Political_Identity_Political_Culture

I chose a quote by Chesterton. ''In truth it is inequality that is the illusion. The extreme disproportion between men, that we seem to see in life, is  thing of changing lights, and lengthening shadows. A twilight full of fancies, and distortions... It is the experience of men that returns to the equality of men; it is when men have seen and suffered much and come at the end of their elaborate experiments that they see men under an equal light of death, and daily laughter and non the less mysterious for being many''.



I believe that Chesterton is referring to the broad view of nationalism in terms of political culture, and political identity. He is saying that initially men are trying to find their true standing in political society, all while they might false claim a view, throughout the duration of  their experiments. When it is all said, and done, men will come to realize that we are equal in death, and therefore should spend there days in laughter, and light. I chose this quote because it supports a strong individualistic mentality, but also caters to collective thinking political groups. This quote is an asset to the class because all political systems hold a bias of some form, and this quote sheds light on that fact.



This passage is about the many elements that influenced American political culture stemming from historical events. Most significantly the question what is America? Is elaborated as a diverse America, ruled by an ancient minority class that considers itself superior, but must find a way to govern the diverse majority. The passage focuses on the essays of respected, and most influential thinkers of the 18th century, and their concern with what America might become in the future.

Reflection_Paper_on_''Two Faces of Power''

''Two Faces of Power''

What is the true definition of the term power? I searched many different dictionaries, but I wanted to grasp a suitable definition that would complement the reading Two Faces of Power. Power is defined as the ability or right to control people or things. ~Merriam-Webster  There is the sociological perspective vs. the political science perspective.
Political scientists are concerned with the governmental nature of how societies are controlled, while sociologists study the behavior of society considering the social aspects. ~Britannica There really are two faces of power in these cases. One face gives the ok for one direction, and the other gives the green light for another. For example, A college professor was dissatisfied with a university policy, and took to his office to vent. But when he has a chance to voice his concerns, he opted not to. There were multiple reasons as to why he chose to remain silent.
Policy is the most powerful face there is. Policy is a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body. ~Merriam- Webster. This association of the word power can be matched with the elite groups of society. Policies are issued by powerful business groups, and governments. The average citizen will be out of there league to question the steps of the elite groups, thus many choose to remain silent.

  

Reflection_Paper_On_"Depsite Negativity, Americans Mixed Role of Gov't"

''Despite Negativity, Americans Mixed Role of Gov't''

This article is about the broad perspective in which America views their government. Democrats, Republicans, and independent parties were surveyed about the way they feel about the governments existing role in the U.S. Generally the underlying question focuses on the amount of power the government should and should not have.
According to Gallup, ''57% percent of Americans believe the government today has too much power''. He also stated,'' Americans were least likely to be concerned about the government's power in the years immediately after 9/11, but half or more since 2005 have said it has too much power''. ~Gallup. I think that the government has the right amount of power in certain areas, and too much power in other areas.
From 2002- 2011 the majority of Americans believed the government had too many regulations regarding businesses ~Gallup. I have noticed that the government regulations has made it more difficult to manage a business. This may have to do with the financial crisis that raised in 2008. Or it might because of the fact that banks were not willing to lend throughout the duration of the initial recession. Either way there have noticeably been more stiff regulations regarding business in America.
I perceive the U.S government as a learning body all together. I believe that with time and dedication that the people will see many beneficial changes. If we all do what is required for us to make it work then things should definitely change for the better. There may be a lot of red tape in multiple areas at the moment, and the integrity of the system might appear questionable, but it doesn't really matter as long as we continue to push forward collectively.