During the U.S.
political campaigns, I thought about how divisive both the Democratic and
Republican parties are. In the past, this
division created gridlock during the legislative sessions. In the beginning, political parties were
created to ensure that government of the people, by the people, for the people
would exist. Americans choose their representatives
who reflect the varied opinions that make America the democracy that it
is. So what are the two main political
parties, and is there any hope that they can be united in purpose?
The
Democratic Party is the oldest, continual party in the United States . On the political spectrum, it is
center-left. Its ideological position is
social liberalism. This is defined as favoring
higher taxation and economic regulation.
It also seeks governmental business enterprises and governmental assistance
of basic needs, education, and health care.
Social liberalists believe in the individual rights of people, in that they
have the right to believe what they want, say what they want, and live how they
want.
The
Republican Party is also titled the Grand Old Party. On the political spectrum, it is
center-right. Its ideological position
is social conservatism. This is described
as favoring lower taxes and limited governmental assistance. It also pursues free market and trade, and deregulation
of the economy. Social conservatives believe
that there are traditional cultural values that people should adhere to for a
civil society, and that the public needs to balance individual rights with the
community’s interests.
In order
for there to be unity among the representatives in government, two things must
be remembered: the purpose of the branches of government, and the original
intentions the founding fathers expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the
Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
The executive branch’s purpose is to lead the country and military, pass
or veto bills, and make treaties with other nations. The legislative branch’s tasks are to collect
federal taxes to provide for governmental services, develop bills, and regulate
the economy. The judicial system’s duty
is to interpret the Constitution in matters of law and set precedents.
The
Declaration of Independence is a statement of seceding from the British Empire .
This document states that all men are created equal, and each has the
right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of
the land. Its main purpose was to create
the branches of government. The Bill of
Rights is a list of amendments to the Constitution. The most eminent are the five freedoms:
religion, speech, petition, assembly, and press. Other
notable rights are right to bear arms, right to privacy, and criminal
rights. More amendments have been passed
since, mainly to ensure that all American citizens, above 18 years, have the
right to vote.
After
briefly detailing the governmental branches and documents, what can we deduce
from this collection of definitions? The
powers that be must protect our nation from any foe and establish diplomacy
with any allies. They are also
responsible for making decisions that protect our rights as listed in the
Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. Our
representatives’ duty is to provide for governmental services through the levy
of taxes, and to keep the economy balanced.
The Supreme Court’s obligation is to make decisions based on the
Constitution as a whole. Both political
parties agree with these ideals. The
only conflict they have is how to implement these ideals. If the party members can keep in mind their
main purpose, to serve the people, they can work out their differences in a nonpartisan
manner.
No comments:
Post a Comment