Assignment 2: It May Not Work in PoliticsDue Week 10 and worth 225 pointsWrite a three to four (3-4) page paper in which the student addresses the following three (3) items using headers to separate e

It May Not Work in Politics

Strayer University – POL 110 - Dr. Jane El-Yacoubi

08/13/19

It May Not Work in Politics

The American political system has many great parts and pieces that come together to help bring a strong government for the people. It also has many pieces that do not work and need change or reform. These areas that need work are interesting as each person might have a different view on if that part is working properly or not.

Congressional Ethics

Congressional ethics has been built into the system from the very beginning. The framers of our country believed that the members of Congress to be trustworthy people but knew that some would not be so, in turn they built a system of checks and balances. With Congressional members being charged and convicted of ethical violations throughout the years “the House and Senate have steadily tightened their ethics rules to the point that today members can rarely accept anything from anybody, except for regulated campaign contributions” (Wilson, Dilulio, & Bose, 2013).

One particular example is Rep Charles Rangel, who is a member of Congress for the 13th district of New York. Rep Charles Rangel “was until his recent troubles one of the House's most powerful members, was found guilty Tuesday of breaking 11 separate Congressional rules related to his personal finances and his fundraising efforts for a New York college” (Kane, 2010). Some of the charges were that he used his rent controlled buildings in Harlem as housing locations for his political committees, didn’t pay taxes on a home he owns in the Dominican Republic, and not properly disclosing personal finances. Another charge was using his name and letterhead to help raise funds for a college in New York, while sounding nice is still an ethical violation.

Rep Charles Rangel was convicted and then was censured, the 23rd member of Congress to be censured. Being censured is the second harshest penalty available by Congress, expulsion is the strongest possible penalty. I agree with the outcome as he violated the ethical guidelines set forth by Congress. Being censured does not remove him from his seat or his office but is logged and documented the violations he committed as he continues his term. The amount of violations he committed with the evidence provided it is a fitting punishment. While trying to defend himself he brought up the charges that caused other members of Congress to be censured and his were a different level of infractions but infractions none the less.

Third Party Candidates

“Often seen as "spoilers" for candidates in mainstream parties, third-party candidates are nothing new in presidential elections” (Liptak, 2012). The United States hasn’t had a non-Republican or Democratic President since Andrew Johnson in the 1800s. Independent or third party candidates have difficulty raising funds, finding a candidate that will run outside of the power two, and not getting the mainstream coverage like presidential debates. Ross Perot, in 1992, won 19% of the popular vote but did not win any electoral votes, Ralph Nader in 2000 “stole” votes from Al Gore according to Democrats, and in 1968 George Wallace actually won electoral votes from five states but not enough to truly battle for President.

Democrats and Republicans have built themselves barriers to protect their parties from a third party coming in. “The problem for third parties is compounded by restrictive ballot access laws and other barriers that the major parties have erected to protect their de facto monopoly” (Bartlett, 2010). Keeping the third party candidates from the public view while not allowing them in presidential debates and having restrictive ballot policies helps keep the third party candidates on the outside looking in.

Federal and State Authority

The United States is far from perfect and there are many domestic issues that need help and work done to correct broken pieces. One in particular is the American public education system and how it is not working for all states and cities. Money dictates how kids are educated and in turn how well they can progress in the next steps of their life.

“Erie schools Superintendent Jay Badams is asking the Erie School Board to consider closing all four of the district's high schools and to transport students to nearby districts as early as 2017-18” (Erwin, 2016). If they don’t close the high schools the proposed budget cuts would include removing all sports, art/music programs, and all of the school district libraries. These cuts and possible school closures are due to the $4 million budget gap for the 2016-2017 school year. Pennsylvania had no state budget approved until early 2016, schools were forced to take out loans to keep these schools open. When school districts have to go to such extreme measures to try and keep their doors open there is something very wrong with how the education system is viewed.

Pennsylvania as an example of poorly funded education system has gotten to the point where the Governor and his staff have compiled a guideline for how to close a school district down due to budget. Poorly funded education systems hurt everyone as now the standard for most decent jobs depend on a high school diploma or GED and a college degree. Colleges are looking for students who have the extra-curricular activities but if the state cuts the budget and removes those will other students get the chance for college over those who live in a poorer district? That is a question that shouldn’t have to be asked, the current students are the ones who will be running this country and this is showing them a bad standard. This is just looking at how the funding for K-12 education is affected, once higher education is considered the monetary sting affects the student with student loans dissuading people form going to college or effecting them the rest of their lives as they work to pay it off.

References

Bartlett, B. (2010, May 14). Why Third Parties Can't Compete. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/13/third-parties-fusion-voting-elections-opinions-columnists-bruce-bartlett.html

Erwin, E. (2016, May 16). Erie district to consider closing all four high schools. Retrieved from Go Erie: http://www.goerie.com/article/20160518/NEWS02/305189957/erie-district-to-consider-closing-all-four-high-schools

Kane, P. (2010, Nov 16). Re. Charlie Rangel found guilty of 11 ethics violations. Retrieved from Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/16/AR2010111604000.html

Liptak, K. (2012, May 21). 'Fatally flawed': Why third parties still fail despite voter anger. Retrieved from CNN Politics: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/21/politics/third-party-fail/index.html

Wilson, J. Q., Dilulio, J. J., & Bose, M. (2013). American Government Brief Version. Cengage Learning.