Democratic Process In America

In our system of government we are privileged with the option to take part in the political process that runs the country. It is our right to vote that lets the people influence change in policy and set the guidelines that politicians must follow to be elected representatives. This precious ability, which is most coveted in most non-democratic countries, is taken for granted in our own.

In American tradition, the value of the individual, and individual opinion, is held in high esteem. Free expression is the means by which consensus is reached and central authority is balanced. In this democracy,

There is value in having and exercising the right to vote. Americans today have developed a mindset that their vote does not make a difference, and that voicing out their opinions is a waste of time. This is not the case, however, as the rights that Americans are neglecting are the same rights that our ancestors have fought for during the enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment. The laws that affect the average individuals, the influences of various platformed parties, and the importance of voting in society exemplifies why Americans should value their right to vote.

Our voice is heard clearly by who we as Americans support and vote for when it comes to election time. This starts all the way down at the level

“A Federalist representative democracy requires both personal responsibility and social responsibility of its citizens through personal involvement in the democratic process and the understanding that there are many interests to consider in a democracy.”, agreeing to the quoted statement, the United States was established as a democracy by its ancestors to give the citizens the freedom and equality they deserved. One of the biggest things that eventually came from this was the right for American citizens over 18 to vote when the 26th Amendment was added in 1971. As a country that runs by the people, it is important for all citizens to understand how voting is not just a right, but a responsibility.

Since the United States of America established itself as its own self-governing country, one of the things that caused it to be salient and stand out from other countries is its relentless insistence on functioning as a democracy. Wars and protests have occurred so that every type of people, whether it was women or African Americans, may be granted the right to vote. Having a say in the American government is an honor and a privilege bestowed upon American citizens when they reach the age of eighteen. However, in recent years, statistics have shown that voter turnout and participation in recent elections has been rapidly and steadily declining, causing the United States to have the lowest voter participation in the world (“Is the System

Many people believe that America is a democracy; these people are not wrong; however, the more accurate term would be a ‘representative democracy’. The reason behind this is, as opposed to every citizen going to the polls and voting on each public issue, we have elected officials that vote based on their constituents preferences. Since it is the people that elect these representatives, it is critical that public opinion be taken into consideration. However, regardless of how we gather our data, bias often makes it difficult to accurately gauge public opinion.

Suffrage is most important right granted to an American citizen, but the road to provide suffrage for all Americans was a lengthy one. Early in America’s history, only property-owning white men could vote. After the Civil War, the Fifteenth Amendment prohibited “the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude” (Cornell). Only in the last century did the Nineteenth Amendment give women the right to vote. Now, all American citizens can express their opinion on matters of the state and nation. Take the most recent presidential election for example. The Democrats and Republicans are the two main parties, Clinton representing the Democrats and Trump representing the Republicans. On November 8, Americans voted, and Donald Trump will become the next U.S. President. But recall the 2012 election, where “only fifty-three percent of eligible voters actually casted ballots—that is 129 million people out of a potential 241 million citizens taking place in the election” (PBS). These statistics show that more than half of the American population did not care about their future or the future of the next generation. Ironically, many citizens who do not vote become the same citizens who complain about the state of their nation. These Americans do not fulfill their responsibility to choose leaders who will ensure that the same freedoms they experience today will be the same freedoms their great grandchildren will have years later. Americans must utilize this right to vote to preserve the freedoms they

Kesselman and Katznelson say about the 5 standards that met for the country to be democratic are having citizen participation is traditional as the centerpiece of democracy because it allows people to make decision, concern of political representation since not all can continually make political decisions , responsiveness on concerns should be characterized by ethnicity, race,sex and geography , concerns on personnel is based on formal way in reflecting the characteristics since it avoids abstract representation in quotas, and lastly the effectiveness based on effectiveness which results from wants in not incl including unequal representatives. They combine the procedural and substantive approach in measuring and defining American democracy talked about allowing people having difficulty in voting due to the way you look. Also not given enough representation.

We live in this country for the land, and the for the free as Americans we rely on many attributes in this world in order for us to live our lives. Our government has supplied us with many great things for us to be proud of. Our government is “the institutions and processes though which public policies are made for society.” (Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry, p. 7). With all these institutions which includes the President, Congress, the courts and all the federal administrative agencies. These are the institutions that make up public policies for us, and to shape the way we live as Americans. The way this system has been operating through all the years has been

As American’s we have the almighty power to speak our mind on how we want to live by voting. The most important thing you can do for yourself, your community, and your country, is vote. Although, the voting process can be quite confusing.

Virginia was pried on its honest government in the days of Byrd machine. It was describes as museum of democracy where the government reflected nothing according to the will of the public. The basic structure was not equal for urban residents, women, minorities and the Republicans. The power and authority was in the hands of few white men.

Dear Mr. President, Civic and political participation is important in today’s society because, in order to keep the government functioning right, the citizens have to participate in it. If citizens ignore their civic responsibilities and don’t give their opinions for important decisions, then just a few citizens will be able to decide on important decisions. This will also lead for the important decisions to be in hands of the elected officials. The fewer people that are involved in pushing a decision they want to be made, the less the government will consider the wishes of the people. This is why it is the citizen's duty to protect their rights and to participate politically. I believe that the United States history has

Americans should have the ability to vote and voice their opinion but a lot of us do not take advantage of freedom of speech. It is our responsibility as citizens to elect officials that we feel will be honest. These officials need to help make our country better and a safer place. We Americans hope that all individuals will take the opportunity to vote and not just sit back and complain about who is in office. Around voting season, you can only vote one time, so it is very

Today, our nation's democracy is unarguably only alive on a small scale. Much of America's population, does not uphold a civic role that consistently supplements a successful democracy. Corruption of democracy stems directly from Americans not being able to actively take responsibility for their own society or their own futures. As a result of individuals lacking responsibility in a variety of ways, flaws in our society continue to define everything we are as part of America. By being unaware of the roots of our nation, being unaware of the significance of individuality and being blind to the community, you are contributing to the exact opposite of preserving an American democracy. Everyone in the country can uphold simple civic responsibilities, without deviating from a 'normal' American life.