Introduction
The complex legal history of the United States has created many controversial or complex cases that, in one way or another, have become incidents and helped shape the history of American society. Considering some examples can help to understand what values and rules are central to the US democratic system. The problems existing in the state must also be addressed in order to create the most stable possible system for ensuring and defending the rights of citizens. Studying relevant cases from legal practice and finding solutions to issues in the current political landscape is imperative to promote the development of the state.
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
The law in question was one of the most crucial turning points as it guaranteed United States citizenship to all Native Americans. The only condition was that they must be born in the country. This topic is interesting because the situation under consideration made it possible to significantly change the social system and establish greater justice.
For example, before this act, all Indians were not considered US citizens, which created significant legal problems and led to the entrenchment of racism and unfair treatment of them, which began to decline after 1924 (Stanciu, 2021). They lived on the territory of the country before the creation of the state there and did not have any rights after the United States was formed into an integral country.
Representative Homer P. Snyder defended the passage of this law, arguing that it was a necessary step in the development of the democratic spirit of the United States (Stanciu, 2021). By guaranteeing citizenship to all Native Americans, they were recognized as total participants in social movements and could take part in all essential popular votes. This significantly impacted the diversity of American society and paved the way for the creation of a fully inclusive environment.
The Right to Bear Arms
The attitude towards guns has been the subject of constant debate in American society as many people strive to achieve its resolution. However, the debate was because a significant part of society did not support this permission (Finerty, 2022). This question is interesting because the law ensures the personal freedoms of citizens of the United States and, among other things, helps them defend their rights and interests in life-threatening situations.
The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association vs. Bruen case is the next critical stage in developing discourse around weapons and their availability (Finerty, 2022). The essence of this provision is that carrying a concealed firearm in New York is contrary to the Second Amendment to the Constitution. This regulation significantly limits self-defense because people need a compelling reason to own a gun. This can result in negative consequences, for example, when a person without such a reason gets attacked or robbed and cannot defend himself. Individual freedoms have thus suffered significant suppression that can lead people into dangerous situations.
United States vs Nixon
The balance between the executive branch and the rule of law in the United States is the basis of the democratic order that allows the country to function. However, such a balance can be significantly shaken, which happened after the Watergate scandal, which dealt a heavy blow to the American system of democracy. Growing tension in the community led to the Supreme Court subpoenaing President Richard Nixon to produce the Oval Office tapes (Trachtenberg, 2022). This case is interesting because it represents the clash between the values of the US system and the privileges of the executive branch. The need for a thorough investigation of crimes led to a trial that set a precedent that no one is above the law. Studying this case allows us to understand how necessary a system of checks and balances is in order for all branches of government to be balanced.
Current Political Issue
One of the important issues in the context of the modern landscape of American politics is gerrymandering. This concept refers to the manipulation and reapportionment of electoral district boundaries in order to tilt election results in favor of a particular party (Stewart et al., 2019). This phenomenon undermines the rules of equality and integrity of the electoral process and also distorts the democratic system. The use of such a tool provides an opportunity for politicians to choose candidates that are beneficial to them and not those for whom people actually voted. This problem must be corrected as it has a significant adverse effect on the people, not allowing people to choose their representatives.
In the context of this issue, the system of redistricting must be improved (Stewart et al., 2019). Imperative changes in this regard may be the creation of non-partisan independent commissions that will determine and monitor the preservation of electoral boundaries. This group of people can use modern technological advances to exercise complete oversight of the election process and whether candidates comply with all conditions. Such a solution could contribute to the establishment of a more robust democratic system with fair representation.
The Solution to the Problem
To combat the problem of gerrymandering, it is necessary to construct a full-fledged integrated solution that will address the root of the issue. As stated above, first of all, independent commissions for the redistribution and regulation of electoral districts can be created. At the same time, they will have to carefully monitor the party influence that is exerted in any region so that their activities are fully justified (Best et al., 2022). Representatives of this commission will have to be appointed in such a way that they do not have a specific political affiliation and consist of different social groups. Electoral boundaries would thus have to be drawn on the basis of geographic and demographic data, without regard to any party advantages.
To ensure the full functionality of the commission, it will be necessary to implement the Geographic Information System (GIS) (Best et al., 2022). This tool will allow access and analysis of all the necessary data regarding any area. These may include age, political views, diversity, and social status. The use of these tools can help ensure that constituencies are formed on the basis of specific numerical indicators.
Conclusion
The study of several cases that made it possible to resolve disagreements between certain parties helped to understand the basic rules and values of the American political and social systems. Sustainability in the context of compliance with laws must be achieved in order for the state to fully ensure the rights of citizens. This also addresses the important issue of gerrymandering, which prevents voters from sufficiently expressing their interests. Modernization and making the necessary changes can help ensure that citizens can fully enjoy the benefits that a democratic system offers. A commitment to transparency and honesty in political affairs is the basis that can maintain a sufficient level of balance.
References
Stanciu, C. (2021). Native acts, immigrant acts: Citizenship, naturalization, and the performance of civic identity during the Progressive Era. The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 20(2), 252-276. Web.
Finerty, M. (2022). The Supreme Court’s Bruen decision and its impact: What comes next? New York State Bar Association. Web.
Trachtenberg, M. (2022). The United States and strategic arms limitation during the Nixon-Kissinger period: Building a stable international system?Journal of Cold War Studies, 24(4), 157-197. Web.
Stewart, A. J., Mosleh, M., Diakonova, M., Arechar, A. A., Rand, D. G., & Plotkin, J. B. (2019). Information gerrymandering and undemocratic decisions. Nature, 573(7772), 117-121. Web.
Best, R. E., Lem, S. B., Magleby, D. B., & McDonald, M. D. (2022). Do redistricting commissions avoid partisan gerrymanders?. American Politics Research, 50(3), 379-395. Web.