My Definition of a Well-Informed 21st Century Citizen - 18 Weeks Later

My definition of a well-informed 21^st century citizen is a person who knows both sides of any argument, and can use critical thinking to decide what side they agree with. This includes many aspects of what we dealt with in class and how to gain the knowledge needed to have an educated stance on any topic or issue.

One must also be able to tell truth from the exaggerated truth or biased truth to better determine their position on that matter. An example from class that can support this point is with Newstainment. Although this source can be credible with its facts, they follow this fact by giving their own opinion or taking it out of context. This can lead to skewed information which could impact an uninformed 21^st century citizen. Another thing this citizen would need to be aware of is the power of each branch. More times than not, people blame the president of this country for many situations even though there are certain things he does not have an influence on. The president must go through Congress before putting most things in effect as well. If you blame the president for something he has no control of, this could influence your decision negatively. And finally, an additional thing for a well-informed 21^st century citizen to know is that everything in this world is not cut and dry. This too includes politics. It is much harder to agree on any issue when you know the facts. If an issue only had positive aspects to it, it wouldn’t be considered an issue. That’s why one must look at both pros and cons of any topic and make their decision on whether the pros outweigh the cons.

If a citizen is able to do the previous things, they will be considered a well-informed 21^st century citizen with my definition and will make knowledgeable and thought-out choices.

"An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will." Thomas Jefferson

What are the solutions to the US debt and its' consequences?

            A topic that American politicians and citizens are completely sick of or confused about is the U.S. debt. Not many people seem to be in a hurry to resolve this problem even though it will have a huge impact for our future. This topic is of interest to me because although it is one of the biggest problems facing the U.S., most proposed solutions have a negative effect on many people and someone will have to take a hit if our country wants to find the resolutions to our debt.

            The first topic that must be discussed to better understand what the U.S. is heading towards, in relations to the U.S. debt, are the consequences if we cannot stabilize and lower the debt. If the 15 trillion plus debt continues to rise, this could be a disastrous event and destroy the already fragile economy of the U.S. If it kept rising, the U.S. Treasury would continue to sell bonds and notes in an attempt to offset the current year’s deficit. If our debt is so large that buyers do not feel safe buying U.S. bonds, which are the safest in the world and therefore have low interest rates, the Treasury Department would have to increase interest rates to stay competitive. According to an article by Gail Chaddock from The Christian Science Monitor, this would, in effect, cause the U.S. to pay creditors more to borrow from them. This could happen at any time because we do this every year; therefore, we have to find a way to avoid deficits.

            When the U.S. has a certain amount of money coming in, which mainly consists of taxes, this is the revenue. When the U.S. is spending money on government programs, like Social Security and National Defense, this can be considered our budget; what the president has planned to spend the revenue on. But when our revenue is less than the amount spent towards our budget, we are left with a deficit. According to an article from CNN on the matter of a balanced budget, the U.S has had a budget deficit every year since 1970 except during President Clinton’s second term, where there was a surplus every year. Although you can’t simply copy Clinton’s actions because they came during a different time with different circumstances, you can see how a surplus is created.

            From 1998-2001, when the U.S. had a budget surplus, the most noticeable action taken was a tax increase. It isn’t something any American is for, but there’s really no way around it; it has to be done if we want to have a balanced budget and a chance at stabilizing the debt. Now I’m not going to throw a number out there because that is not my job. It is however, the job of the men and women we elect to a government position. I believe, even before an increase in taxes arises, our elected officials have to start realizing that they are chosen to make the hard decisions, whether people will like you for it or not. Like I said, no American wants to pay more to a government that is sometimes questionable with their spending, we don’t want to see some valuable programs take cuts, but it must be done because someone needs to make the hard decisions.

“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people under the pretence of taking care of them.” — Thomas Jefferson

            If they can start making these decisions, America could be on a better track. This new stance will lead to spending in a more useful way. The programs that are usually called into question are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Although these programs definitely need a great deal of reform and cuts could be put in place to succeed at this, there are already plenty of options that were put out there to fix these programs and all of them have a huge negative impact that come along with them. I think one of the first gradual cuts needs to belong to National Defense. A very important part of this country nonetheless, but it does cost a lot of money to fund a program that shows the U.S. spends more on its’ military than any other country. In fact, the U.S. spends more than 40% of the entire world’s expenses on military. This, according to an article from Real Clear World, also shows that China is next with about 8%. Our National Defense program has many unnecessary expenses as well. Government money goes towards weapons that military officials don’t even agree with. This is because the Pentagon sets forth military programs for the military even if they don’t have much use or are flawed. A congressional newspaper, The Hill, noted that a recent 30 year budget plan was flawed and Congress did not have enough time to look over it to point these flaws out. If the military is unsatisfied on how they have to spend their money, maybe there shouldn't be money for those programs. By making gradual cuts to programs like National Defense and making several reforms to Social Security and Medicare, a significant amount of money can then be erased from government spending.

If you would like to be overwhelmed and terrified by some updated numbers, check out this website: National Debt Clock

Super PAC's

The role that super PAC’s and PAC’s have is funding a candidate without actually declaring it. Super PAC’s can receive an unlimited amount of money from individuals and corporations and use that money in any media related position to mostly bash other candidates. They currently spend nearly double what a candidate committee would and have a pretty significant impact on the outcome of election. There isn’t much, if any, regulation and if information is incorrect, no candidate can be blamed for it because they are not supposed to be affiliated with Super PAC’s at all.

            I believe super PAC’s cause more harm than good and should be regulated more closely by the government for the following reasons:

1.      They make the presidential election something you can buy and spend your way to the top

2.      Gives the wealthy and big corporations a bigger impact on elections

3.      Overly negative campaign ads won’t hurt anyone’s reputation, even if wrong information is aired

Looking at the following chart, you can see a lot of money is going into these campaigns.

Group	Supports/Opposes	Independent Expenditures	Viewpoint	Total Raised
Restore Our Future	supports Romney	$46,540,707	Conservative	$56,512,634
Winning Our Future	supports Gingrich	$17,002,762	Conservative	$23,907,955
Red, White & Blue	supports Santorum	$7,529,554	Conservative	$8,466,221
Priorities USA Action	supports Obama	$5,783,785	Liberal	$10,578,305
Club for Growth Action		$5,035,994	Conservative	$6,632,024
Endorse Liberty	supports Paul	$4,135,182	Conservative	$3,675,479
Make Us Great Again	supports Perry	$3,959,824	Conservative	$5,585,945
Our Destiny PAC	supports Huntsman	$2,804,234	Conservative	$3,189,064
House Majority PAC		$2,609,010	Liberal	$5,665,348
Texas Conservatives Fund	supports Dewhurst	$2,263,934	Conservative	$1,430,100
Freedomworks for America		$1,954,764	Conservative	$4,053,927
Majority PAC		$1,893,964	Liberal	$4,210,671
Campaign for Primary Accountability		$1,820,779		$2,882,134
American Crossroads		$1,133,584	Conservative	$29,927,515

Millions and millions of dollars are flooding in that back certain candidates and what does this lead to, whoever has the richest supporters is elected president? You just have to wonder, does nothing else matter besides bank accounts for the most important role in this country. This is something far lefts and far rights can agree upon. They don’t want this race to be based on how much money a super PAC can raise.

            Because large donations are made by corporations, unions and wealthy individuals, they make a bigger impact than the rest of us. They give money to a super PAC that spends it on negative advertisement that promotes something they agree with. The super PAC keeps getting more donations and keeps running advertisements all across the country that people can’t help to believe. Eventually, it takes out candidates one by one because those candidates don’t have the same financial support of a super PAC. These donations could never have been made directly to the candidate they support but with the unlimited amount of money they can give to a super PAC, they just influenced a presidential election. It is not fair to the people or the candidates who don’t have a wealthy support.

            Another negative thing dealing with super PAC’s is their negative ads. Although most American’s get sick of these attack ads fairly quick, most can see how they’d be effective. They bring other candidates’ mistakes to light. But when a candidate runs an overly negative campaign, they usually pay for it by being attacked for not showing any positive aspects about him/herself. Not with the help of super PAC’s that throw negative information all over the internet, TV and radio with no loss to anyone’s reputation. No candidate is responsible for the facts and their campaign doesn’t take any hit for it, they only reap the benefits.

Newstainment

After watching the Newstainment videos and discussing this form of media, I believe Newstainment is a negative trend because it shows one side of every issue, doesn’t allow people to think for themselves, and skews information to fit their ideas.

            Although many people would agree that this form of media is fairly entertaining and can occasionally give you correct and useful information, these positives do not outweigh the negatives. The bias approach of both conservative and liberal sides only allows viewers to see that point of view. It is not like many other news sources that expose proven facts and give little opinion on the matter. This problem also fits my third idea, that the information Newstainment sources give viewers is not always accurate and can be manipulated to make you think their side of the argument is right. I’m sure many people who watch either FOX News (conservative) or MSNBC (liberal) have already made their minds up about which side of the political spectrum they are on, but if an undecided or moderate individual comes across a Newstainment channel and hears this bias information, their ability to think for themselves could be corrupted. Maybe it should be up to each viewer to know whether you can believe information or not but shouldn’t any news channel give accurate facts about any issue and let the public choose what’s best for them? I believe for the previous reasons that Newstainment is a negative trend.

Running With Romney

With a few months left until the time comes when Mitt Romney will most likely pick his Vice President, his priorities must be weighed. He could go the safe route, picking a man with plenty of experience, or a game changer, someone who brings a little more flare. He could choose someone who has a similar Moderate-Republican view or well-liked by the Tea Party. This is when he must decide what traits will help him beat Obama. My priorities you ask?

·         Game changer: Romney needs someone to balance his characteristics. He is considered by most to be closer to the dull side so he needs a VP candidate to excite the voters on what is to come if they are elected.

·         From a battleground state: It is always good to have a VP that you can expect will get you some more electoral votes. Winning swing states is crucial in the final outcome and with a fairly close race expected; it would not be a bad idea to get a little head start.

·         Tea Party: Since Romney is a Moderate- Republican, a VP who appeals to the Tea Party would surely get him some extra votes. This combination could then appeal to the right of the center but also the center; where the candidate is usually selected from.

·         Appeals to a different ethnic group: Republicans are not known for their appeal to minorities. That is usually given to the Democrats. But a VP with a different ethnicity could pull a lot of decisive votes the Republicans way.

Therefore, with my previous list of traits I believe could help Mitt Romney win the election, I would choose Marco Rubio. Not only does he fit all those qualities but he is a rising political star who has enough supporters to make a big indent in this presidential campaign. He also may appeal to younger voters who generally vote Democrat.

On the other hand, a potential running mate that I don’t believe would improve Romney’s chances of beating Obama is the former governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty. Not only did he leave his position with a weak approval rating, but he is also not from a state that would get Romney votes anyway. He does not qualify as someone who could boost Romney’s campaign either because he has a similar persona, dull and boring.

          Marco Rubio's Senate Website

Instant-Runoff Voting

            With the Electoral College under fire from critics who believe it is not the most democratic way of electing a candidate because it does not reflect the interests of the majority of the population and is not fair in the weight of each vote, we must find a way to reform this process. I personally believe a system like the IRV, Instant-Runoff Voting, could improve our election process. With IRV, a voter would be able to rank their preferred candidates. You could rank as many or as little as you please. Then, when the first preferences are counted whoever has majority wins. If there is no majority, the candidate with the fewest first preferences is eliminated and the voters who voted for the eliminated candidate will then have their second preferences moved to their first. This process would continue until a majority is chosen. Therefore, IRV would be an upgrade from the Electoral College because it is truly a majority win, third party and independent candidates do not need to be considered “spoilers”, and it won’t just have to be Republican vs. Democrat.

            With each ballot counted as one vote and a process that eliminates the least favored candidate after each round, a majority is ensured every time. There wouldn’t be another situation similar to 2000 when Bush was elected as president even though it came down to Florida, which Bush was not voted for by the majority but won anyway. Even if IRV didn’t get to the national level but became some state’s preference for elections, it would at least give an accurate representation for that state.

            Relating back to the election in 2000 between Bush and Gore ultimately came down to the vote in Florida. It also came down to the third party candidate, Nader. Receiving nearly 100,000 votes, this was enough to get Bush elected as president. That’s because of those 100,000 votes it is said that the majority would have gone to Gore if Nader wasn’t a factor. With an extremely thin margin of victory for Bush, 537 more votes than Gore in the state of Florida, he would’ve most likely lost the election if some of Nader’s votes were given to Gore. This is considered the third party spoiler that does not allow an accurate winner based on majority. Gore had the overall majority in the country but because of the unfair electoral votes, lost the election. With IRV, this wouldn’t happen. If enough people marked Gore as their second preference, which would not have to be many people, Nader would have been eliminated and those votes would have gone to Gore making him the president.

            The final reason I believe an IRV process would be much better than the Electoral College is third party candidates could have a chance. This is because people who prefer a third party candidate could vote for them without considering the outcome like my previous example. They could rank their candidates in the order they’d like to see win and their vote would not take away from another because it will still be the majority that wins. So, in the previous case I just explained, Gore would have won because he had majority overall but if it was Nader that a voter preferred over Gore he could vote the way he pleased without worrying that his vote would give another candidate, who they may not support, the win.

U.S. Election Process

Attempting to change the U.S. election process seems like it would be a standstill. To get most people in politics to dramatically change a process that has been around for decades, with only minor changes over time, doesn’t seem probable. But with all the controversy surrounding the Electoral College and whether or not it’s a fair system, maybe there is a few things that can be changed to improve the credibility and support of our election process.

            As I mentioned, there’s quite a bit of negative comments focusing on the fact that the Electoral College is disproportionate and some question its’ fairness. I agree with these complaints and believe it needs some reform. I say reform because I know the likelihood of completely revamping the current system by changing the Constitution will not happen. The first thing that is a common grievance is that the electoral votes are not evenly spread in respect to a state’s population. For instance, California should be given 65 based on the population but instead have 55. And a small state like Rhode Island should have two but instead get four electoral votes. This makes people in either large or small states account for more or less compared to the people whose state is well represented. If this was more even, it would be closer to representing the popular vote which appeals to many Americans.
            The next thing to change that would improve our election process is a cap on how much a candidate can receive and spend. In the fundraising section of the teachable moment website, it states that Bush and Kerry, “raised a collective total of nearly $500 million. After nomination by their parties, Bush and Kerry each received an additional $74.6 million in government financing for the general election.” I understand that the expense to get their message out and to be in the public’s eye is high but I don’t think we can afford to give money to candidates that are supposed to be finding a way to save this country money. If we set a limit of corporate funding and government funding, the benefits will allow a more equal campaign between all candidates. No one candidate could dominate the race because one very large corporation gave them money. And government money could go to a better cause.
            I also believe that our election process only allows Democrats or Republicans to have a chance at being President. Out of the many reasons it is so difficult for an Independent to have a fighting chance I think the most important is that not only will they need to have massive amount of money in their own pocket, but they also need to go to every state to get their name on the ballot and receive thousands of signatures. The money problem is obvious. Without a known party to fund a candidate they themselves will not a lot of money to just get their name out there. The fact that they will need to, “do 50 races simultaneously,” is a hard task and by allowing more than two parties to compete in our election would benefit this country by giving the people more options.
           

Mitt Romney's Campaign Adviser

            For the past year, Mitt Romney has been competing with fellow Republicans for the ultimate candidate of this party. He has fought to win as many states as possible by giving explanations of how he is better than Santorum or Gingrich for the role of taking on Obama for President. But know his mindset has to shift. Instead of taking votes away from people with similar beliefs and ideas, he must take on a Democrat who has already defeated a Republican for presidency by 365 to 173 electoral votes. He must know think, what can I do to beat Obama.

            Because Obama is African American and most minorities sway to the Democratic side throughout this country’s history, I don’t think this would be an area to focus on for Romney, unless he picks a Hispanic vice president. Instead, try to win a certain age group. I feel his first mission should be to gain as many older voters as possible. In the past, this is usually a group that leans Republican, but in the last election between Obama and McCain, McCain only won 51% of their vote. Not only is this a good group to win because they usually vote Republican, but they also are the most determined to get out and vote. Whether it takes advertisement on soap opera channels or channels that replay older shows all the time, this is a group Romney should dominate!

            The next group he should focus on is men. Again, a group that usually fits the Republican mold but in the most recent election was very close. In fact, it was 49% supporting Obama and 48% supporting McCain. If Romney wants to compete with Obama this would be a good group to get. Put a few ads on ESPN or attend some baseball games over the summer. Just by “showing up” in a man’s daily life could get them to sway back to what their history has shown us.

            The final group that could ensure a win for Romney if he can first win them is another age group. A group that predominately votes Democrat but also a group I believe could be easily targeted. It is the 18-29 range but also the first time voters which usually come in this range. By pushing Obama’s numbers back in these categories, who won with 66% and 60% in the last election, could be a big victory for Romney. They are easy enough to target, with their use of social media and particular events that appeal to a younger audience, and they might not completely know where they stand politically yet. Therefore, if Romney spends some time targeting this group, he could do great damage to Obama’s followers.

            With the fight for presidency sure to take a sudden, and at times unrelenting, launch, it is time for Mitt Romney to get a head start. Sure he could simply make attack ads against Obama and win over the voters he already has, but if he attempts to get voters that backed Obama in previous years, that could spell out a victory.

Similarities Between Republicans and Democrats

Although it’s a politician’s goal to make you see the difference from one party to another, there are some things they can’t get around. They do disagree and have different solutions to most things but they find common grounds when it comes to some broader topics. After dissecting this image for any similarities, I found that their general view of the country, their expectations of the following generations and what a community should be based, are comparable in nature.

            One of the greatest similarities Republicans and Democrats have in common is their belief that our country is not currently in a good position. They both want to see change. Sure, the Republicans have a more traditional outlook and think that the past is the way to improve, and Democrats have a progressive view in which they look towards the future to change.  But the fact is that they want change. When you don’t look so much to how they are going to get to this new status, but more what they want to get to, you can see a common interest.

            Another noticeable resemblance of these two parties is that they expect children to create relationships with adults based on respect and the adults want these children to grow up strong in a society based on their parties’ beliefs. They know the significance of the up and coming generations to continue the support to a certain party. Although this may seem what any person would want of their children, to grow up strong with good careers, but the importance is that there are ideas of how to raise children that coincide with Republicans and Democrats.

            The last thing I found out of this graphic that shows donkeys and elephants have something in common is that they both agree a community based on either ethics or morals is best for this country. Ethics and morals are not completely the same but the difference between them is minor. This, taken directly from the image, proves that each group’s base ideas have common ground. Whether everyone in each party follows this concrete principle is obsolete for my cause of proving Republicans and Democrats do have similarities.

The Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street

            After reading Mr. Hanson’s article about the protests by Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party, I would have to disagree with the statement that both groups are a bunch of whiners. Although he has a valid point in saying we, as Americans, expect too much and complain about things that are luxuries, I believe each political side as a right, and is right, to express their opinions about the current status of our nation.

            I think most would agree with the fact that OWS and the Tea Party are simply fighting for what they believe in as individuals. They obviously have different paths of reaching their goals but their goals are the same when it comes down to it. They want a better, healthier country, especially economically. They know what our country was once capable of and they want to get back to it. The Tea Party is all about the core beliefs coming from the Constitution where the people are in charge. OWS fights for the rights of the people as well by going against big corporations to spread the wealth. Hanson says we have so much more than we had many years ago and of course that’s true, but who says in this modern day that the people don’t deserve more than we once had.

            As I stated before, I believe these two movements are just expressing their opinions on how to improve this country. Why would Mr. Hanson say any American could be deprived of that right, freedom of speech? At the end of the article Hanson says, “A whinier West will just keep blaming others as their good life slips away.” They can’t be blamed for wanting a better life for themselves and if that means protesting against a big government or bank, that’s what they must do.

            Another thing that bothered me about this article was that I felt throughout that Hanson did not understand either side or what they’ve had to go through. As of late, there has been a lot of economic struggle in America. People have realized they cannot stand by idly and watch as their country turns to turmoil and they must fight to get to its’ highest potential. I can’t say I know Mr. Hanson’s economic status but maybe if he had lost a lot like many of these protesters have, he would be able to understand their positions better.

            I don’t believe either of these groups can be classified as whiners for these previous reasons. In the modern day America, you can’t take anything for granted and Americans are realizing they need to speak up for what they believe in. The Tea Party may want things to go back to what the Constitution originally declared for this country and Occupy Wall Street would like to move forward and, “fight back against the richest 1% of people that are writing the rules of an unfair global economy,” but I think they both deserve to protest these ideas.

Presidential Power

            As the face of this country, the President receives all the criticism when things are going bad and when they are going good, other politicians tend to point their fingers at themselves to collect the praise for success.  These politicians know it’s easy to place blame on the person who leads this country and manipulate the voters into thinking the President has all the power. But does he really have more control than the Constitution originally stated. Since he still has to go through Congress for most issues and can’t just do anything he wants without worrying about the consequences, I will argue that our founding fathers may see additional authority with the President but will also be able to see that this does not put the Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances at risk.

            The founding fathers would be comfortable with the current Presidential Powers because the Congress still holds a lot of power when it comes to what the President can and cannot do. Article I of the constitution is laid out to provide plenty of power to the congress. They have the ability to declare war, lay and collect taxes and, being in the legislative branch, create laws. They have a say in nearly everything the President does and they are elected by the people, not the President himself.

Although Executive Orders are a benefit for the President, if he abuses his power with them they will be examined and questioned by the Supreme Court and serious consequences could follow. Even though the President doesn’t have to run them by Congress, this ability allows the President to make laws in uncommon circumstances when there isn’t time to let people debate it. In the past, Executive orders have been used in time of war and stressful moments in this countries’ history.

Lastly, I believe the founding fathers will approve of the President’s power because everything in the Constitution is still the most vital part of our government. It is necessary that every member of every level of government follows the words of this document to ensure the power of the people. Although it may not seem like it, I still believe that the people of this country are in control. We just have a tendency to listen to what all the other politicians are saying about the power of the President.

From these previous examples, I personally don’t feel the President is too powerful and I think the founding fathers would think the same.

Budget Process

For years as America’s debt has increased and budgets created to stall it have not been too impressive with most, the people of the U.S. have become frustrated with the lack of progress. Ideas are thrown out that seem good in theory, but behind every cut or addition of a program there always seems to be a negative. These concerns are what the members of the legislative branch have to deal with when deciding on a budget. Congress must weigh every factor before passing a budget and it is not as easy as it may seem.

            In the budget simulation game I noticed that every card had a significant pro and con. This makes it difficult to cut things because it will always affect someone and those people will fight the budget plan. There’s obviously no solution that will please everyone but that is an important factor for the Congress. They need to make the most people happy while doing what’s best for the country. This is when prioritizing comes into play. If Congress truly believes that a budget will impact the country in a positive way, even if many people will be upset with it, they will have to make that decision; is it worth it?

            Another thing that Congress has to keep in mind is whether they need to find something that will be a short or long term plan. Of course a budget that will be effective will most likely be for the long term because the deficit will not diminish quickly, but sometimes a short term plan will lead to other possibilities. By cutting or changing certain programs that will have an immediate effect on the debt, there is a possibility that this money will help to keep moving in the right direction. Even making a small impression on the debt could help in the future.

            Balancing the budget is also very difficult because most cuts will result in job losses. In the current economic condition, job losses are not what this country needs. I believe that the economy has to be in a better condition before we can make a sufficient dent in the debt. Any step that involves the loss of jobs will outrage a lot of people and I doubt any member of the government is willing to have that on their shoulders at this point.

            Before this activity, I expected there to be a lot of programs with wasteful spending that could be cut without any repercussions. After looking through all the cards I realized how difficult it must be to create a budget. There are so many factors that Congress has to think about and when it comes to something as crucial as our countries’ large and increasing debt, they have to be right with every decision.

Too Many Rights Make a Wrong

            The U.S. Constitution is strong and the Bill of Rights and other amendments that have been added have given the people of this country feel more comfortable with their rights. Many still complain that we don’t have enough and that the ones we do have are violated often. I believe the exact opposite. I think we have too many and that some rights added as amendments can give undeserving people too much freedom. Although I know our system is set up so everyone is equal and everything is fair, I think that criminals who break laws and take away other peoples’ rights are unworthy of the rights they are given.

            The first example comes from the fourth amendment of search and seizure. The case of Mapp vs. Ohio starts with a suspected bombing fugitive being held in Mapp’s home. The police entered illegally without a legitimate warrant and found no signs of the suspect. They did however arrest Mapp for owning porn which is illegal in the state of Ohio. After going through the court system and reaching the U.S. Supreme Court, Mapp was acquitted of the charges. I understand that not only did the police enter the house unlawfully and found evidence that did not relate to what they were looking for but I still feel this is unfair. Mapp wasn’t holding a fugitive but still had illegal material within her home and should be accountable for that. Therefore I disagree with the decision in this case which allowed someone to go free for things that were proven with evidence.

            The next case was Miranda vs. Arizona. A very popular case to this day because of the steps put in place to prevent this from happening again. Miranda was arrested for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in his home where the police did not notify him about his 5^th and 6^th amendment rights. He later confessed to the crime with no knowledge of his right to counsel. When this case went to the Supreme Court they ruled that because he was not read his rights, the confession could not be used and he would be free to go. As citizens of this country I think we all should be held responsible for knowing our rights and we shouldn’t need them to be told to us to make a valid case. He confessed to an awful crime but got away with it because we aren’t expected to know our rights.

            The final case to show why there are too many rights in our system is that of Antwan Maxey. Maxey was arrested for a murder eight months after it happened. He asked for a trial as soon as he was arrested but didn’t have one before a 120 day period. According to the Illinois court system, if a trial for any crime is not done within this time period their right to a speedy trial would be considered violated. This shows how a technicality can erase charges for even the most serious of crimes.

Principles of the Constitution

           It is hard to imagine this country without the Constitution. Even if a few small things were left out there is a chance this country would be completely different. And if the Constitution wasn’t based on the four principles that it is, this nation as we know it would not exist. The principles of Checks and Balances, Separation of Powers, Federalism and Limited Government make the U.S. stand out. They provide the government with enough power to allow the country to run smoothly but they also protect the rights of everyone else. Although they all have their own purpose and are completely necessary, I feel that one sums of everything we need.

By limiting the government, not only do the people realize their rights but the three other principles are buried within it. Checks and balances were put in place to limit the government’s power by making each branch have certain abilities and the authority to keep the other branches at the same level. Separation of Powers is just that; branches created so they could balance things out. And Federalism allows each government, whether it be national, state or local, to make decisions according to which one is in a more appropriate position to make that decision. They all limit the government or governments by themselves.

Another reason why I believe limiting the government is the most important is because the people of this country associate that with more freedom for them. Although the U.S. needs the government to keep everything running normally, the Constitution was also written to make the citizens understand their abilities. When the government gets too involved in our business we lose sight of our rights. We feel like they have all the control over us. It is obvious that the people of the U.S. make the U.S. If a government gets too powerful and diminishes our abilities, this country wouldn’t last very long.

The final reason to support my choice of limited government being the most important principle is that it prohibits any one person to have absolute control over the entire nation. We have all seen what a dictator or tyrant can do to a country and it’s never good. When one gets too much power over their countries’ people their “government” collapses. With the U.S. Constitution there are too many things standing in the way of anyone who wants complete control. The president of this country may be our leader but they have many limitations as well.

These previous reasons show that a limited government is an important aspect to our Constitution. Without it, anything could happen and this country would not be as strong as it is to this day.

The Declaration of Independence and the Preamble of the Constitution

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution have many similarities. After all, the Constitution was written with respect to what the colonists declared they wanted in the Declaration of Independence. Among these similarities is the fact that both consistently explain the power of the people. You can read it over and over again that the people have control when it comes to the government and I believe it is a crucial part of each document.

My first example comes from the Declaration of Independence.  When talking about unalienable rights, it states, “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.” This clearly states that the people are in control of those running the government and if those people become destructive, the citizens have the right to remove them from their position. It was an important piece to the colonist’s new government because of their previous situation.

Before they declared their independence there was one thing in particular that aggravated the colonists. “Taxation without Representation” became a popular saying and still is well known to this day. It was one of the many grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence and the final straw. It relates to the principle that the people have a say because in this case, they didn’t. It was something that needed to be changed when they began to move forward. Without an opportunity to vote on the tax coming their way, the people were powerless. They had no say and as you’d imagine, that is an ideal right for the people of any country.

My final example to support this idea comes from the Constitution. It is located in several articles of this document and gives the people the power to vote for several positions in the government. The most obvious is the President of the United States but most positions on every level of the government allows the people to make their choice. Unlike the previous government under the King of Great Britain, leadership and power will not come from you bloodline or your wealth but rather if the people of your country believe you are the best option.

After looking through both documents I found that the principle of the people having a say in their government was a central theme. It was one of the reasons the colonists wrote the Declaration of Independence and the idea was implemented throughout the Constitution. Without this principle being implemented in our lives today, we would find our government unjust and too powerful and that is why this is so significant.