Where is does our future lie as far as within in our Democracy? This easily slips our societies mind because we assume the government will take care of us. However, for those of us who actually look into what is going on in our world we will find that our future is very bleak. I do not see our Democracy getting any better, if anything I only see it continuing to go down the wrong road. Our nation is thriving on selfish desires that put a hinder over our political system. It all comes down to status and money and those of us who are not on that level get stubborn towards the authority. It is a huge circle full of people pointing fingers at one another instead of actually thinking of ways that will better our society. Human nature is far from perfect and that is why I see our nation’s democracy turning into a DEMOCRAZY. This is terrible to think about but I know that I can not make myself naive to the situation for much longer. I hope that things could turn around but when I look at other things outside of government (like movies or television, even music) I see that things are getting worse as well. Things that use to be shocking and out of the norm are now embraced. Risks are good to take but not when it is taking away what our country stands for. My question to you is, “Is our world really headed for disaster? or is all of this solvable?”
As much as I hate Family Guy, this clip is actually a good example for democracy. We are in war right now and everything seems scarce. We all have our hopes up that our Democracy will just magically “kick in” and everything will get better. Family Guy is obviously making fun of our government and policies but this is just another way people are pointing fingers instead of really trying to help out.
The recession that took place in 2008 has taken a huge toll on our economy and our society is still paying for it today. Americans are put on budgets yet the government seems to be spending religiously. Is this far? Or could this be a myth (critical question for the week)? Would a capitalistic approach still make since for today or should America lean towards a new policy? I personally think that no matter what policy or what happens amongst our society there will always be something pointed out as a problem. Everyone cannot be pleased at one time so I think that we should look past the past and strive to learn from it and fix what is happening now. Too many people bring up old news and mix it to much in what is going on today. Yes it is still going on from 2008 but no one seems to actually be doing something about it.
I find this picture humorous because it seems so dead on. It is a slap in the face to say “congratulations” but in all truce it happened. It shows prices going up, houses being sold, and stress from all the bills ect... will things get better or continue to get worse... I bet if things continue to get worse, we will look back on today and wish things were the way they are today.... just a though.
Friday, April 8, 2011
This week we discussed the question “How does a government facilitate comprehensive care for its constituents without sacrificing equity?” and to me this was a mouthful of things I felt completely lost about. Either it was just worded funny or my brain was/is not working this week! I wasn’t to keen on what exactly I was suppose to say or whether or not I was even on target. I Kind of sucked it up and “winged it” hoping that I would be somewhat on target... I even found myself looking up words to try to “dumb” the question down and break it down. I looked up the word constituents related to politics and what I came across was this definition, “constituents (when dealing with politics) means A constituent state or constituent nation is a fundamental part of a union which has come together with others to form the union.” I think that it is impossible to please everyone and get everyone to hop on the same boat. The government should play a role in helping out the society and those who are in need of help. I do not however think that the government should be the only source to help out those around us. So basically I think it is not possible for the government to facilitate comprehensive care for its constituents without sacrificing equity. Just because our society loves to point fingers and loves to stir in others stories. So my question would be, “Does welfare play any part in this? If so does the same idea of equity apply?”
this cartoon kind of stuck out to me because its about those who do not have much hoping to get some sort of help and support.
This week in class we discussed judges and the judicial system. When I first saw the critical question of the week I immediately started thinking of what I could talk about. I always viewed the judges and judicial system as a “you get what you get” moment. When you go to court you hope to God you get a good, kind judge that won’t go to harsh on your sentence. As you walk in the door you hear him/her going nuts on the person before you. All you can think about is “great I am screwed.” To your surprise when you reach the front they go over your records and let you go, punishment free… now wouldn’t that be nice? This happens at times but for some it is rare. Judges hold a huge key to our freedom and what they say goes. There is no arguing with them, if you do then you will face a harsher punishment. My question is SHOULD ALL ACTIONS BE JUDGED THE SAME? No matter on the person’s crime or record… do you think that would make things fairer? When faced with charges that feel unjust, someone does have the opportunity to face the court and judicial system. It is a much longer process but many think it is worth it. Although we may see judges as unfair, and unjust, I know that they do their job to their best. I know I would never be able to make the decisions they do. I am sure the stress they deal with is by far overbearing!
This link above talks about a tough decision a judge had to face when he was dealt a 12 year old. It was not just any 12 year old, this 12 year old shot his parents and wounded his two siblings. It was a huge question from the media and court on whether or not to charge him as an adult with murder or as a juvenile.
Presidency seemed to be the hot topic of this week in my Government Class this week. We were asked “In what ways does the U.S. Presidency support and limit the formation of an ideal democracy?” At first I had a hard time trying to figure out what the question was actually asking, then I was trying to pinpoint what our book discussed. I figured this question was basically wondering what our president does or is “required” doing, as well as, how much power does he have? When I was little I use to always think that the President was the only person in charge. I didn’t even understand what voting really was and the impact it has on our nation. I assumed that being president was the only thing in a government and vice versa. Well was I in for a shock as I got older and more wise in this department. I am still a little “slow” when it comes to politics and sometimes I really do not care (I know really sad and typical for this generation). This class is definitely pushing me to become even more aware of what is going on though. So with that being said I can now answer the question a little bit better then how I would have answered it when I was in elementary school. I view the President as a spokes person for our nation, he is not the only person involved in the decision making but he is the “leader” that shares what is going to take place. He may seem like he has all the say but the executive branch and congress are really the head honchos. If you have ever seen the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” then you will understand my analogy. “He may be the head of the house but the woman is the neck, controlling the head” (well its not word for word but close enough!). So I thought it fit great with this, the president is the head but the congress is the neck, controlling what really takes place... RIGHT? MAYBE?
In the article I found that was pretty good with what this blog was going to be about. It basically talks aboutwhether or not “Newt Gingrich's candidacy may answer the question of whether you have to be likable to be president.”
so my question would have to be... is the presidency becoming a popular vote? and based on if it is or isn’t does that effect how effective the power of the presidency is?
So this week in class I feel was very similar to last week. We discussed the influence people have on the government. Not only people as an individual but people in groups as well. I believe that Groups are very influential in our political system. One person makes a statement but many people that believe the same make a difference. There are different organizations as well as non organizations that influence a lot of how a person views the government. An article on American.gov talks about the influence of people and the institutions have on the government and policies. “The U.S. system of government was designed to be deliberative, accessible by citizens, and open to a wide variety of opinions and interests. Just as the government has evolved and grown over time, so too have the institutions that seek to influence the government.” I really liked this section of the article because it pretty much sums up what the government thinks. But question is do they fulfill? Do you think that if the Government could, they would take away the importance and influence that the people have on them? Sometimes I wonder if they ever get annoyed by all the “drama” and just would like to illuminate it completely… WHAT DO YOU TIHNK? The article also mentions the media. It may not have the intentions to influence so much politics but it does. It is crazy how much the media influences pretty much everything!!! Overall I think that America would not be the same if it were not for the fact that we have the amazing opportunity to have a say and freedom to speak!!
This week in class we discussed the public’s opinion and how it influences the formation of a democratic society. I strongly believe that the public’s opinion plays a key role in the formation of a democratic society. Americans have the freedom of speech and hold a lot of power in their hands when it comes to choosing who they want in power. Voting is an amazing privilege we Americans are granted to have. A conflict that affects our privilege is that Americans never seem to be on the same page. There are always different groups that feel they are right and the others opinion is completely wrong. Is it best for our country to have such distinct separate groups? I think that since each person is an individual they will of course have different views on how our country should be run. The only problem is that we let status get in the way of what is actually worth focusing on. Many People view voting as a joke or that the government does not really take what we say in account. WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD AMERICANS GET MORE INVOLED OR CONTINUE TO GIVE UP AND NOT CARE? The video I found that could help get what a lot of people feel of our democracy. It was created as a joke and could even be considered disrespectful. However it is a good example on how many look towards voting especially! Do we think voting is the “least we can do?” or is there more that Americans can do as well to affect our public opinion?
This week in class we discussed how the government and the private sectors intersect, and whether or not they actually do intersect.I read a lot of good different opinions from all my classmates. It is really great being able to see the different perspectives of those who experience different things. My perspective came from the fact that my father’s company deals a lot with government jobs. His company bids on different jobs that the government has, and many other companies also bid on those jobs. So in my opinion, yes the government and private sectors do intersect, they have to. Businesses would not get the chances to improve and build more status. With my father’s line of work, we have yet to witness or experience any favoritism from the government to any businesses. The government jobs have certain regulations and the company that fits the needs and does the job correctly, they are in. A lot of people disagree with what I have to say, because they have a different experience or based off of what other businesses are dealing with.
DO YOU THINK PRIVATE SECTORS AND THE GOVERNMENT ARE IN COMPETION WITH EACH OTHER?
On another note, many people feel that the government and the private sectors do not intersect, but instead the government uses the taxpayer’s money incorrectly. The video below talks about how the taxpayers are paying government workers.” Politian’s seem to egg on the private sectors to squeeze as much as possible out of tax payers.” Many people feel that the government will fight the taxpayers…
Power plays a huge role in government, economy, and politics. I think it is almost safe to say that power can actually play a key role in each of these three aspects. I believe that in order to have power you must have money. Money plays another key role in the government, economy, and politics. Those who have wealth seem to be “more worthy” in the eyes of the authority. Those who are on “top” of the ladder fail to remember what it was like at the “bottom” and therefore become insensitive to those who are not on their standard. Small companies rely on the bigger companies for supplies. The corporation companies will always have competition with one another, thus causing a rise or decline for one of the companies. Supply and demand will always take place and that is what helps build our economy. However our economy is losing the power that it use to have. More people are out on jobs, struggling to find new work, or are facing a major ding in their pay. Does this have anything to do with the budget Americans have been put on? Is the constant government control causing Americans to suffer? Where does the power stand and does it effect all three things with one hit? I believe so, Americans have the ability to choose who they want to run our country, they all come together and vote. Never will anyone decide the same because everyone holds their own opinion. Elections are full of words and promises to the people, and when those who promise to do fulfill what they said, fingers begin to point harshly. For when the authority takes place and starts to take advantage of their power they begin to take a long route to their promises. Only those who are also part of the small group in control can have a say in what could happen to everyone else. The decisions the government make then effects the companies and of course our economy. How we people take what is given to us will tell us how our world will become. “Rep. Jeb Hensarling says President Obama's latest budget spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much. (CNN news).” He believes that with all the taxes and budget it is making Americans unstable, less confident, and unsatisfied with where America is going. I agree with him, but I also know that it is probably very difficult to be in Obamas shoes. You cannot please everyone that is a fact. How we take his decisions is what will really affect our country! Our book “The politics of power” talks about how the economic wealth and power will enable great political influence… So like I have said, power is A LOT if not everything in our world, and money has a lot to do with power and status for our nation.
DO YOU THINK THAT AMERICANS ARE TO BLAME FOR WHAT TAKES PLACE IN OUR GOVERNMENT?
(what do you think?)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
What are the opportunities and Challenges of a Democracy? This question has played part in many heated discussions. Especially over this past week, many of my fellow classmates were able to discuss our opinion over the opportunities and Challenges of a Democracy. A Democracy gives its citizens the ability to be a part of the nation. The ability to prevent the authorities from becoming illogical and giving everyone a say! However the inequality America has among the people will be a continuous challenge in our society. Who has the better say in what goes on? A lot of upper class people with the more control of the money feel that, what the lower class people have to say in inadequate. Democrats and Republicans will constantly be pushing heads with one another, and citizens feel they need to hop on whatever boat of the two they feel is necessary. I like how in the “The Politics of Power” the author compared our society to the Titanic. The Titanic was full of social class distinctions, and your title was what distinguished you from the poor and the rich. The upperclassmen had everything they needed, catered to their everyday needs. They were living as though they had no worry in the world, while on the other hand, there were those less fortunate on the ship as well. They were not able to stay were the rich were or participate in the activities because they could not afford to do so. They were looked down upon and thought of in disgust.They acknowledged that there was poverty among them, but the wealthy had no desire to help them in any case. When Titanic went down, who were the ones given the life boats? How did they come to the decision on who was “capable” of being saved? Social class had everything to do with it, for the rich were sought as more worthy then the poor. To me this is ridiculous and sad, but very evident in our society till this day!
WHY DO AMERICANS POINT FINGERS INSTEAD OF COME TOGETHER?
We have heard many say we are a Republic, how is this possible if we are a Democracy. Is it possible to be both? A Democracy is ruled by many while a Republic is ruled by the law. Those who are in favor of the law clearly feel we are a republic. However if we were just a republic the citizens would not have the benefits that a democracy brings. I can see how those who are not in authority see America as a republic because no matter what, we try and blame what goes on in our society on someone else. The Authorities are our very first target when it comes to pointing fingers. We may have “voted” on who we want, but when he does not do what we want we all throw a fit and act as if we never knew such a thing could happen! For example: Obama’s election, we wanted Change; he offered and promised change.Americans voted in hope that change would take place. Well change did happen and of course not to anyone likes. Chris Hedges is another example on pointing fingers to our democracy; he feels America’s Democracy has destroyed our corporations. There is an hour long video of him going on about how he “believes” it is true. He talked about how Michael Jackson became the core of corporate transformation, and how he became a reflection of us. He tries telling us that citizens influence the bad that happens among our country. I personally feel this is too harsh and that yes, people may be suffering when they are in a higher division or level in class but they were placed their because they wanted it. Social classes, Titles, Groups, Political parties, etc.., are always finding ways to create more problems for one another in hopes to look better in the eyes of everyone else.
(So bloggers, what do you think?Does social class and Titles cause division among our society?)
Hey guys! I am new at this whole blogging thing so bear with me while I get the hang of it!! I am excited to see where this goes and to be able to branch out and discuss lovely politics. I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat, instead, I like to take what I feel is most important from each side and go from their. When it comes to voting, it makes it easier to vote for who I believe will make the best bassed off of what the person says, not the group they are apart of. Well I hope you guys enjoy my blog and find it interesting (for politics)!! COME BACK whenever :)
(p.s feel free to comment on any post I make..Discussions would be fun and make things more interesting! I am open to any views and any ideas!)
-nikki-
