Sunday, April 10, 2011

US & Global Politics

POL325-US & Global Politics
Quiz 1 – Chapters 1, 2, 3, & 4
20. What is Ideology?  Ideology is a consistent and integrated system of ideas, values, and beliefs. A political ideology tells us who should get what, when, and how, that is, it tells us who ought to govern and what goals they ought to pursue. Ideology is a consistent and integrated system of ideas, values, and beliefs.
21. What is Modern Conservatism?  Modern Conservatism combines a belief in free markets, limited government, and individual self –reliance in economic affairs with a belief in the value of tradition, law, and morality in social affairs. Conservatives wish to retain our historical commitments to individual freedom from governmental controls; reliance on individual initiative and effort for self-development; a free-enterprise economy with a minimum of governmental intervention; and rewards for initiative, skill, risk, and hard work. Conservatism is belief in the value of free markets, limited government, and individual self-reliance in economic affairs, combined with a belief in the value of tradition, law, and morality in social affairs.
22. What kind of government would Conservatives support?  Conservatives general prefer limited noninterventionist government in economic affairs- a government that relies on free markets to provide and distribute goods and services; minimizes its regulatory activity; limits social welfare programs to the “truly needy”; keeps taxes low; and rejects schemes to equalize income or wealth. Conservatives argue tat strong institutions – family, church, and community- are needed to control individuals’ selfish and immoral impulses and to foster civilized ways of life. Conservatives would strengthen government’s power to regulate social conduct.
23. What is Modern Liberalism?  Modern Liberalism combines a belief in a strong government to provide economic security and protection for civil rights with a belief in freedom form government intervention in social conduct. Modern liberalism retains the classical liberalism commitment to individual dignity, but it emphasizes the importance of social and economic security for the whole population. In contrast to classical liberalism, which looked at governmental power as a potential threat to personal freedom, modern liberalism looks on the power of government as a positive force for eliminating social and economic conditions that adversely affect people’s lives and impede their self-development. The prevailing impulse is to “do good,” to perform public services, and to assist the least fortunate in society, particularly the poor and minorities. Modern Liberalism contends that individual dignity and equality of opportunity depend in some measure on reduction of absolute inequality in society.
24. What is Liberals views of the roll of government in economic versus social affairs?  Liberals generally prefer an active, powerful government in economic affairs- a government that provides a broad range of public services; regulates business; protects civil rights; protects consumers and the environment; provides generous unemployment, welfare, and Social Security benefits; and reduces economic inequality. Many of these same liberals would limit the government’s power to regulate social conduct. Liberals oppose restrictions on abortion; oppose school prayer; favor “decriminalizing” marijuana use and “victimless” offenses like public intoxication and vagrancy; support gay rights and tolerance toward alternative lifestyles; oppose government restrictions on speech, press, and protest; oppose the death penalty; and strive to protect the rights of criminal defendants.
25. What is Constitutionalism?  Constitutionalism is a government of laws, not of people it means that those who exercise governmental power are restricted in their use of it by a higher law. If individual freedoms are to be placed beyond the reach of government and beyond the reach of majorities, then a constitution must truly limit the exercise of authority by government. The constitution sets forth individual liberties that the government –even with majority support –cannot violate.
26. What is a Constitution? A constitution legally establishes government authority. It sets up governmental bodies (such as the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court in the United States).  The Constitution grants powers.
Constitutional decision making is deciding how to decide; that is, it is deciding on the rules for policy making. It is not policy making itself.  Policies will be decided later, according to the rules set forth in the constitution.  The Constitution is “the supreme law of the land.” The U.S. Constitution, changes can come only through a process of general popular consent, is superior to ordinary laws of Congress, orders of the president, decisions of the courts, acts of the state legislatures, and regulations of the bureaucracies.
27. What did Congress lack the power to do? Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress had no power to tax the power the people directly. Instead, Congress had to ask the states for money to may its expenses, particularly the expenses of fighting the long and costly War of Independence with Great Britain. Without the power to tax, however, Congress could not pay off these debts.
28.  What is Limited Government?  The Founders believed in a written constitution that limited the scope of governmental power. They also believed in dividing power within government by creating separate bodies able of check and balance one another’s powers.
29. What is Nationalism?  Nationalism is a strong and independent national (federal) government with power to govern directly, rather than through state governments. They sough to establish a government that would be recognized around the world as representing “We the people of the United States.”  Anti- Federalists are opposition forces to nationalism. The leaders meeting in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 were convinced of the need for a strong central government that would share power with the states.
30.  Who had voting rights? “The Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State legislature.”  At the time, every state had property qualifications for voting, and women were not permitted to vote or hold office. (The New Jersey Constitution of 1776 enfranchised women as well as men who owned property, but in 1787 a new state law limited the vote to “free white male citizens.”)
31. Who has the power to declare War?  Congress was authorized to “declare War,” to raise and support a regular army and navy, and to make rules regulating these forces. Congress was also authorized to call up the militia, as it had done in the Revolution, in order to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions.”
32. Who had the power to make treaties and appoint Ambassadors? The national government also assumed full power over foreign affairs and prohibited the states form entering into any “Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation.” The Constitution gave the president, not Congress, the power to “make Treaties” and “appoint Ambassadors.” The Constitution stipulated that the president could do these things only “by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate,” indicating and unwillingness to allow the president to act autonomously in these matters. The Senate’s power to “advise and consent” to treaties and appointments, together with the congressional power over appropriations gives the Congress important influence in foreign affairs. The President remains the dominate figure in this arena.
33. What is the separation of powers? The separation of powers within the nation government – the creation of separate Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches in Articles I, II, and III of the Constitution_ was designed to place internal controls on governmental power.
34. What are Checks and balances?  Checks and balance are+ “The constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other.” Power in not only apportioned among the three branches of government, but, perhaps more important, each branch is given important checks and balances over the actions of the others.
35. What is the Bill of Rights? The Bills Of Rights are written guarantees of basic individual liberties, the first ten amendments of the U.S Constitution.
36. What are enumerated powers? Enumerated powers are powers specifically mentioned in the Constitution as belonging to the national government.
37.  What is an amendment? An amendment is a Formal change in a bill, law, or The Constitution.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Qualities of a Great President.

POL325-US & Global  Politics
Isaac Hepburn

Qualities of a Great President.

The person that I would choose for President is a person of integrity.  A family person who is well rounded, highly educated, with at least a Master's Degree.  A person that can manage responsibility. A person with strong Christ like wisdom and human kindness.  A person with a good ethical background.

A top level manager that is capable of running an organization with the skill and smoothness of a CEO of a major corporation. A top level manager that has the reputation  of delivering a outstanding results. A leader that is responsible, organized, good decision maker, good planner and able to communicate with his team.

This person must be able with his/her speeches to motivate us to action; be organized clearly and coherently because the listeners demand coherence, the listeners believe the speaker to be competent and trustworthy. In addition, this leader must be able to use a clear, specific method of speech organization can boost our confidence in him/her as a speaker and prove his/her  ability to deliver a message fluently.

General Baden Powell has these distinguished qualities.