Chapter 1 Blog. Chapter one is all about power and how it is shared or in many cases, not shared with others. What is your impression of the REAL power in the US? Choose one of the following and make a case for them as the MOST POWERFUL player(s) in US Government.
1. The PEOPLE
2. The ELITES, predominantly wealthy individuals and corporations
3. The Government Bureaucracies
4. The EDUCATED class
5. The Congress and the President
6. The COURTS, especially the Supreme Court.
Remember to keep it brief and also comment on the writings of others.
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I believe that the people have the most power in the U.S. government because the United States is a republic; its leaders are chosen by the people. The people supply the government's wealth through taxes. Our military consists of U.S. citizens who choose to enlist. Power given to officials is granted by U.S. citizens and is kept as long as the people believe they are competent.
ReplyDeleteThe power in the US is not held mostly by the people as one is lead to think. The issue is, the people hardly ever take action in their government and this is why courses like AP Government are important. They give the people the tools needed to be a part of their government and to have a say in the way their lives are run. There really isn't a choice, as far as taxes go [whether or not to pay them et cetera]. The people certainly have the chance for power according to our government. The issue is, that our government is made out to be some giant fearsome bureaucratic monster. This course is what is giving us the ability to face down our fears of our bureaucratic monster. So you are sort of right saying that the people have the power. We do, don't get me wrong, we just don't utilize our power as much as we should. I think the overall lack of knowledge is what strips us of our power.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do agree that the people often times the people do not have the passion to battle said monster. This course could enlighten many citizens to become bureaucratic knights and battle the monster. The monster will help make those with the initiative and zeal to bring about change to do so.
ReplyDeleteYes, I changed my name. I like it better.
Regretfully, the Congress and President hold most of the power in this place, even if this country was bought many times over. The Founding Fathers said that the government should fear the people. I, for one, have been rather fearful of my government lately. They have far too much power, mostly because of all this ridiculous spending going on. "Throw more money at it, it'll fix itself!"
ReplyDeleteThank you and please let me hop off this soapbox.
~Heather
The Congress and President hold the most power. Unless you have a large group of people who all have the same opinion, then you can't really enforce any nation-changing opinions. While certain individuals can and have made impressions on the nation, the President and Congress can change things with the drop of a hat. Though if a majority of the population agrees that the government is corrupt, impeachment can be in order... power to the people can only be brought by togetherness and community!
ReplyDelete(This probably sounds so stupid. Gaaah.)
I feel that the Congress and President hold the most power. The people of Congress decide upon the bills which will be passed to the President and the President makes them into laws. Citizens can't really decide what laws will or will not be passed. They have the most say over what happens in the United States and have more control than anyone else. They make the major decisions around here and we don't get a say of what happens or not.
ReplyDeleteIn my own opinion I believe that the people are the most powerful players in the U.S government. The reasoning behind this is because it is the citizens that ARE those in higher classes, become those highly educated people, or who become/vote on those who become apart of the government. So in reality every part of the government falls back onto the "peoples" hands. Whether they are voting for someone, being wealthy and paying their way through things, becoming educated and involed in the political system, or just those who love government and get involved into the system who then have say in what happens.
ReplyDeleteTherefore when you think about it, it all ends up going back to one place...the people.
@Jamie
ReplyDeleteNice point. I still believe that the people hardly get any choice on who they really want in office and just pick the guy with a "D" or an "R" next to their name.
But that's another rant for another day.
~Heather
Since no one has chosen them, what about some love for the elites? They have money & influence, paying for all the lobby organizations that influence Congress & the President. Elites have always tried--often successfully--to get the people to do what elites want.
ReplyDeleteHow else do you explain the lack of a TRUE worker party. The Dems try hard, but they are still controlled by their rich interests.
This argument dovetails with the "no difference between D's and R's. That's right--its the rich v. the rich.
@ Angst
ReplyDeleteYes, I see exactly what you mean. It is indeed the ones we [don't really] elect who hold our fates in their clenched fist; along with the pried-from-our-desperate-fingers money that we "throw" so bountifully at them.
@Hoover
I see also there is much truth in your observation. I think this country NEEDS desperately a socialistic "revolution" of sorts. People need to speak up, rise up, seize their power and WORK WITH IT!! Be a country for the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE. Not for the rich and toss money at the poor and hope they go away.
@Everyone
Shameless plug for my blog. Just click the name or paste this: regardezlerequin.blogspot.com to visit. There is quite an interesting topic up right now.
@ Jamie
ReplyDeleteThat, my friend, is what is called a bourgeoisie-run government. Haha I am done now.
I tried to avoid reading all the replies before I came to my own conclusion.
ReplyDeleteEvery group seems to contribute it's own level of strength and influence, but I think the strongest class in determining the national agenda is the Elites. From the foundation of the nation, who was really in power? It wasn't the general population (in truth, the governing people largely feared the uneducated majority). It was the wealthy, influential personas of Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, etc.
All those men were wealthy and educated, making them the elites of society. The government has always been run by people with power and influence. Andrew Jackson...the people's president...was a war time hero and a western aristocrat. We like the think the power lies in the people, but the people are influenced by the influence and wealth of the elites.
I strongly believe that the elites have all of the power in the US, because it's obvious that they control the workplace due to their grip on society. They all have education because they can afford it and they know how to manipulate the public and the government to do as they will. For example, who will the government stand by first, the elites or the poor people with no education and "don't know what they are talking about."? The elites just need to wave some money in someone's face and BAM!, they have their attention and support. This is why the government is corrupt, and this will lead to the fall of freedom liberty, and the poor will still only be left with their pursuits of happiness. Woohoo, that's worth a lot in my books, NOT! The elites basically control everything and anything in the US just because of their money and 'hard gotten education.' American society is supposed to be influenced by the people and the government, but NO!; it's all up to the uber elite party.
ReplyDeleteThe courts, in my oppinion, have the most say in our government. They have the final say on whether a bill is passed. They also don't really have any worries of being voted out of office. They are selected for life. There has only been 1 justice that was ever impeached and that was over 200 years ago. Talk about a secure position. They can decide which laws are constituional and what laws aren't. No matter how powerful the president, elites, people, or any other group are without the support of the supreme court the law is not passing. The courts also decide on important issues that affect us like Roe vs. Wade. These decisions overrode all of the laws that were previously in affect. They also get to be incharge of the impeachment trial of the president. They may not be overly mentioned but the supreme court are one of if not the most powerful groups in the government.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it's the elites who have the most power in our government. There are people out there called lobbyists. It is there job to go to congress and demand bills to be passed for the "good" of their company. Lobbyists want money, and only money, in my opinion. Wealthy individuals have somewhat of the say in government that company lobbyists do, but not as much. Lobbyists make sure that congress knows that they're the priorty, over the people.
ReplyDeleteoh and is dragonmaster370 kenny? HAHA
ReplyDeleteI believe that the elites or predominantly wealthy individuals and corporations have the most power in U.S. Government. I believe this because the wealthy individuals and corporations have lots of money, and everyone knows that money talks. So I think that these wealthy elites can bribe just about everyone in government to get what they want (which I imagine happens), this is why I say that these elites have most of the power in U.S. Government because they can bribe officials to get there way.
ReplyDeleteJamie,
ReplyDeleteI agree partially with you when you said that the people have the power to elect their officials. Although in my opinion one of your arguments using wealthy citizens (as part of the public argument) who can pay their way through things, is actually supporting the Elites having the most power in U.S. Government.
@Chester (yes I will always call you that)
ReplyDeleteYou're right; this country has been sold out for years, in my opinion. My too-powerful government theory still stands.
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have." --Gerald Ford
~Heather
PS-- Hoover, I swore I would never join a blog. Now look at me.
i believe that we, the people have the power.
ReplyDeleteAs Jim Carey says, "I got the power," in Bruce Almighty; yes we do have the power.
WHY???? Well, my fellow nerds, the government is to the people, for the people, and of the people.
We do choose how we want our government for the most part. We vote on what we want. If we want something to be passed, or dislike a law, we can take it to legislation and put out our opinion. Also, as part of the law making process, the H.R and Senate want our opinion of a bill before they decide to put out any action towards it. Therefore, the people have the most power.
I think the Founders intended the power to rest with the people. In some ways it does, such as voting for our presidents. In other ways, all the power belongs to the politicians, particularly the president. Once in office, an elected official could do as he or she pleased, but if they can and intend to run for a second term, they must pay attention to what the people want. In some ways this balances out, but ultimately it is the president and other politicians who make the big decisions.
ReplyDelete@ Heather
I agree with you whole-heartedly. This government is too powerful nowadays. The Founders intended the people to be more powerful than the government so that no one powerful elite or group could gain all the power. This system has been proved by our country's history to work rather well. Why change this system if it works? It all goes back to if it works, don't fix it.
Abria
I personally think that the true power holders are the President and the Congress. I mean they do pass the laws that we have to obey. They basically control every aspect of our lives. I know we do have some kind of power because they are afraid that they may not be re-elected. But they hold the power that we have to obey.
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteAfter rereading my own work I have come to agree with you. I think my point was semi along the lines that the people are in every category there, which therefore leaves them to have the decisions. However, you are completely correct.
--
Hoover,
I think your comments on the elites is very important. Considering the fact that everytime we look around all we see is someone paying their way through well, pratcially everything. It's almost disgusting and yet (I agree with Stefon here) the people need to STEP UP and SPEAK UP. If this doesn't happen, there wont ever truly be a change.
--
Haha, and to whomever butthead is,
I agree to the highest percecnt with you. In my own opinion and obviously in yours, it seems as though it IS the people. Because every one of the groups that is up there is made up of well, the people.
--
Haha, is it silly that I actually enjoy writing these? :]
I think that the congress and the President have the most power because they make most of the decisions and they suggest the most ideas in America, and they're the highest people..or close to the top. How can anyone have more power than the person who runs our country?
ReplyDeleteNate- Yes, the people may vote for the President and such, but no, the peoples' votes aren't the only ones that matter. The Electoral College has more authority over the people.
Butthead- You do have a point.. people do vote on things and suggest things, but the legislation and higher doesn't necessarily need to pass the peoples' suggestions and ideas. Plus, the President has the last veto in laws and more.
Hoover- I do agree, money has a big part of our goverment and world, but too much money and power can corrupt people. Yes, they have money, but that doesn't necessarily put them on top.
Tish-tash,
ReplyDeleteI think that you are wrong. Why? Because they may have a lot of power, but look at our economy. If they had true power, we'd have a perfect country, in their standards.
JaLuPa,
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with what you said. You're right in every way and basically said what i believe. Good riddance.
I think that the president and congress has power. Even though the US is a democracy and the president and congress is voted on by the people, the people as a whole are ignorrant towards politics and all its form. Many people who vote are uneducated towards the canidate of their choosing. The president has the authority and the congress has the power. If they can get along, they have so much policy that is in their favor.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the elites have the most power in the United States. They have the money to sway any politician any direction with their strong lobbying. They can be seen as advisers to the power in America which would give them the most power.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite a hard question, but I would have to say that the President and Congress have the most power. Overall the people have input on everything, and indirectly vote for the president, but Congress and the President are made up of politicians. They know how to lie, persuade, and use money. They can make general sayings, and not really have to do specifically what they people thought they should have done. People in Congress and other high up seatings know so much about government, that they are able to twist things their way, or they won't last long...
ReplyDeleteOh my, I forgot I put Ryugen as my screen name. This is actually Tom, and the name means Dragon's Eye.
ReplyDeleteAnd idonthavegoodideas reply to Tish-Tash really got me riled up, so I think I will have to reply. While I agree that the people do have enough power to revolt against Congress and the President, I also agree that they have power over the people, but in terms of being able to persuade and get things done indirectly.
And your reply that they would have a perfect economy is disastrous in my thoughts. Our economy is supposedly run on a free market and competition. If the government ran the economy, that is just basically Communism. The economy always has its ups and downs, that is the nature of the beast. It is up to us to learn from our mistakes, and not just follow what other people say. Even if you just meant a perfect country overall, how is it the government who is supposed to shape us? Shouldn't we shape the government to try to fit our thoughts?
Haha, I can't let go of a chance to reply to DragonMaster370.
ReplyDeleteOf course some elites would have a say since they have a lot of the money, and politicians would want to please the ones with money. Money is sort of a unique thing among government, as everyone needs/wants it in our current government, and printing more just makes the government thieves. Many politicians just try to please whoever will help them the most.
However, look at Caesar.
He walked the streets of the poor and shook their hands to get their votes when no other politician would.
Today's politicians try to please everyone, without truly pleasing them. Many people know that it is impossible to please everyone. Even Bill Cosby said so. "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
Not only do the elites get a say, but so do the people. But the ones who truly pass the laws in the end are the President and Congress. And the ones we usually blame are usually, again, the President and Congress.
OK, I'm now siding with the educated class---why? Because whether you're elite or poor, if you are educated--you have a shot at leadership. Clinton & Obama are perfect examples of poor kids made good.
ReplyDeleteHeck, Clinton's life sounds like a country song...My dad died before I was born, My step dad beat my mom, so I had to stand up to him, I had an El Camino.... see, like a country song. Only his high level of education & intelligence allowed him to break beyond Hope, Arkansas. The same can be said for Nixon, Carter, LBJ and Jerry Ford, who was adopted as a child.
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ReplyDelete@Ryugen
ReplyDeleteI can see what you are saying but no matter what, the president's time is limited. He can be in office for a maximum of 2 and a half terms ( if he was vice president before) He may have alot of power in his years but eventaully he won't be in office anymore. It is hard for a president to get done all they wanted to in those years.
The congress has to always worry about who they disappoint and if they are going to be re-elected. They are unable to just do what ever they want because they may not always be elected again.
@Ryugen and Hoover
ReplyDeleteGeez..., you guys just don't see the big picture. The elites will always have the almighty control because they can't be impeached or taken out of office like congressmen, and the president, making them able to sway the United states to their favor...forever! How do you think the poor could afford to go to schools like Harvard and Princeton to get their 'high education', with their budget? HA HA HA that's funny, they didn't! They didn't have the money to do that, even with scholarships and grants. Nope, not happening, hehehe... only the wealthy get to go to law schools and control our country. Never has a poor person been president. NEVER! The elites could easily get Congress to pass a bill in their favor because they hold the sway over political matters. They can get away with anything they want because they know that nobody will stop them from TAKING OVER THE UNITED STATES AND EXERTING THEIR RULE! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! By the way Zach has the right idea saying that the presidenyt only has sway for such a small period of time, but the elites can always exert their power. All the elites have to do is tell their sons to do it too when they're dead. Hehe... good plan.
@Hoover
ReplyDeleteOkay, so the country song is pushing it... but i definitely agree with you with having an education gives an advantage. The idea of elitism has SOME effect, but there aren't enough elitists to have that much of an effect with the government. With little things, yes, elitists may have the power and wealth to tweak certain things.
@Dragonmaster370
ReplyDeletedude. you're wrong, Hoover was right about having presidents start out without wealth. Especially Clinton.
I believe, as many have already said, that the people have the real power in govenment. We are known as a democracy which is that the people run the government. They vote to have people represent them.The people are also the most influential in government. They have certain opinions that each candidate for different offices want to appeal to. Laws are based on what the people want so that each officer stays popular amongst as many people as possible. The people are the ones that complain and have the issues they want resolved. Politicians do all their work on winning over the people so of course the people have the most power.
ReplyDeleteComments?
~ABBY
I'm more of sided with both the Elites and the People. Yes, the people have the right to vote and we are a democracy, but yet "the people" aren't totally happy. I understand that the president wants to win over the people but in the end I believe that the Elites have the real power to actually make some sort of change. Here's a silly example. If a student from Dover presented an assembly on using more "GREEN" products people MIGHT listen. In reality though not many would take action or think too much about it. But if say Brad Pitt or Hayden Panettiere or any celebrity came to our school and did an assembly on the same exact thing we would probably listen a lot closer to what they're saying. The celebrity is like the elite in our government. The courts would probably listen more to the Elites rather than the people either because they're a big corporation that knows what they're doing or they have a lot of money they could help invest into the government.
ReplyDelete~katelyn
@ Abby
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you on your point of the people having the power in our government system. Reading what you wrote has me really debating on whether it's the elite or the people that have the power. I don't know yet :-)
@ Megan
Yes I somewhat agree on your point that the president and congress have the most power. I agree on the point that they do have the power to make decisions. But where do they come up with these decisions? I believe some of the ideas (not all though) come from the elite Americans.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that the power hungry elites are the main power of our U.S. government. The elites in this case have the power because they have the ability to pull strings and bribe people in their favor. Although it was meant for Congress and the President to have the most power, the conniving elites have the advantage of controlling through their money. The power hungry elites ultimately have the upper hand in this matter.
ReplyDeleteThe people of the united states are suppose to have the power to create laws and run the country. However, I believe that the president and congress have most of that power. The people only have the opportunity to make their input, but the process and output are all determined by the president and congress. In the end, it comes down to one person's opinion and that's the president.
ReplyDeleteAt this point in time I am trying to figure out whom Authority Ranger is. Actually, I am on the phone with the Authority Ranger and yet still I don't know who they are. Hm, how does this work? One only can wonder.
ReplyDeleteNow to comment on the Authority Ranger,
I have said earlier that I agree with the elites. Which, still holds true. The elites seem as though they just well, pay their way through things. This may be and seem unfair however, when you look around it happens everywhere, not just in the government. Terrible. *sighs*
I'm still wondering who this Authority Ranger is.
The way the constitution is written, the people have power. If not it falls on the president and congress. There isn't really anything in there about corporate elites. But if you really really look at our society who does have all the power? As our fearless leader Mr. Riedel said if Harley went out of business Dover would basically be shot to hell. And that's just a local business. What if an international cooperation (McDonalds/Disney) changed something major, like they only hire Native Americans. How many people would be out of a job? Billions, worldwide.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to power...clearly the elites have it all. The wealthy have many "connections" with people higher in power and the money to bribe the ones they don't. Look at the case of O.J. Simpson. Everyone knows the case; O.J. Kills his wife and because he has the best lawyer he can and because he's famous he gets away, with out even a repremanding. If Mr.Hoover would kill his wife (LOL) he would most definately be put in jail, if not put to death...because he works at Dover, which has a greatly different payroll than O.J. Simpson's. It's just the way life works, the rich have it all; power, money, and luxury; while the average joe get's nothing at all (except high taxes.
ReplyDelete@Nikki
ReplyDeleteTotally agree there, except for the part with O.J. He never really worked his way out of it, but there just wasn't enough evidence. O and the thing about Mr. Hoover is teh weird.
@ Alex
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you dude. The Harley Davidson situation is scary for York right now. I know Harley is a big company, but what if a bigger company goes out. York will become a dead city. The big companies are like our puppet masters, and we are the ones with a hand up our ass.
@ POOLAffliction
ReplyDeleteSorry dude but i disagree with you. The government can totally be bribed by the wealthy. Like the tax cuts for the rich...if our president had poor friends he wouldnt make us suffer like that. But his friends, his family, his associates, and himself are all rich and wealthy.
@ Volley14Ball
ReplyDeleteYour sooo right. We do have that right to vote, but how much does it really seem to matter about OUR vote. It's like voting for prom queen and king. If the popular (wealthy) run against the nerd (poor) who's gonna win? It's an obvious answer...the popular kids win because they can easily infulence other kids to vote with promises to hang out or to make them popular. It just doesnt seem like the average joe even has a voice anymore.
I believe that the President and Congress have the most power. They create, edit, and veto the laws. The laws are the structure of our society. People may let their opinion be known and protest, but Congress and the President still decide to do what they think is right. The President and Congress are the core of the United States and ultimately affect how it is run.
ReplyDelete@Nate-- People do not necessarily have to choose to enlist in the military, the government can issue the Draft to require you to enlist when you turn 18.
@LeCarcharodonte-- I agree when you said that the people do not utilize their power to its full potential, and it is because they lack understanding.
@ nikki
ReplyDeleteFirst off, when was the last president that has been publicly guilty of taking brides from said elites? Even the elites are ignorrant towards politics outside of what they believe is right. I still have the belief that the position of president and/or congress have some moralilty towards the idea of humbleness. (exceptions are bill clinton, bush, and nixon haha)
@fuzzygooch
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree with you. The Congress was meant to have power but the President actually has more power now in present day than the Congress. The elites ultimately have the power due to the fact that they pull the strings and can't get kicked out of office like the political officials can.
I believe, though mostly due to my right and obligation to individualism, that the courts, namely the supreme court have the power. This being said, I also want to note that this branch of government does not always employ this power in the government as much as it could. First and foremost, the members of the supreme court are appointed for life, and, as Hoover pointed out, they do not rely directly on the public's vote, so the supreme court justices do not have nearly as much pressure as other individuals in government to do what the people want. You could say their power and influence is on a much longer leash. Also, though they may not have the most money, these justices have a substantial amount of influence on the law-making legislative branch of the government, because they of course can deem any bill or law unconstitutional. This is obviously a high level of control over the many policies instituted in America, which, according to the text book, is power.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the elites are definitely the ones with the power in this country. I believe that they use money to pressure powerful men and women in America. The biggest corporations have somewhat of a monopoly on different businesses, and their points come across better when money is added into the mix. People like to think that the President and Congress have the power, but the only reason that Congressmen and the President are elected is because they have the opinions of the people. Without supporting the opinions of the people that got them to where they are, they face loosing their jobs at the next election.
ReplyDelete@Zach... It just says where the power lies at, not who gets more done since they are there longer.And if you think Congress doesn't get anything done(points to all the crazy stuff going on) then who do you think makes all the crazy stuff that goes on? Oh, and Kenny... He is crazy, not even going to reply to him.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Courts have the most power in the United States. They have the ability to name any law unconstitutional. They can basically control the way Congress makes laws because they can just deny any laws that Congress makes for any reason and subtly control the way things are done. Also, they do not have to worry about re-election, because they are basically a judge for life and are not afraid to make tough or controversial decisions.
ReplyDeleteACE11 aka abby
ReplyDeleteI disagree with your statement. It is true that the people have the power to vote, but a majority of the people that vote have no idea who they are voting for. For the most part, the American people are uneducated and fickle, and believe anything that Congress would tell them. This is why I believe the courts have the power because they have such a subtle influence in the way things are done, that sometimes they go unnoticed but their power is undeniable.
is corey poolaffliction?
ReplyDeletehaha DORK
I do belive that the elites do have the most power in the US government. They seem to use their money to minupulate there way into people liking there ideas. The congress, President, and the supreme court only have powers that stretch so far. When these elites add money to the mix of things, i believe it helps them rise above these other three group and be more powerful!
ReplyDeleteBrook W.- The Elites have it all the way. They have the best of both worlds in a sense. They are partly the people in this situatution, but they also have an even greater influence because of their social status and wealth. The people in our society do have a lot of say in the happenings of the government, but if an elite group wants something done, they have an even greater influence. They can promise the legislatures anything because of their wealth and power and are able to get things done this way. Thats definitly why the Elites have got the power in our government.
ReplyDelete@ Taylor-
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! Without the people who are involved in these elite groups, the congressmen, president and other leaders wouldn't even be in office.
Zach
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your statements about the Courts having the power. They ultimately have the final say with any bill trying to get passed. They also have no worry of reelection or impeachment. You are dead on with your ideas.
@ casiejane3-Casie
ReplyDeleteI don't really agree. I mean your right in some respect, the people only have so much input, but without the strong elite groups run by the people, the president and other leaders wouldn't be in charge. Also if these leaders do things these groups don't want, they can get into some serious trouble. Even though they make the final decision, the elites decide what decision they're gonna make.
@ relentlessk93
ReplyDeleteYes, the elite groups and the people put the president and other leaders in office. However, it was the president who manipulated them to do so. The president is not a randomly selected person. something he had done made people want to vote for him. And yes, elites sometimes decide what decision the leaders will make. However, it's also true that the leaders have the ultimate power in deciding, so even though they're pressured one way, they may go the other way anyways.
Though they are elected by the people through their vote,ultimately the President and Congress have the most power. Obviously they are powerful in terms of making and altering laws, but they also have become quite talented in portraying to the American public what they want to believe(albeit in reality it may be far from it). This makes it easy to convince people to follow their plans. People want strong leaders, something they turn to Congress and the President for.
ReplyDeleteI lean towards the theory that the Congress and the President play the most powerful part in our government. They are in charge of creating laws and amendments. Once they are elected into office, they can pretty much vote however they want to. Political elites can sway their votes through lobbying but the Congress and the President have the final say in passing a bill or not. The people can also try to influence the decisions whether they protest before the bill is passed or not. For the majority of the bills however, I frankly do not think the public is aware or cares about the outcome. So in other words I think that the educated people are a minority. Checks and balances of the court and of themselves are designed to keep the President and Congress in line, but I still feel that they get away with a considerable amount of unchecked power.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Congress and the president have the most power in the United States. People and certain elites do have the power to change things, but ultimately every decision is made by the Congress and our president. If the Congress does not want to pass a bill, they do not have to. At the end of the day, individuals have to abide by every law that the Congress and President approve. No matter how you try to get around it, you are affected by their rules.
ReplyDelete@ abby:
ReplyDeleteyes, they people have a lot of influence on the goverment, but do they really have the power? I think you have the right idea, but i just don't believe that people have the power in this country because ultimately, they can't change what the Congress and President decide to do in the end.
@ Taylor:
ReplyDeleteI really like the pionts you brought up. Yes, elites do use their money to basically try to do anything they want in this country. But i still do not think they have the ultimate power. Also,the president only really tries to agree with the majority of people on things to get the popular vote and win. Their opinions don't matter as much when he is in office though, because they can't really do anything about it for another four years. So yes, he may not get reelected, but for those four years. He has the power to make all of the decisions in this country.
I believe that the Congress and President hold the most power. Even though Congress and the President are elected by the people, and can be removed by the people, they will always be there because they are elected continually. Positions in Congress and the position of the President must always be filled, or else our inefficient government… can’t be its purposely inefficient self properly. Though they are elected, they are the ones creating the laws and passing them. They can change the way things work rather quickly, much quicker than the people, who would have to join together in a very large group to get anything nation-changing done. Large groups of people looking to change government would require massive amounts of cooperation, a lot more than Congress and the President, as both are, let’s face it, paid to govern. The Congress and President will always be there, as long as there are people to elect them and be governed.
ReplyDeleteCongress has been granted such abilities as declaring war, collecting taxes and regulating money in general, establishing roads, et cetera. The President holds the positions of Head of State and Head of Government, which means that they are the one that is considered the leader. Yes, The Supreme Court has a fair amount of leverage itself, but more so on the people than the government itself. The courts will only say if a law is unconstitutional or not, and impeach the president.
.... I hope that makes a little sense.....
-Caitlyn
PS. I dislike blogging. A lot. c:
In my opinion, I think the people have all the power since they are the ones paying the taxes. Yet its the government that makes us pay those taxes. I think it is a pluralist (i think?? my notes are in my car and its raining so im not going out to get it to make sure its right to sound smart)(and its 12:00am)(i was playing farmville and realized i needed to post something) but anyway i think it is a pluralist or whatever since each little part has the power. The courts have power when someone does something wrong and then its up to the judge. Its the congress when coming up with a law, while its the people who are responsible for paying taxes, etc. It depends what part of power your looking at. The most power could also be in the constitution since America rules by that in almost every way...
ReplyDelete@ relentlessk93
ReplyDeleteI disagree. While it may be true that the elites of America are a part of the public, they are only a small part of it, hence the word elite. So, in this regard the elites have very little to say in the grand scheme of things after the whole of the American people have voted. Also, one of the only ways an elite or elite group can gain significant influence through their wealth in government is by bribing government officials. While I'm not denying that this occurs, surely not every official will take a bribe, whether for fear of them being caught or for some moral conviction. This being said, a majority of congress will still vote against what the elites wanted, giving them little influence and power in the government.
@ Eccentricness
ReplyDeleteYes, it is true that officials in Congress and the President are elected continually. But, there are always new candidates vying to take their spot. Though they can act quicker than the people at making decisions, what congressman (who is paid to govern as you said) is going to make a decision that goes against the public's wishes? They will lose the next election and with it their paycheck. To me, this is too great of a limitation to be considered powerful.
@ claire
ReplyDeleteyes that may be true, but isn't it still us who persuades and puts pressure on congress to create these bills? and if it's not us, then it's probably lobbyists or other small groups in the united states.
I believe that Congress and the President have the most power in the U.S. Government. I believe the original question was who has the REAL power, and kind of like HDeckard said [way back towards the top], people fear the government. I believe the general population views the President and Congress as the head and leaders of the government, and for the simple fact that people are stupid and will follow the leader, if you appear in charge and are believed to be the final say in the government, people will follow and listen. For example, no one on this blog posted anything about the Elites until Hoover said something (not that I disagree or am calling people un-original, but I do believe that him saying something opened us up to going “oh yeah…”) For that reason, I believe the President and Congress have the most power, also because they pass the laws we have to follow, and like it’s been said before, not everyone takes bribes from Elites. (Imagine all the boring news we have if they had a story for everything someone DIDN’T take a bribe...we only hear about it when they do)
ReplyDelete@thatdrummerkid (which drummer kid? there are many. =P)
ReplyDeleteYeah, you just gotta remember people are sheep. Always have been, always will be.
After shuffling thru everyone's (mostly intelligent) thoughts, I have to say there really isn't one group that holds the power. I think an unholy combination of all of them, really, is in charge. Especially the Feds (hey, did you guys know that our Fourth Amendment rights don't apply where we live? Look up "Constitution Free Zones" then tell me the Congress/President aren't too powerful.)
Wooo, commentin' on my government teacher's blog on a Saturday night! Party!
~Heather
@ everyone whose against me
ReplyDeleteYea i understand that some people don't know what they are voting for and that the powerful people have more power. But it is still the people in general. Even the ones not knowing still have power because they are swaying the vote. Ignorant people are most of the population and they go along with what everyone else is saying so they are siding with some one which is still keeping power to the people
@katelyn (volley14ball)
haha sorry didn't mean to confuse you. Think about it this way. Many of the rich people have the money to sway opinions and lobby, but usually the people who have to work harder for it get their opinions out there. They have more determination because they dont have the wealth on their side. They have the drive to complain and argue more. I'm not trying to change your opinion, just telling you my side.
@idonthavegoodideas if that's really your name!
ReplyDeleteSure the people or lobbyists pressure Congress and the President to create the bill but what happens then? Who decides if it goes into a committee, how quickly the bill passes through, or if it passes at all? Not to mention all the amendments that they can make on it before it passes! So the people/lobbyists push to create the bill, it goes through congress (or not), and if it does come out a law, then chances are its not what the people/lobbyists think it is due to all the changes made. So the Congress and the President have pacified the public, but only through manipulation and bureauacracy (unbeknownst to them).
@ Heather (this is grant)
ReplyDeleteI looked up Constitution Free Zones (I love google...) and I completely agree with what you said. I watched an interview from a guy who was stopped on his way home and searched, etc. and it just further re-enforced my beliefs that the President and Congress have (too much!) power.
@ Brook
I do see your point, but I have to return to the countless times where people HAVEN'T been influenced by the elites. I don't have a specific example in mind, but to me it seems like the more public a decision is, then the less someone would chance taking a bribe and getting caught with all the media coverage. Now I know there are exceptions, but I still think that the Elites' power isn't constant, and there are too many variables to when and where it'll work, if it will at all. (and keep in mind that when someone does take a bribe, that person usually has a limited term too, so the Elite's power goes with the person when their term is up)
@ thatdrummerkid,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your opinion that the Congress and President have the most power but I don't understand your concept of "people are afraid of the government." I understand that they fear how powerful it has become, but we're not living in a harsh dictatorship where we can't oppose our leaders and hold underground meetings in basements. I don't think we follow out of fear, but out of ignorance and/or apathy. If the majority of the people actually feared the government, I think there would be a lot more anarchists in America (and I only know one: a kid with a mohawk in my homeroom).
@ kermit the frog
ReplyDeleteRob-o I know why no one commented your blog post yet. It's because it takes too much thought and time to read it. Way above everyone elses thoughts so unless you sit and actually think in depth about it no one knows what it means. I kind of agree with what your saying though. The courts have a lot of power seeing as they don't have as tight of restrictions. Not everyone is bothering them to make the right decisions because it is up to them to decide what is right and just.
@ Nate
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the people of the United States have power, but I don't believe they have the most power. Yes we get to decide our leaders and representatives of our states, but those representatives in Congress are the ones that make all of our rules. We can't tell them to not pass this bill and to pass the other. They have the overall control. We get to control few things compared to how much power Congress and the President have.
@ Claire
ReplyDeleteThe fear of the government was the fear of the power they have, etc. I guess I didn't specify very well, but it was just the fear of the power they have.
@ Claire
ReplyDeleteI think you make a good point in saying that the general public is unconcerned with the majority of the bills in question. Obama's healthcare plan is a hot topic right now, but I for one have no idea what other bills Congress and the President are dealing with.
@ idonthavegoodideas:
ReplyDeleteI somewhat agree with you. Lobbyists do have the power to get things passed for what they want. But the wealthy do have as much power because it's their money that the lobbyists use.
@ Mrfantastic :
ReplyDeleteI disagree. The government wants you to think that the Courts have the most power, but really, they don't. They can name any law unconstitutional, but when does a law get passed that is unconstitutional? That doesn't happen often. Congress isn't completely oblivous to the constitution.
Harman,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment on the elites 100%, also liked the point about their strong lobbying ability.
@butthead
ReplyDeleteAGGH! The elites are the best, and there's no competition! They control everything and they influence our community in more ways than anybody else! They influence the United States more than Congress and the president because they can't be sent out of office, allowing them to exercise their power over the United states for a longer period of time. Nikki, Taylor, and Harmen all agree with me and they have the right idea. Everybody should pick the elites because their power is everlasting. They pressure companys and Congress to do their bidding, and this allows them to influence many people at one time. You can't say no to this comment, and if you'd like, I'd like to see your reasons. Come on and try if you wish, but you'll be doomed to a wrong answer. HA!
@ Jamie
ReplyDeleteI think you're right in the sense that in the end everything can be traced back to the people, the trouble is that certain people will always have more power (like Congress, the courts, etc.). Therefore, while "people" do have the most power, it is not the general public.
@ Hoover
ReplyDeleteI kind of agree with you about the educated class but I still think the elites influence the government the most. Yes the educated class will get farther in either their jobs, careers, etc... than the non-educated class will. There are many success stories of going from rages to riches through the education system, but most elites educated people. It's probable that that is the reason why they have so much money and play a huge role in our government system.
@ claire
ReplyDeleteif you really think hard, and i mean HARD, a majority of the bills people desire and waved away and forgotten about. most bills are passed for the so called "goodwill" of the big companies who REALLY could use a couple more million dollars than they already have. so if you think HARD then you'll come to the conclusion that it's actually the people, mainly rich ones, who have control. the president is basically the main guy who people mistakingly verbally bash instead of the real bad guys, congress. im getting off topic now. haha.
Listen guys, if you've ever watched an episode of Judge Judy it's clear to see that she is in complete control of what goes on. When the cameras are rolling she has all the power. This is identical to the amount of power The courts have in the government. They are highly respected and are in tight association with the president. They determine how your entire future is panned out with the forming of the word "guilty". Many cases they have judged on have gone on to change the face of society. In conclusion, they are the ones holding the mallet.
ReplyDelete@ idonthaveanygoodideas
ReplyDeleteOk, ok, i get what your saying, but listen, what happens when the PEOPLE decide they want to be become radicals and break some laws. THEN the courts step in and thwart the peoples efforts. Thats called utilizing power. Also, The courts consist of PEOPLE so..i don't know i guess that people have the most power, because everyone is a person..trippy.
@ blog-tron whatever blah blah,
ReplyDeletethe people the congress consists of are not real people. they are not real people, i repeat. they want nothing but things for themselves and that hefty bonus they get. they try to seem like they're people, but they're really not
I completely say that the people in America are the most powerful. America is a democracy which gives power to the people. But i say that mostly educated class has the power just because they can follow politics the best and can really change the way that America ticks (like the clock not the bug). If you are not educated, you don't really have a clue of whats going on and such, and you are not having a say in what happens in the country. People (especially the educated class) are the only people who can change the face of our country.
ReplyDelete@ Mariah
Yes the President and Congress have the most power to change the country, but they are always influenced by the ordinary people. If the president or congress does something that the people don't like, they will know it because they will get heck from the people.
@ Dragonmaster
Yes the elites may manipulate, but not everybody is that dumb to fall for the elites. Most people will speak out against manipulation in a work place etc... If not it could be harassment in some cases.
@ Harman
ReplyDeletei did not agree with your argument that elites have all the power 100% and i did not like your point about their lobbying abilities.
when you say "elites can sway politics yada yada yada" what your speaking of is called bribery and it is illegal. the courts system would have something to say about that. utilizing its POWER to thwart that plan. i'd like to see them try to bribe John Roberts.
@ hoover
ReplyDeletesorry it took so long to post this, i hate 21st century technology
@ yellit,
ReplyDeleteshut up
@ shawn
ReplyDeleteThe court does have power to over-ride other people in the government but in the end they don't get to decide how laws are written they just say yes or no
@ yellit
You are right that the people have the most power but of all the people of america the elites have even more power then just the regular citizens of america
@ nate
ReplyDeletei can see what your saying about the people having power. I think you make a good point about the taxes and how much their votes' count.
@ brook
i disagree about the elites having power. I think that their opinion counts and all, but they don't make the decisions the president and congress does
@idonthavegoodideas
ReplyDeleteI don't care who you are, don't be mean.
@Blog-o-tron 5000 -way back there at 6:51 /i'm always late....
I have to disagree with you. The Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional, but when's the last time that happened? It hardly ever does because Congress doesn't pass many laws that are unconstitutional. Part of their job is to keep the Consitution in mind. Yes, the courts obviously have to have power, but hardly have to ust it on major issues, as there are hardly any needing the courts' attention.
Next, let's go all the way back to the begining to Nate,
I have to disagree with you as well. Though the people elect the government, the government is still there to govern the people. People may have say in who goes in the government, and their opinion is still very important, but the government makes the laws, not the people. Yes, the government is made for the people, by the people, and run with the people, the people are still lead by the government.
PS. Still don't like this.
@Eccentricness- You've pretty much said what I've wanted to say and made it sound not rambly. Good job! I agree whole heartedly (On the main question, not the commentary).
ReplyDelete@idonthavegoodideas-
You may want to revise your grammar before posting. You should capitalize your 'i's and the first letter of the first word of a sentence. This is an AP class blog, not facebook. Other people are doing this too, but you're being a bit rude so I'm going to point out your grammatical errors. Have a nice evening and please keep your arguments more than "shut up"! c:
...Sorry that I don't post on this much, I hate debating.
@yellit
ReplyDeleteIt is true the educated class can gain alot of power in our country, but not without help. There is one thing that many of the educated people in office have in common. That is that they have many of friends that are rich and considered elites. I am not saying that it is impossible but it is extremely hard to go without money. Like Hoover said the elites do have a large amount of power and i agree completly. They almost have as much as the judges.
@ littlemanajc (alex cost i know its you)
ReplyDeletei agree with your comment here with the businesses having power. If the major businesses would leave (Harley, etc) around york and dover, the taxes would rise. And yes dover would go to hell (even more)(jk) (but no really) like our fearless principle had said. but if it still receives at least a D, it is ok. And if McDonald's went out of business then there would be a lot less obese americans out there. not really concerning the topic but i figured i'd add it.
@ Kermit
I see your point on the appointed for life for the members of the Supreme Court, but there is a thing called impeachment. Im interpreting you saying that the justices can do whatever they want and still be in office until they die, which is not true. you also say that the other government people have a lot of pressure by the people. If you are saying this about keeping their job, i dont agree because once the people vote a president in, they're in until their term runs out or they are impeached also. However you make some good points that i have to agree upon.
Yea im a little, started watching the hangover and got totally sidetracked. So anyways im gona go with the elites simply because why not. They got the money, the nice cars, private air planes, and anything so thats what makes them so awsome. But thats not exactly what were blogging about here. Some of the main reasons why the rich become rich is because of there education. Yea the rich the rich are smart to except Paris Hilton but shes still awsome. So pretty much the rich are everything.
ReplyDelete@MEGAN
ReplyDeleteI sort of agree with you about how the President has the most power over everyone BUT the president is not the only one in the government and the people matter to. Thats all
@ HDeckard
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. Congress and the President have way to much power, and nowadays we should be fearful of them, not them fearful of us. We have no power, they're the ones spending all this money we don't have, and causing the US more problems.