Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness

“While the authors of the United States Constitution are frequently portrayed as noble and idealistic statesmen who drafted a document based upon their conception of good government, reality is that the constitution reflects the politics of the drafting and ratification process. Unfortunately, the result is a document that is designed to produce an ineffective government, rather than a government that can respond to issues in a timely fashion.” In support of this conclusion, the issues of slavery, The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and the civil rights struggle keenly demonstrate the ways in which our constitution hinders the expediency and effectiveness of America’s government. The constitution’s provisions towards voting eligibility and

The United states of America has successfully staked its claim as a leader among the nations of the world in the fields of government and justice. When America gained its independence, there was a system of governing put into place that included well thought out rules which were deemed best for all involved. The textbook American Government and Politics Today, lets the reader know of the dire necessity for the men, women, and children who had gained their freedom from Great Britain, to have a guideline they could follow and base their decisions on (Schmidt, 2017). Throughout

The United States criminal justice system have been known to be one of the most injustice system in the world. Criminal justice is known as the system of law enforcement, involving police, lawyers, courts, and corrections, used for all stages of criminal proceedings and punishment (Dictionary.com). One of the most heartbreaking things that happen in the United States every year is innocent people being condemned for crimes that

“All men are created equal”, One of the famous quotes from the Declaration of the Independence, ever since it was created in 1776. This document that has established our country. Written by Thomas Jefferson himself and revised by John Adam and Benjamin Franklin, where they were able to establish the reasons why the United States needed there independence with their ideals of equality, unalienable rights, consent of the governed, and the right to alter or abolish government. These are all really important to follow because they each have a purpose but the one that I believe is most important would be equality. I believe that it is because it's something we really haven’t been able to understand over the following years.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The motto and the foundation of American democracy. If life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the key to a long and stable governing power, then, would non-vitality, imprisonment, and censorship do the same? George Orwell’s, 1984, a bleak, yet compelling novel answers this question. In this dystopian version of 1984, asides from discos and neon leggings, Oceania, a mega-continent, is ruled by the omnipotent force called the Party. As told in the novel, the government, itself, is built entirely on hatred and fear because “a world of terror as much as a world of triumph”(Orwell, 221) and “seeks power entirely for its

Life… Liberty… and the pursuit of happiness. The 3 things that we, as Americans all share, and that itself, cannot be taken away from us, unalienable rights, as you would put it. But, what are these things, and what do they mean. Today, I will go in depth of what they actually are.

Throughout the course of history, Americans have changed the ways in which they derived the powers of the government from the consent of the governed, have changed their understanding of social and political practices concerning “rights”, changed “forms” of government, which have all led to a change in Americans’ “safety and happiness”.

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which in the second paragraph states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” The United States of America soon went on to be founded on the principle of equality, and while it has faltered with women’s equality and race equality, it has always been the idealism that has helped some of the greatest social workers help expand human rights. Today there are several equality movements continuing to progress towards a nation where there is truly equality for all, but one movement in particular stands

In his farewell address to the American people, President Dwight David Eisenhower enumerated his fears for the country. More than this, he told the American people that it was their responsibility to be vigilant, to ensure that the government acted for the betterment of the American people and not for the politicians who held office. During this address, President Eisenhower gave a warning to both the citizens of the United States and to the leaders of the nation. It is all too easy to fall into patterns and to allow for others to acquire power beyond the parameters of what is either fair or just. The only means of fighting the potential challengers of freedom and justice both within and without the United States is vigilance and dedication to independence and personal freedoms.

Throughout the history of this nation, the Constitution, from the formation to the execution thereof, has set forth the precedent for the demonstration of excessive federal power that is clearly illustrated by history and modern America. Sufficient documentation to back up this premise includes primary documents such as James Madison’s Federalist No. 10, the Constitution of the United States, and other historical pieces. Ample consideration should be given to the paramount decisions of America’s elected officials in critical moments as well in the very construction of the American system of government that favors federalism.

For generations, we as a society have evaluated what we call our freedoms, as they constantly continue to influence our quality of life. In the 1940s, President Franklin Roosevelt's Message to Congress promised the people of America Four Freedoms, or freedoms that are imperative to human life. These freedoms included freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Freedom of speech goes back to the first amendment where there is the liberty of expression. Freedom of worship allows people to practice any belief system they desire, as well as worship the God that they please. Freedom from want meant no citizen should have to yearn for the basic needs to survive, and should be provided with a standard living. Finally, freedom from fear meant for there to be no fear of having to use aggression against a neighbor, in addition to being granted peace and a sense of security. These were the guaranteed freedoms stated by the president for the future. However, as time progressed and certain events in history began occurring, these freedoms may have slipped from view and become less practiced. It is clear to see that the United States government did not effectively uphold these freedoms during, the time the U.S declared war against the Japanese, during the scare of Communism, and in the day to day life for citizens in minority groups.

Certain interests do not change over time in our society. Over 200 years ago, the prominent concern that led to the framing of the Constitution regarded the establishment of a government that was “for the people and by the people.” The framers of the Constitution, with concern of an over powering central government in mind, provided a basis for the structure of the federal government of the United States. The powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government are laid out strategically in a way that no one branch can have more power than the other. The national concern of maintaining a legitimate government has not shifted since the initial days of the framers. Although the capacity of the government has grown over time, the system of checks and balances that was adapted in the framing of the Constitution allows for the structure and powers of the federal government to remain in order today. Other than providing a structural map for how the government will operate, however, the additional aspects of the Constitution fail to administer practical framework for addressing 21st century interests. This document was written over 200 years ago and it has not been altered substantially since then (Lazare). While certain Amendments have been added to assist the Constitution in staying relevant, such as the abolishment of slavery and the addition of women’s right to vote, there has been practically nothing added to help in applying the framers’ intentions

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

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Mother Jones stood up and fought for workers’ rights for mere children, marching with some all the way to the president to talk to him. Cesar Chavez was a well-known immigrant workers’ rights activist who had lived through the conditions he was trying to prevent. Emma Watson is a young feminist who is adamant about her cause and speaks out to the world. These chosen individuals may have campaigned for different things, but they all fought for enacting simple equality for everybody using a drive of passion and courage.

Liberty, equality and justice. Those three words are the values the United States was founded on. Over time the United States has struggled to abide by these values. However they try to promote them in schools, in court and in work. An African American and women do not have the same treatment as a Caucasian. In 1955, there was a trial for the murder of Emmett Till. The United States highlights these values but, fail to follow through with them.