Reflection Paper Twelve- Inverted Totalitarianism

"For example, in Weimar Germany, before the Nazis took power, the "streets" were dominated by totalitarian-oriented gangs of toughs, and whatever there was of democracy was confined to the government. In the United States, however, it is the streets where democracy is most alive--while the real danger lies with an increasingly unbridled government."

Here Wolin is comparing German government with the United States government. However Wolin points out that in Germany totalitarianism took place in the street, where in the U.S. it lies specifically in the government. In a since the government is turning into the gang where's the society of America are becoming the democracy. 

I chose this because i think it represent's the government. This particular quote puts a drastic picture in the readers eyes. As a matter of fact, i would have to say until reading this passage in the article i wasn't 100% convinced of the authors claim of the U.S. leaning towards Totalitarianism.  

Reflection Paper Eleven- The Logic of Collective Action

"The remaining type of group is the unorganized group-the group that has no lobby and takes no action. Groups of this kind fit the main argument of this book best of all. They illustrate its central point: that large or latent groups have no tendency voluntarily to act to further their common interests."

Here Olson talks about groups who suffer probably more then any other group, yet they are the ones that are "Forgotten". I thought it was very important to use this quote because even though this book was written 50 years ago , it still applies. So many interest groups are receiving help and attention that they don't need because they can simply afford to make to commotion about it. Where groups that need it most (he gave the example of immigrant farm workers), suffer greatly but have no lobby and can take no action.

Reflection Paper Ten- Roe vs. Wade

"The Court held that, in regard to abortions during the first trimester, the decision must be left to the judgment of the pregnant woman’s doctor. In regard to second trimester pregnancies, states may promote their interests in the mother’s health by regulating abortion procedures related to the health of the mother. Regarding third trimester pregnancies, states may promote their interests in the potentiality of human life by regulating or even prohibiting abortion, except when necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother."

This case had 3 plaintiffs, Roe, The Does and Hallford. Roe claimed that Texas abortion laws (where abortions could only take place if the mothers life was at risk), were unconstitutional . Hallford who was a doctor facing prosecution for violating abortion laws . Then the Doe's who wanted the courts to retract laws enforcing these abortion laws because they thought it to be unconstitutional. 

The legal decision was that prevention against abortion in the first trimester was unconstitutional. However each state could prevent abortion if it puts the mothers life at risk, or the baby becomes a fetus and its life is at risk. 

I chose this case because i still think it is highly applicable today. Many states still hold abortion laws that are unconstitutional when it is in fact a mothers right.

Refelection Paper Nine- Barack Obama's Speech on Fathers Day

“But we also need families to raise our children. We need fathers to realize that responsibility does not end at conception. We need them to realize that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child – it’s the courage to raise one.”

Obama , through out this speech talks about the struggles kids go through having a single parents, especially a father .How it affects things such as crime rate, and learning capabilities, as well as the emotional toll it takes on a family. This particular passage is the definition of a true father. Many men (and women) out there believe that if they simply conceive a child they are in fact a parent, when this is false. Obama states that if you cannot raise the child you conceive , you are nothing but a boy, 

I think this particular passage and speech was important because Obama talked about what most governments don’t want to talk about , single parents. Although I have the blessing of having my children's father in my life, many do not. The single parent homes affect so much; crime rates, welfare, the need for scholarships. Single family homes have a huge impact on the budget. Yet there are so many of them, they are affected  children, in turn society, and our nation as a whole.

Reflection Paper Eight-Americas Most Gerrymandered Congressional Districts

"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 quote speaks about the idea of gerrymandering. Republican and democratic parties ( more so republican) are corrupting the system by drawing voting districts to favor their party. Although they are allowing the other party a guaranteed seat by drawing them small districts full of democratic voters, they are giving themselves an advantage. The party that is gerrymandering draws a larger district for themselves, however this district always benefits them, whether its full of republican voters or leaving out people that cant vote (such as felons) they are guaranteeing themselves a a spot in the house.

Gerrymandering is an ongoing problem. It allows representatives to choose what districts they want depriving voters, and the opponent of a fair vote. In turn denying the voters, and representatives  a true representation of districts.

Reflection Paper Seven-Citizenship and Social Class-Marshall

“Civil rights were indispensable to a competitive market economy. Civil rights gave to each man, as part of his individual status, the power to engage as an independent unit in the economic struggle and made it possible to deny to him social protection on the grounds that he was quipped with the means to protect himself”

I believe that Marshall meant that Civil rights was originally given to men so that they could be independent. However this mean independent in every way to include the struggle in the economic aspect, as well as social. In providing civil rights man could be denied protection from the struggles that come from the social and economic environment because he was provided with "equal" opportunity to take care of him/herself.

I believe that this still plays a major role. That many still struggle with jobs, health care, and poverty yet since we have civil rights the government feels as if we can lay no blame on them. It is up to us to sink or swim. They do offer things such as Obama Care, however this still only benefits some , not all. 

Reflection Paper Six-Civil Disobedience

"That government is best which governs not at all"

"The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it."

I chose multiple quotes because i found both of them to be equally important. Thoreau points out that the best government is not one that makes a bunch of laws, provisions, or interferes with your everyday life but rather one that lets the people rule (hence the second quote). The government was made to help execute the people's wishes, however this has proven to be incorrect. Often times the government can be corrupted by its own moral gain and agenda. Rather then looking at the best interest of the people , it looks at the interest of a group of people. Most likely a group that will benefit them (the government) if they help them. 

"But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government"

However Thoreau doesn't want to get rid of the government, or overthrow it , he just wants a better one. One that "respects" [a] man.

Reflection Paper Five- The Seventh of March

The quote i have chosen from this speech was :

"Now, Sir, upon the general nature and influence of slavery there exists a wide difference of opinion between the northern portion of this country and the southern. It is said on the one side, that, although not the subject of any injunction or direct prohibition in the New Testament, slavery is a wrong; that it is founded merely in the right of the strongest; and that is an oppression, like unjust wars, like all those conflicts by which a powerful nation subjects a weaker to its will; and that, in its nature, whatever may be said of it in the modifications which have taken place, it is not according to the meek spirit of the Gospel. It is not "kindly affectioned"; it does not "seek another's, and not its own"; it does not "let the oppressed go free"."

Webster has pointed out the indifference between the North and South about slavery. Listing the views of the North on slavery. He however did not ask the South to abolish slavery but rather the North to embrace the fact that the South had it, to be content with them allowing slavery. I feel that Webster just didn't suggest that the northern's support slavery but almost mocked those who did not. 

I feel the South however reveled in Webster speech, after all why wouldn't they? He supported them. He unconsciously gave them the right to keep using slaves as a tool to their economy, to support it , without reaping the benefits. The North however, at least i believe, was frustrated for many reasons. Some may have believed it was morally wrong, while others may of thought slavery to just be, inefficient for the South's progression.

This speech makes me question possible influences Webster had. Whether it was beneficial or not towards slavery, i personally think it was another set back.

Reflection Paper Four-"Revisiting the Constitution: Clarify What’s Cruel and Unusual Punishment" by Rachel E. Barkow

"Sometimes prison sentences -- even the most severe -- are a rational response to crime. But often, sentences are the product of a political process in which politicians are scared of appearing soft on crime so they do not even question the reasonableness of a proposed criminal law. It is the norm, not the exception, for politicians to reflexively push for harsher sentences without considering empirical evidence about what level of sanction is necessary for deterrence or what impact a sentence will have on communities. It is an environment long on rhetoric and short on reflection.

The Constitution has failed to check this pathological process. The Eighth Amendment bans "cruel and unusual punishments.""

This author speaks about how how often criminals our punished more severely then they should be for the simple fact that the politicians don't want to seem soft. However, this act itself is a violation to the Constitute. The eighth amendment tells us that cruel and unusual punishments are considered illegal. So what is cruel? The author is trying to make the point that overly punishing someone for the sake of one's reputation can be classified as cruel. So the constitution needs to be revised to address and clarify this problem.

Reflection Paper Three- Federalist No. 10 and 51

Federalist No. 10

"No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and, not improbably, corrupt his integrity."

I believe that this quote applied to Madison's point the most. Madison goes throughout this article trying to explain the importance of the Union, especially amongst factions. The Union should be made up of majority. That is that no one or two people,races,genders,etc, should make up what is done within the Union. The people should elect who falls within the Union as well as what the are allowed to control, and how. 

There is a great importance of the Union amongst Factions. Madison stated: "There are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controlling its effects." In order to remove the causes or effects there has to be a central government, or union able to do this. For example oil companies aren't allowed to pollute/liter, they cannot dump oil anywhere they please. The Union regulates this, if they did not the faction (oil company) would do whatever they please , hurting the people. The union is acting in interest of the people , for the people.

Federalist No. 51

"TO WHAT expedient, then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution? The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places"

Madison is stating how we  can enforce the power that one person or branch has , other than just writing it within the Constitution. That they've tried other ways of controlling who has how much power, and none of these ways have yet to work. Therefor a system should be in place where one branch of government is kept honest, or held accountable by another branch, through a system of checks and balances.

Reflection Paper Two - What is America?

“What he has no right to do is to laugh at it as incomprehensible, and then criticize it as if he comprehended it.”

Chesterton is trying to explain how people should react about the unknown. He gives example of odd traditions or ways of other cultures (at least odd to the outsiders). In this quote he is explaining how it is a completely normal human reaction to laugh at something that is unknown to us. However, we can’t criticize the unknown if we don’t understand it. What is normal to us may not be normal to others. There are different norms in different cultures.

I believe that overall Chesterton's quote speaks on how uncomfortable the unknown makes people. Which is ironic in a way. Considering America is supposed to be based on the unknown, mixed with every culture being about to carry out their traditions, un-judged. America is supposed to be land of the free , and yet the Constitution dictates what is allowed. Meaning that you are allowed to believe what you want as long as it falls within what the Constitution deems appropriate. So Even though people are indeed allowed to think and believe what they want , they are hesitant to.  They are afraid to be judged, or punished for thinking differently. Both socially and legally.

I think this article applies to the class very much. In the class we explore the government system, and how its evolved over the centuries. One thing that I believe has yet to evolve is the biases that people hold, and how that bias can impact the government. Mainly through the workers of the government. For example, if a senator is a white man, raised as a Christian and a republican, it will be hard for him to relate to a woman Muslim. Although he is supposed to work for the interest of the people. His beliefs may have an impact on the decisions he makes, whether he means them to or not. He may not understand the importance of this woman’s cultures or what she may believe is right. Hence “criticize it as if he comprehended it”.

Reflection Paper One- Article: Despite Negativity, Americans Mixed on Ideal Role of Gov't & Lecture

“Americans have divided opinions when asked to think broadly about the purpose of government. About as many Americans (35%) prefer an activist government that tries in every way to improve the lives of its citizens as prefer a government that provides only the most basic government functions (37%), with the rest placing themselves between these two positions.” (Newport) 

In this quote from Newport it speaks how majority of Americans think government either overstep's its boundaries or underplays it roles. This is a huge issue that i believe also ties into the lecture on power. Power seems to play a concerning role in American lives , the abuse of it, as well as the neglect of it. One person being put in charge cannot accommodate to everyone, only to the majority. So if the majority is low class , they become the focus and everyone else becomes pushed to the side with no one to lend them a helping hand.  Simply put, the government system will never work for everyone. Some will say that they need more, some less because some are receiving more help than others. 

For example a current issue is welfare, there is a overwhelming amount of people considered to be "low class" and they receive a lot of help from the government. These individuals may think that they need the government less. However, the middle class (who just barely made it to that class) can be struggling just as much , but on paper they don't qualify for special benefits. This class may want the government to help MORE. It depends on whom the individuals are and in what type of living situations their in.  However as i've stated, its based on "majority" and no individual situations. 

I think its interesting how the idea of religion plays into government as well. As talked about in the Lecture the Declaration of Independence and other powerful documents are almost holy, as if they were a bible . Laws are "holy" , and are to be unbroken , if broken those criminals are punished. However i believe this can be somewhat of  downfall. Many start to believe the law is the law no exceptions. Sometimes there is more to the story. But when do we bend the rules, who shall decide to bend them? Does the person who bends them become more powerful than the others? Yes looking at laws as "holy" can maintain a somewhat stable environment, order if you will. However it also makes one person seem holy, above all else. The President begins to look like a God figure, and sometimes they develop that God complex.  They begin to make major decisions themselves. Although there is the senate or other forms of netting  ( a group that the person has to go through), in the end if they want something they can make it possible.