount of people that vote though is a bit disappointing. All of the leaders should be elected based solely on the will and majority of the people who do vote, making the United States more democratic. In terms of military matters, anything that is illegal for the citizens of the United States should not be allowed in the military unless the majority of the population allows for it by democratic voting. I plan on participating in the governing of America by voting in every election that I can be a part of because it is my choice and my duty as an American citizen. I believe that every citizen should do this. The size of the government, in its current configuration, and in the current situation that the country is in, is alright in my opinion. The government needs to be larger than that of the one in the Probability Broach, but the required citizen percentage of voting should be around the same, or at least 75%. I believe that the social security program should be expanded, and the military should go either way as needed with the welfare program getting smaller after the government somehow encourages people to make enough to be off of it. The effectiveness of the US government should be looked at on a point by point basis and not as a general overview of all programs the government handles. The government is mostly effective in what it does, but could be more effective if it got more participation from a larger percentage of the population.
ReplyDeleteChad Starner
I think that the United States government is a very large government but the only reason that its large is because it is fair to everyone in the country. One part of the government is based on population of a state and the other part is equal for every state.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the government should be any more democratic than what it already is. If we, for some reason, changed the majority vote to 90%, like in Probability Broach, nothing would ever be voted upon because never will 90% of the people in the House and Senate agree on anything.
An effective government contacts its citizen's lives every day without the population knowing or caring much about it. I think the U.S. government exceeds in this greatly.
Tim Schmitt
I do agree with alot of you that Amercia is ruled by a few people. Those people have to already rich and have alot of more to run for president. Most people who do run for president are in the highest class anyway. How can they relate to the average working person. Sure they promise this and that but in the long run do they carry out what they promise if they are elected president. If the US was an place of more democracy, I think we would never get anything done. Having to agree on 90% of the laws. Nothing would never get passed. Even today we as an non-democracy place can't agree on getting anything passed. They can't agree on anything.
ReplyDeleteI honestly cannot decide whether we should have a true democracy as in The Probability Broach. I think that our country needs a happy medium. Our country has too much violence to have a completely democratic state as in the novel. I believe that we need to up the level of democracy we have now and keep some laws so that we can keep the peaces, otherwise there will probably have people shooting eachother left and right.
ReplyDeleteI believe that we are governed by the few for the simple fact that even if we as a country vote for president, the elecotral college chooses president. We are ultimately ruled by one man or woman: the president. We as a country need to decide whether or not this is a good state of government for us.
-Dani Joiner 100.03
In my opinion our government is definitely ruled by a few people. When it comes to whether or not our government should have more democracy or not I believe that in a way having some democracy would be ideal. Allowing the people to have more say in certain situations like the election of the president. I do not think that our government should completely use democracy though. I do not feel that I participate in governing America. The people that help govern America have a political stance and are appointed to those positions. Citizens do not have too much say in how America is governed, so i naturally do not have a say in how the America is ran.In my opinion, I think that we have a good size government in America. When thinking about how our government works I feel that our votes when electing a new president should count more than it really does. The citizens should have the opportunity to really have a say in who is elected president during each presidential election. I believe that our government is definitely effective.
ReplyDeleteThe US I believe is governed by many. Between Senate and The House, there are a lot of people making America's decisions. I believe I do take part in some of America's decision, just more on the local level than the Federal. Like discussed in class, we vote in the Presidential election, however, our votes do not necessarily count. I believe it is a civic duty to take part in all elections. If you do not take part in elections, be it local or national, you really have no right to be bitter or upset with the outcome. I think the Government is an appropriate size to accommodate the amount of US citizens. The bigger the government, the more views that are represented.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is ruled by the few. Not everyone, and not many people have a say or can change things in our government, such as laws. It can be done but it takes so much effort and time and the chances are you will not suceed. I feel our government should have more democracy than it does but not complete democracy. I think a full out democracy would cause more harm than good to our society. We vote for a president so we have some say in the ruling of our country, but not much. The electorial college actually has the final say on who becomes president, and once a president is elected, we our under rule of he/she and their board.
ReplyDeleteCanaan Metz
Our government is run by the few most defiantly but since we have a power to select those people in most cases i view this as a good system. the more our great countries grows the less democratic it becomes just for the fact that democracy is inversely related to size. A completely democracy just wouldn't work. by the time a bill was passed or any decision was made it would be time for a new bill for the same things just because it would have changed by then. The only disadvantage to this is that we as citizens don't have much say on what goes on in Washington D.C. This doesn't provide much effectiveness for smaller problems but helps to unify the decisions about war and other national level affairs.
ReplyDeleteOur government is ruled by a large few. This is not usually a problem, though, since these few are selected by the us citizens. The president, however, is elected by the electoral college. Though I do believe there is too much government in America, there are few instances of over- governing, so it doesn't become a very large issue. The problem with the way the government is set up is that the citizens don't get much say in things like new bills being passed. This is the job of the politicians we selected, which is why it is important to vote.
ReplyDeleteSean Hubberman
I believe America is ruled by the few because many of the US citizens have the power to vote for the President, but the electoral college can vote however it wants and does not need to follow the popular vote. This shows that the selected few of the electoral college can group up and pick our President. The other thing that shows that America is run by the few is that most of our Presidents come from Ivy League schools like Yale, Princeton and Harvard. This shows without attending these schools, the average person would have basically no chance to run for President. I believe there should be more democracy in our government because people are losing more and more of their rights every day. I believe just like in the Probability Broach 90% of Americans should have to vote before the President is elected. I believe everyone should have a right to know how the government treates their prisoners, and waterboarding and military matters should be publicly viewed for Americans only.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the United States is ruled by the few. I mean, we get to vote but that vote doesn't necessarily mean anything. In the presidential election we get to vote and sometimes it means something, but the majority vote won't always win. The electoral college has the most power in these elections. I think we need to be more of a democracy to a certain extent. We should get to vote on all the big issues personally, though I think that there should be certain things the government has the right, or should keep from the public.
ReplyDeleteI feel like America is ruled by the few.The citizens have the power to vote but the electoral college can vote do what ever it wants.Our government is run a specific class of people,whether people want to admit it our not.When was the last time a president was elected that didn't attend an elite university?Even senators and governers come from this 'elite' background.Very few of our government officials have come from nothing.Though I do fell like our country is run by the few,now that I am of age to vote I'll will be taking part in elections from here on out.Because this is my right as a citizen of this nation.
ReplyDeleteBlair Jewell/100.04
i believe the united states is run by the few. i mean we do get to vote but then again the vote doesnt even count. in our presidential election our vote majority of the time doesn't even count. our president is voted primarily by the electoral college and i feel we need to be more of a democracy because of it.
ReplyDeleteAs so many people have already said, our government is definitely ruled by many. Even though technically we are ruled by the President, currently Obama, there are many people involved in making decisions on behalf of the nation. We have three branches that have equal part in how our government runs. I agree with the discussions in class about the fact that the local state is much more democratic than the whole nation because we are able to talk with our local representatives a whole lot easier than talking directly with the President. It is completely insane to think that we as simple citizens can just walk up to the White House’s front door and demand to talk to Obama (you would probably find yourself thrown in jail). I know our government is not perfect, but I don’t think there is such a thing as a “perfect government.”
ReplyDeleteCatherine Pevahouse 100.03
America today seems to be ran by a select few people. In America we are just as democratic as we need to be. Everyone in America wants might want everything to be more democratic but if that happens there could be a few very lop-sided victory on some things. In America there are so many people here that don't care about the government at all that and would just put anything down, probably without hardly any thought. My whole family participates in governing America. We all vote on the presidental election (although it doesn't actually change the outcome) and for our town concil. The United States government seems to be about the right size and is very effective and the government will just keep getting stronger.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Sawyers
America is ruled by the many. We the people govern ourselves. We are a republic; therefore we elect people to represent us. It may be thought that we are ruled by the few, but this is not so. Yes, our representatives do control most of what is done and accomplished in our government, but it is us that control their power to do so through elections.
ReplyDeleteI participate in governing America through voting in every election. I pay close attention to political debates and events and study them carefully.
It is my belief that the smaller a government is the better. Although if a government is too small to defend the citizens of the nation then the government is not large enough. Things such as social security and welfare is a disease that needs to be exterminated. Social programs like this are mismanaged and create too much debt to maintain. Things like the military (which doesn’t cost a fraction of what social programs do) should not be cut. It is not in the interest of US defense to cut funding to our military.
What Emily said on October 5th, is not what i agree with. The Government is larger and is ruled by few. If you think a few hundred/ thousand representatives are enough to cover 300 million people. I certainly wouldnt want to be represented!
ReplyDeleteI think that in this area, people have a tendency to be much more involved in politics considering the close proximity to DC. I have myself several times participated in governor and county commissioners political races.
ReplyDeleteI think that our government is on the larger side, but I don't think that necessarily means that it is a better method of government. A smaller government could possibly to the same or better job. I think it just depends on the people in it.
-Jessica Lisk
I would say that America is run by many. Even though there is essentially one person who rules the nation, he still at times must answer to Congress who is...many people. As far as I know, if they don't like what the president is doing, they can overrule him. As for participating in the voting process, I have voted once. I just recently registered to vote, and I participated in the primary election in Maryland. I used to think it would be worthwhile to vote for the president, but after being in this class for a while, I'm wondering what the point would be. I knew what the Electoral College was, but I guess I never realized that the normal person's vote counted for nothing. Now it just seems like a waste of time and money to vote for president. But I can't help but think that maybe the Electoral College's vote is influenced, however slightly, by the votes cast by the general population. Besides one exception, most presidential election outcomes have been in line with the votes cast by regular Americans, if I'm correct in saying so. It just makes me wonder if there's any influence on the Electoral College by regular people voting.
ReplyDeleteNathan Arch
I believe that in the United States there are only a few that govern the masses. This shows even in our voting system as discussed in class. There are a select group of people that elect our next president and with our laws they are passed by a certain group of people. I do think that this is not good. The people should have the right to pick who they ultimately want to run the country, we don't need these decisions made for us by and electoral college. I can see how people would like to think that a libertarian total democratic government would be great but I even though I have issues with our government system sometimes I don't think this government would be ideal. For one it would be very hard when dealing with matters of national security and everyone wants to feel safe. We also like to have groups such as firefighters, EMTs, and police to help us. These would have to be hired out privately. So over all I feel that our government is not bad. There are things that i feel should be disclosed and changed but without other aspects we would have more problems.
ReplyDeleteVickie Norris
I feel like America is less democratic when it comes to voting then it should be. If the people elect a leader, the electoral college can still change the results in the end. If the people elect a leader, then that is who should gain power. I also feel that sometimes the government has too much power over us. We are required to pay social security but times are getting so bad we may not even be able to collect. The government should have less control over the money that the people earn fairly.
ReplyDeleteI think that America is a mixture of all three of the different kinds of rulings, with it mainly being a nation ruled by a few. There is one main ruler (the president) that has the most power, there is also the congress that represents us being ruled by few, and everyone has the right to vote on different issues which represents our nation as one that is ruled by everyone that chooses to participate. Since I turned 18, I have been voting for the presidential election, along with both of my parents and brother. I personally think that the American government is just about the right size, there is always going to be issues and it will never be perfect all the time, but in the glad scheme of things compared to other nations around the world, I think America does a pretty good job.
ReplyDeleteTom Whalen
No system of government is perfect. I feel The united states government is so large complex its hard to tell what it is. I agree with Tom that its a mixture of a lot of things. I also think that we the people have no idea whats really going on. The government being so large has an effect on Everything we do! It is a little frighting to me.
ReplyDeleteI think the American government is ruled by many. We do allow to elect representatives and send them to the congress. I think the size of the government is just about right. I wouldn't want a government from the Probability Broach. Yes, it has more freedom and democratic in Probability Broach but sometimes there are situations where government interventions are necessary. Likewise, I would not like a government from 1984 because it has too much control over its people
ReplyDeleteYuet Chu
I think that America is ruled by the few. When running for a political seat, you need to number of qualifications, especially to become president. That's not including the age and citizenship requirements. Most have law degrees and have been dealing with politics for years. An example would be when we "elect" our president. We put in our votes. Whatever state we're in has a certain number of points that a candidate can earn, and whoever has the most points in the end is supposed to win, right? Wrong. The electoral college actually elects our president and can override the point values earned. Think back to the election in 2000. Gore clearly had Bush beat with popularity votes but the electoral college elected Bush to go into office.
ReplyDeleteI think that the United States needs to be more democratic. People lose more freedoms everyday. I think one example would be the Home Owners Association. When you live in a development you HAVE to be part of this association, pay an annual fee, and even though you are the home owner, you have to abide by their rules. If you want to paint your house a different color, plant certain flowers in the garden in your front yard, etc, you have to have it approved by the Home Owners Association. They have been given the legal authority to govern what you do to your own home. Who granted that right to them? The US government. My uncle's truck leaks oil and because of that he has to keep his truck in his garage whenever he's home because it looks bad in his neighborhood and decreases the value of said neighborhood. While his truck stays in the garage, my aunt has to keep her classic car out in the elements. That is just one of many examples.
-Amber Ropp
I believe our governemnt is ruled by many. Even though our president is the only one in charge in order for certain things to pass they have to be reviewed by others. I personally dont know anyone who helps do anything in our government.
ReplyDelete--sabina nicewarner
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion as well, we are governed by the few. When I say few however, I am not just referring the the twelve or so seats in the Senate, but also to the upper class. It is obvious that money is heavily involved in our ruling system, and those with more of it always have the upperhand. Not downgrading the value of the Harvard and Columbia degrees of our past presidents, but in more localized systems with the big bucks always comes up on top.
ReplyDeleteAnother example I can give about being run by the few is this whole voting issue. We've already discussed in class how our vote "doesn't really matter", because once again someone with big bucks is making the ultimate decision for us. Our guarenteed first amendment - Freedom of Speech - is being dominated by the few....
Melani Lewis
I believe that the American government is ruled by a small amount of people. Also, I learned that no matter how much we vote, the electoral college and still change the results. If it is us as people who select who we want to be chosen as our leader, why should it be changed? Regardless of this, I am still going to vote and put in my opinion to whom I think should be elected as president.
ReplyDeleteNicole Doxsee
I think America is ruled by many. They vote on things together and the electoral college steers the outcome of the vote. I hate the electoral college however and are totally against it. It does not count evenly.
ReplyDelete