Many may concede that voting is a civic duty; however, researching the candidate you vote for is necessary to be an informed voter. I would include that as an obvious corollary to the basic duty. However, one shouldn’t conclude that voters with whom one disagrees are necessarily ignorant and uninformed except to the extent that we all are in certain ways. I’d much rather have an apathetic non-voter than an apathetic voter. I am not talking here about people who don’t vote on principle, but on people who are not voting because they have no interest in political social issues. We overcome apathy by staying informed. Reading a local newspaper, following social media, or watching the news on television helps to build the connective tissue among us and helps to reinforce the words in the Constitution that “We the People” matter-- that we are indeed a "we" and are all in this together. And that "we" are responsible for speaking up in the face of injustice.
In regard to gathering information or transparency, the 2016 election process taught us that the mainstream media were no longer the watchdogs that we rely on for uncovering errors and wrongdoings by those who have power; ergo, journalists climbed into bed with those they are supposed to be watching. Apparently, many in the media are grappling with their own souls and journalistic integrity. Recently Obama accused FOX News for the Democratic Presidential defeat stating that, “Fox news in every bar and restaurant in big
News organizations that report on stories in a fair, balanced and ethical manner are essential to the functionality of this nation. A citizen’s ability to make well-informed decisions hinges on a news organization’s ability to relay the most accurate information regarding the state of the nation, the changing condition of communities, and adjustments in the government. Journalism is no longer a one-sided conversation. Journalism is an interactive process that allows for readers and viewers to create a dialogue with journalists by utilizing mediums such as social networking sites and comment sections. Audiences have a say in what stories get reported and how news stories are presented to the masses. When news organizations fail to cover all
Voting is the foremost way to exhibit good citizenship and civil responsibility. People should get involved in elections and educated in all political measures. By this they become good and responsible participatory citizens. It should always be remembered that some people sacrifice their lives to preserve the freedom and voting opportunity as a sacred right. True democracy demands the involvement of the people otherwise in absence of that there is no democracy(Akande, 2011).
Consequently, the political sphere is now being colonised by the media, and politics has begun re-orientating itself to satisfy the logic of media organisations (Meyer, 2002, p. 71). Therefore, the media are active participants in the policymaking process and the ability to stimulate change or maintain the status quo depends on their choice of subject or policy issue and how they frame it. Active investigative reporting attempts to shape policy outcomes, but this does not necessarily mean that it always represents the most successful approach for gaining policy changes (Spitzer, 1993, p. 7). In fact, sometimes passive, straight reporting can have a greater influence on policy choices. When this occurs, media independence is largely bypassed, as the news generated depends solely on the information released (as public relations material) from legitimate news sources. For example, in the United States, White House staff routinely make ‘leaks’ - expressively to influence policy decisions (Davis, 1992, p. 143; Robinson, 2001, p. 948). Robinson noted that journalists regard “leaks… as indispensable to their work” and that they are aware of their use by officials in return for scoops (2001, p. 949).
Voting plays an important role in the modern lives that can easily shape the whole world. While some people believe that voting should be voluntary, I believe that voting should be mandatory for more social benefits. This essay will discuss the reasons why voting should be compulsory.
Compulsory voting as defined by Merriam Webster is "a system in which electors are obligated to vote in elections, or be subject to punitive measures such as fines or community service if violated." It is a system of voting that has been implemented successfully in over 30 countries, and has seen the increase in voting turnout on average of 20%. When compulsory voting was abandoned turnout after a period of mandatory voting, voting dropped on average 25%. This is an issue that can shape the future of democratic nations, for the actions that governments make are reliant upon those who enter into office, due to the ballot of the people. Therefore, in a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory.
Voting is the chance to contribute to the political process, and the framework was made to work best when everybody partakes. Along these lines, utilizing your entitlement to vote is not only an expansion to the voter turnout insights distributed by each significant media site (which reliably demonstrate seniors as having the most astounding voter turnout - time for the young to lift it up). Your vote really matters and the country needs and needs to hear your feeling. We live in a vote based system (a term utilized delicately as a part of our general public). A democracy is a system of government in which the entirety of the population participates. So, participate all the time.
Voting is crucial to the validity of the U.S. Constitution as well: the first amendment in the Bill of Rights calls for freedom of expression. Being able to vote allows citizens to express their political opinions by voting for a policy or candidate that has their best
Hosts, reporters, and commentators dug at President Trump and his administration in almost every single story aired over the course of an hour and a half. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow eluded that Trump’s alleged ties with Russia “will come out soon,” but she omitted the word alleged, a move that could trigger a slander lawsuit. This framing by both MSNBC and Fox advance a political agenda. If a media consumer were to watch only one of these outlets, that consumer would hear only one view on the world. I believe these partisan outlets can cause closed-mindedness and advocate against those with different beliefs to work together.
In New Hampshire in 2016, President Trump said in regards to the news media that "They're scum. They're horrible people. They are so illegitimate.” Having been quoted multiple times referring to the journalists and reporters in a similarly negative manner, President Trump apparently has diminished the nation’s trust in the press. The Trump administration is also notorious for barring certain news organizations, from access to events. In response to blocking prominent news organizations, including CNN and The New York Times, from attending a question and answer session with Press Secretary Sean Spicer, NPR wrote that “the relationship between the Trump administration and the news media has taken another step backwards.” By excluding typically adversary news organizations and including typically supportive news organizations, some argue that the Trump administration is inhibiting freedom of the press and prohibiting the truthful spread of information. On the other hand, it can be argued that adversary news organizations may distort events and quotes, causing unnecessary confusion and misguided
There was a time where media and the government worked alongside each other in a symbiotic relationship, such as with President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his Fireside Chats in the midst of the Great Depression. Their job was to promote FDR and help him keep the American people informed on what he was getting done in Washington. Even if the media the president were on bad terms, prior to Nixon, journalism never really forged a large crusade to take down political leaders as they do now. In the wake of the Watergate scandal, however, that dynamic changed completely. Bob Woodward’s and Carl Berstein’s single-minded pursuit of the real perpetrators of Watergate
The national media is instrumental in allowing the electorate to develop opinions about contemporary issues. The media is incredibly influential and its power can be wielded for the benefit of all, or it can become a detriment to society. Some media outlets seek to sensationalize the news, sacrificing informing voters in favor of the bottom line. It is through people and organizations who seek to provide the most accurate and impartial view of an event that popular sovereignty gains much of its power. A commitment to informing the public, even when the information conflicts with a writer’s social and political philosophy, can be a difficult one to maintain. Yet, reporters uphold it everyday. This can be seen in the news site CNN (Cable News Network), which is known for having a liberal bias. Despite said bias, it does not shy away from portraying Hillary Clinton, a democrat, as a flawed candidate in an effort to be unbiased. Such a commitment is essential to creating a political and social dialogue in our nation, and as the saying goes, “when dialogue fails, democracy fails.”
In my opinion, each citizen has a civic and moral duty to vote. It is also a requirement, a responsibility, an obligation. It’s part of a bigger picture. I may speak passionately about voting rights, that’s only because as a naturalized citizen, I believe that I have been given this privilege. For me, it is certainly an honor to be able to exercise my free will to vote in this country. Conversely, being able to vote reminds me of how privileged I am in comparison to other countries, whose citizens have no freedom and/or a choice. This country certainly has come a long way, paving the way for all its citizens to be able to vote, when not so long ago, that few of America’s inhabitants could not participate in elections: among the excluded were
There’s an overwhelming number of sources for news to reach the public. There is Fox news, CNN, BBC, NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Propublica (a non-profit), and NPR, just to name eight. All these news sources impact our daily lives as we make tough decisions on things like who our president will be, what kind of food we eat or don’t eat, or what kind of people we like or don’t like. Some journalism exposes things that other people don’t want exposed. This type of journalism is called Muckraking. Jessica Mitford, an investigative journalist, described muckraking in her book, Poison Penmanship: The Art of Muckraking, as high honor in the world of journalism. Muckraking must be disassociated with the term “bad journalism”, it
The media has been adversely affected by the explosion of information sources. It has become a tedious and cumbersome endeavor to accurately locate information sources that can stand to even the slightest bit of scrutinizing. For those who attempt to report the truth, they continue to find it
Voting is very essential and one of the easiest methods to influence public policy. You just need to be registered, and go to a polling station. It is simple because the government encourages people to vote, to hear a broad range of opinions. It is a form of direct democracy because when you vote, it directly affects the side or issue you support. Your vote is one more supporting opinion for a candidate or issue that is counted. Some people may think that their vote won’t make a big difference, but if you look at it from another perspective it can impact smaller and local issues. Although voting is imperative because you are given this privilege at the age of 18, it is not the end of one’s ability to influence government, but rather the beginning.