Federalism has evolved over time because the system created by the Constitution is dynamic. Explain why the Founders created a federal system and thus rejected unitary or confederal ones. Why did federal power expand in the 20th century? How is “new federalism” a reaction to the growth of the federal government?
The Founding Fathers preferred federalism to confederation because, after testing it, they realised that confederation resulted in a weak government that did not do what was needed of it. Also, federalism has an advantage over the unitary system in that a unitary government involves all power being given to the central government, causing mistrust among citizens. Federalism also provides an avenue to avoid tyranny by splitting power between the states and the central government so that neither is more powerful than the other.
During the Civil War, several challenges threatened the existence of the Union, and Abraham Lincoln had to expand the reach of the government to deal with these challenges. Federal power expanded not only to protect citizens’ rights but also to provide economic security and antitrust laws such as the Sherman Antitrust Act, as well as agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. The federal government, through the Federal Reserve, also controls the national economy.
“New federalism” is a reaction to the previous expansion of the federal government and was established in order to help cut taxes, trim subsidies, and significantly reduce the influence Washington has on the states. Therefore, reducing the size and influence of the federal government helps create the “new federalism.” Also, there has been mistrust of the federal government, as shown by the opinion that people have more confidence in state and local governments, contributing to the development of “new federalism.”
A professional press developed in the United States in the early 20th century. Identify the components of a professional press. How does a professional press play a role as a watchdog? In your response, make sure to discuss one example of the press playing this role.
There are certain aspects that make a professional press stand out, including a compelling headline, supporting quotes, an informative lead paragraph, relevant timing, and a clear call to action. A compelling headline is a vital component that determines the first impression of the press release. Therefore, making it short and compelling will help ensure the success of the story. Since press releases are supposed to present facts, quotes should be used to present the human element in the release. This will increase not only the validity of the release but also its credibility. An informative lead paragraph provides concise details to the reader through a quick skim. Another crucial aspect of a professional press release is the timing of its release. It is vital to know what is happening in the relevant space and when the press release is to be issued. Lastly, it is professional to ensure that press releases end with a call to action for readers and never leave them to dig for more information.
The concept of the professional press as a watchdog is one of the oldest beliefs in journalism. The press, therefore, has been considered the fourth estate of the realm and society’s watchdog. As the watchdog, the press independently checks the activities of the government. However, the role of the press as a watchdog goes beyond its implications for the government; it also involves checking other social institutions and powerful individuals. For example, the media, through television and print media, have played a major role in exposing the activities of the government and other institutions with regard to corruption. A good example of such scrutiny was the Panama Papers in 2016, which exposed offshore accounts owned by powerful individuals around the world.
Public opinion is ostensibly important in a democracy. Discuss the delegate and trustee models of representation. Describe the role that public opinion plays in each of these models. What was the Founders’ intention when they established a constitutional democracy?
The main principle of delegate representation is that representatives must be the agents of their constituents (Bowler, 2017, p. 782). This type of representation usually acts as an instrument for those who elected the representatives. Therefore, if the government does not adhere to the principles of delegate representation, then it should not be considered a representative democracy. Since policymakers represent constituents, the policies developed should have potential benefits and serve the interests of those constituents. Therefore, public opinion plays a major role in the decisions made in the delegate representation model.
Trustee representation is based on the principle that political leaders or elected officials should put the nation’s interests before the interests of their constituents and their own personal interests. Policies are, therefore, made based on the policymaker’s ability to judge and select the best policy that promotes the public interest (Bowler, 2017, p. 786). Because these elected officials have the ability to make reliable personal judgements in matters of the nation’s interest, they have a freer hand in representation. Unlike delegate representation, trustee representation does not rely as heavily on public opinion and instead relies on the personal judgements of the elected official.
The Founding Fathers believed that the Constitution was important in strengthening and further defining the government that had been established under the Articles of Confederation. They also wanted to avoid tyrannical leadership, hence putting a constitution in place to divide power and give a voice to the people. In addition, the Constitution would provide a platform through which economic policies and taxes could be managed to help run the country. Finally, the Founding Fathers understood the importance of granting individual freedoms to each citizen.
Political ideology is one way to develop a political identity and frame one’s political views. Define an ideology. Discuss the two dominant ideologies in the United States. Make sure to reference the difference between the traditional and modern forms of these two ideologies.
Ideology is usually defined as the set of opinions or beliefs that a group or an individual possesses. The two most dominant ideologies in the United States are liberalism and conservatism. Both liberals and conservatives believe that the opposing ideology is genuinely misguided and even threatening. According to Brandt et al. (2014, p. 29), one of the major differences between liberalism and conservatism lies in the role the government plays in the lives of its citizens. Liberals believe that the government has the task of ensuring that citizens receive equal social and job opportunities and well-being through social programs. Conservatives believe that it is the task of individuals to promote their own well-being and solve their own problems. Conservatives often view taxation as an unjust social program that redistributes wealth from the middle and upper classes to the poor. Also, regarding the economy, liberals believe that the government should regulate businesses while protecting the rights of citizens. Conservatives, however, believe that the economy should have a free market and limited government intervention.
Voting is an important part of citizenship in a democracy. Describe voter turnout rates in the United States by examining the pattern illustrated in the graph on page 208 of our textbook. Identify the explanations for low voter turnout in the United States. Explain ONE of these in detail.
In the United States’ recent history, participation in elections peaks during presidential elections, with the numbers trailing off during non-presidential and primary races. Also, there is variation in turnout rates among states, with less urbanized states in the northern part of the nation having higher turnout than other states. One of the conceivable reasons for such low turnout is political disengagement and the belief that voting in favour of a candidate or party will do little to change public policy (Hill, 2018).
Works Cited
Brandt, M. J., Reyna, C., Chambers, J. R., Crawford, J. T., & Wetherell, G. (2014). The ideological-conflict hypothesis: Intolerance among both liberals and conservatives. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(1), 27-34.
Bowler, S. (2017). Trustees, delegates, and responsiveness in comparative perspective. Comparative Political Studies, 50(6), 766-793.
Hill, D. (2018). American voter turnout: An institutional perspective. Routledge.
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