Speaking of U.S. politics, it is essential to note that the United States is a federal, constitutional, democratic republic in which the President, Congress, and the judiciary share authority and responsibility for their actions. Initially, the most critical point in the United States Constitution was the separation of legislative, executive, and judicial powers. The people also play a significant role in the political decisions of the United States. This essay will focus on the issue of changes in the rights of citizens when participating in the country’s political decisions.
Over the past two centuries, public participation in U.S. politics has indeed increased. Moreover, it is important to note how many rights and freedoms the people of America have gained because of the amendments made to the U.S. Constitution. For example, the rights to freedom of speech, religion, the right to keep and bear arms, and the prohibition of arbitrary searches and arrests are now being implemented. One of the basic edits is abolishing slavery; this edit was made after the Civil War. Accordingly, with the development of all personal rights and participation in political decision-making, it has also become more accessible and convenient for ordinary Americans. Even in terms of the number of citizens who can vote in elections, the United States is called the second largest democracy in the world.
In the United States, there have been no severe failures in the functioning of democratic mechanisms for two hundred years. The tradition of the succession of power, the separation and independence of its branches, and the legitimacy and independence of local government are supported by the law and the people’s opinion. Despite the enormous amount of power that the U.S. President has in the outside world, his powers within the country are limited. Moreover, if the United States was previously described as a democratic country, it is difficult to call it true in the opinion of contemporaries. Since the United States was a country where slavery was practiced, the indigenous population was driven to reservations, and women were disenfranchised. That is the reason why the modern United States is more democratic than in the past.
Of all the institutions, such as the Senate and the Electoral College, I would like to single out the second one and discuss the consequences of its existence. The Electoral College has the function of selecting a candidate on behalf of the people they represent. The Electoral College forces candidates to reach out to the general public and run their campaigns in places that would not be covered in the event of a direct vote. At the same time, a positive property of the United States Senate is considered changeability since re-election corresponds to the changeability of power. The goal of gerrymandering is to change the balance of political forces in electoral circles artificially. The consequences of this action are a violation of the equal electoral rights of citizens. Judicial review also has the role of a supervisory body, which is essential for verifying the legality of all government branches’ actions and decisions. First-past-the-post elections also play a significant role for the United States. Due to the fact that the basic rule is that a candidate must have more votes than the other candidates to win. However, this practice does not always represent the interests of the voters’ majority.
There are disputes about the existence of the Electoral College among those who are interested in politics. It plays a vital role during the consideration and selection of the candidate. However, even though the Electoral College prevents controversial results and reduces the cost of national presidential campaigns, there are undeniable disadvantages related to this institution. For example, due to this institution’s use, the majority’s will may be ignored (Young, 2020). It gives much electoral power to a small number of states, and voter participation is reduced, as there is a feeling that specific votes do not matter. Therefore, I believe that the United States will benefit from the abolition of this institution.
All these institutions and practices are tightly linked, as they are created for a single apparatus, so if one of them disappears or is abolished, the entire system will be threatened. The strategy for changing the entire operation of the device should be considered in advance to avoid an internal collapse of the system. At the same time, it is essential to note that the abolition of one institution or practice will not have the proper result. If one part of the constructor is damaged or disposed of, then either a new part of the constructor or new construction as a whole should appear. Then the system can continue to exist and still benefit the society of the United States. At the same time, it will remain one of the most thought-out and verified political systems in the world.
If the institutions mentioned above and practices are abolished, it is important to discuss two events. In the first option, if the electoral college is abolished, it can be replaced with a popular vote, which has significant advantages. Young (2020) writes that “Advocates for political equality believe that each vote for each person should count the same” (p. 36). Due to the predominance of a particular political party, a candidate affiliated with a particular party is virtually guaranteed to receive votes from his supporters. Many voters are dissatisfied with the situation of the votes’ counting. The fact that their votes seem to be skipped and not counted due to a problem in the system makes them feel stressed. Young (2020) reports that “The 2016 election opened the eyes of many individuals, leading to an increased emphasis on the Popular Vote.”. Moreover, supporters of the popular vote say that the Electoral College cannot achieve political equality. Thus, it denies the basic principles of democracy that are contrary to the United States Constitution. Simultaneously, there are clear advantages of open popular voting, when no vote will weigh more than another, and when every member of society will have equal rights to vote. In another version of events, where both institutions and practices will change, it is essential to note that this is a very long and time-consuming procedure. There are alternative ways of managing political processes that can be applied in this situation. They will be as open and transparent as the previous ones but updated.
To sum up, I believe that the changes will benefit the United States, as America has always been distinguished by its advanced democratic spirit, supported in all sectors of society. Therefore, changes in the political system can lead to even more significant changes in the socio-cultural attitude. That will give the residents even more strength and desire to support the free regime of the United States.
Reference
Young, C. (2020). The Electoral College and the Winner Takes All System. Honors Undergraduate Theses. Web.