گفتمان سیاسی اجتماعی
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شنبه 29 اکتبر 2016
"انتخابات 2016 در آمریکا"
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شنبه 29 اکتبر 2016
"انتخابات 2016 در آمریکا"
رای، پول و قدرت
"Elections in the US: The Ballot, Money, and Power"
1. Does voting matter?
The right to vote is the core symbol of democratic politics. However, the vote itself is meaningless unless citizens have other rights, such as the right to speak, write, and assemble. Democracy is superficial unless opposition parties can compete for power by offering alternative programs, and unless popular groups can gain recognition by the parties.
2. Does the Power Elite Dominate Government?
The power elite build on their structural economic power, their expertise, and their success in the electoral arena to dominate the federal government on most issues. Lobbyist from corporations, law firms, and trade associations play a key role in shaping the state. This legal process makes the general population powerless.
3. The Role of Money
How much must a candidate spend to guarantee success in their campaign?
Following the Supreme Court decision on Citizens United, money became speech. According to this decisions private money (campaign contributions to super PACs) became overtly available to any campaign. This explains the incredible amounts of money spent on the elections and especially presidential elections.
4. Should Majority Rule?
It is true that American elections approves the outcome of any voting process to the winner, the majority. However, should the majority decide and rule on all political decisions by the power of sheer number? Politics should not be simply a contest between the rulers and people. Political struggles would be among the people themselves. The government should not surpass and exceed different interests but to reconcile them.
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1. Does voting matter?
The right to vote is the core symbol of democratic politics. However, the vote itself is meaningless unless citizens have other rights, such as the right to speak, write, and assemble. Democracy is superficial unless opposition parties can compete for power by offering alternative programs, and unless popular groups can gain recognition by the parties.
2. Does the Power Elite Dominate Government?
The power elite build on their structural economic power, their expertise, and their success in the electoral arena to dominate the federal government on most issues. Lobbyist from corporations, law firms, and trade associations play a key role in shaping the state. This legal process makes the general population powerless.
3. The Role of Money
How much must a candidate spend to guarantee success in their campaign?
Following the Supreme Court decision on Citizens United, money became speech. According to this decisions private money (campaign contributions to super PACs) became overtly available to any campaign. This explains the incredible amounts of money spent on the elections and especially presidential elections.
4. Should Majority Rule?
It is true that American elections approves the outcome of any voting process to the winner, the majority. However, should the majority decide and rule on all political decisions by the power of sheer number? Politics should not be simply a contest between the rulers and people. Political struggles would be among the people themselves. The government should not surpass and exceed different interests but to reconcile them.
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