The Presidency 4/30

And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream, born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or “blessed,” believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren’t rich, because in a generous America you don’t have to be rich to achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with pride.

Obama makes the theme his speeches something that people can identify with. Hearing his speeches and knowing that they have felt that way at some point in their life, cases the audience to connect with on a larger level, an emotional level. One theme that seemed evident in this paragraph is familial love. Whether it comes from your parents, grandmothers step-parents, friends, sisters cousins and so on, I'd like to believe that everyone has felt that feeling of love. With that feeling comes the want for that person to do well in life. That is something we all want. Another theme was the wish to come to this country to have a better life. That is the american dream. Obama uses these feeling to touch the hearts of those that are listing through their dreams and aspirations, one of few things that we as a diverse nation, have in common.

Garrymandering 4/16

Democrats won in nine of the 10 most-gerrymandered districts. But eight out of 10 of those districts were drawn by Republicans.This speaks to the notion that the point of gerrymandering isn't to draw yourself a safe seat but to put your opponents in safe seats by cramming all of their supporters into a small number of districts. This lets you spread your own supporters over a larger number of districts. And the way to do this is to draw outlandishly-shaped districts that bring far-flung geographic areas together. North Carolina's 12th district, which holds the title of the nation's most-gerrymandered, is a textbook example of this: It snakes from north of Greensboro, to Winston-Salem, and then all the way down to Charlotte, spanning most of the state in the process.

It  seems that gerrymandering means to separate the United States in to sections based on the population. Though I do not believe the term is fully understood by myself, it is clear that others are using to their advantage. I can see how drawing oneself in to a safe seat would offer some benefit. they would have a large section that was full of supporters that they could rely of for votes. It is more beneficial, however to have supporters in different sections to shift to overall voting process. That would give a group more control over the system. Shifting the opponents allies give them the power on only one section. This leave them at a disadvantage where they would have to build alliances with other sections.

Douglas 04/9

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.

While this speech begins with Douglas showing his appreciation for the brave and just original settlers of America, the speech quite abruptly changes into what it was meant to be, a speech against slavery. As I read this speech and identified with the slave on the day of America's birth, it was quite simple to see how this day could bring out only anger and sorrow in those who were colored and did not have the same rights that the very country was prided on. With the constitution as clear as is stated that all people have rights, is ignored while other laws are follow with the utmost respect. They are not part of this celebration of freedom from the British. They are not free. This day that brings so many people joy and happiness also brings others jealousy and irony. 

Civil Disobedience 4/02

"But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men,(4) I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it."

-Civil Disobedience Part 1 of 3, Paragraph 3

While I can see the benefits of having the government, govern less, I do not believe this is the answer. The government has power and I believe it is a good balance. however it does need to change how it uses that power. I feel the government is seen as this looming force of negativity that people both hate and fear. While this can be a positive in some aspects it loses the respect of the people as a consequence. I do not believe that the positives are enough to out way that negative impact. I believe the government's first step would be to take more of an in-depth look at the decisions they make and the affects that they cause.

The American Political Tradition 3/11

"A longing to recapture the past, in fact, has itself been such a basic ingredient of the recent American past that no history of political thinking is complete which does not attempt to explain it. In American politics the development of a retrospective and nostalgic cast of mind has gone hand in hand with the slow decline of a traditional faith. When competition and enterprise were rising, men thought of the future; when they were flourishing, of the present. Now—in an age of concentration, bigness, and corporate monopoly—when competition and opportunity have gone into decline, men look wistfully back toward a golden age." Richard Hofstadter

I agree that people do long to recapture the past. It is natural that when one is in a tough situation, to think of a time where life was simpler. It may leave some with a sense of longing while leaving others with a feeling that things could begin to get better. That things may once again be like that time that occur a time ago. It is also natural that when a situation is getting better, to think what positives may become available to such a person in the future and of what decisions one can make in the present to lead one towards a good future. Looking towards the future for hope, looking towards the past for comfort and looking at the present to make decisions are all rather important to everyone. They keep people moving on in the present towards their futures. While this faith may not be the "traditional faith" I do not think we are suffering as we loose touch with it.

Doing away with the Electoral College 3/5

In an Electoral College, a group of people that become representatives for each state, vote along with all other Americans on Election day. There are 538 representatives in the United States. Those people however, are the one who's votes are counted towards the presidential election. Of those 538 people, 270 people are needed in order for a decision to be made.

Having this system of election has left me somewhat boggled as to why we have adapted it.  In the article, Doing away with the Electoral College, by Alexander Keyssar, He says,

"As a nation, we have come to embrace “one person, one vote” as a fundamental democratic principle, yet the allocation of electoral votes to the states violates that principle. It is hardly an accident that no other country in the world has imitated our Electoral College." 

The United States is an extreamly democratic Country. It is believed that we a group of people create what our present and our future will be through the decisions we make. The type of process we use to vote on such an important role as who will be our president, shows that we are not truly in control and that we are not trusted with that control. In a world where one person is supposed to equal one vote, that type of message would send mixed signals towards the american citizens. Do Americans really have a choice in the decisions in this country? Is that the true reason for the decline in people voting?

Two Faces of Power 2/13

            "The question is, however, how can one be certain in any given situation that the 'unmeasurable elements' are inconsequential, are not of decisive importance? Cast in slightly different terms, can a sound concept of power be predicated on the assumption that power is totally embodied and fully reflected in “concrete decisions” or in activity bearing directly upon their making? We think not. Of course power is exercised when A participates in the making of decisions that affect B. But power is also exercised when A devotes his energies to creating or reinforcing social and political values and institutional practices that limit the scope of the political process to public consideration of only those issues which are comparatively innocuous to A. To the extent that A succeeds in doing this, B is prevented, for all practical purposes, from bringing to the fore any issues that might in their resolution be seriously detrimental to A’s set of preferences?" Peter Bachrach, Morton S. Baratz

Power can be exercised in two ways. The first way is directly made decisions. The second way is through eliminating all other negative options so  another believes, that they are making their own decisions. While the first way of excising powers seems rather simple, the second way leaves many unanswered  questions and curiosity (on my part and the author's) to be answered. Are you really in control of the decisions you make in you own life? Or are you just making the best of the decisions that are options available for you? These question lead to finding out how to place countermeasures encase this may happen. However, can countermeasures be put in place for this type of threat? How can anyone tell the difference between a coincidental situation and deliberation?