The Constitutional Debate About Government and Federalism

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Effects of historical events
Media and technology
Political parties
Cultural beliefs
Interest groups
Contemporary political process
Conclusion
Works cited

Introduction

The American government was founded on the premises of justice, unity provision of common defenses, tranquility and liberty. These premises were embodied in the Articles of Confederation, which was the first document used for ruling the United States of America (USA). The government provided for by this document was weak and this necessitated drafting of the American constitution after Shays Rebellion in the spring of 1787 (Kelly, Harbison and Belz 27). Over the years, there have been many events and changes in beliefs, interests, technology and politics that may have effects on the constitution (Kelly, Harbison and Belz 59). This paper looks at the influences of these changes on government and the constitution.

Effects of historical events

Economic crisis is one of the major historic events that led to several acts being drafted in the USA. The most notable crisis is the great depression of the 1930s. This economic depression was due to failed policies advanced by the government of the day. The impacts led to changes in leadership and formulation of new legislation in an attempt to salvage the economy of USA. Loss of jobs by workers who were laid off and a decrease in the prices of farm produce to a record low prompted citizens to clamor for changes. This change came in the next elections when Franklin Roosevelt was elected president of the USA (McElvaine 114- 79)

After Roosevelt took over, several bills were passed by the Congress. Relief and reform measures were also enacted. This legislation proved important for the economic recovery of the USA. Keynesian policies were adopted in place of the economic liberal policies (McElvaine 125- 91).

Media and technology

There have been major changes in the media and technology over the years and both of them affect the government. The media provides a political forum on which issues to do with the government and constitution can be discussed. It also identifies problems and keeps the people informed. Mass media commands great authority in campaigns for political seats and even has power over officials of an incumbent government and government policies. The government is informed by media on what the society needs. Nowadays, politicians’ decisions are influenced by how much attention the media pays and the effect of this to voters (Streitmatter 84). There is therefore, a complex relationship between media and the government and this can affect governance if the two do not work in harmony.

Advancements in science and technology with emergence of new scientific knowledge necessitate reexamination of certain principles in the constitution (Leighley 7). Technology, particularly the internet, can lead to breach of government privacy and affect the government’s representative principle (Leighley 8). In the USA, several amendments have been made in the constitution to allow for advancement in science and technology. Even the judiciary has been affected by science and technology. Science is used in criminal cases during collection and analyzing of evidence. It is also possible to put a person on home arrest with the aid of an electronic anklet (Gibbon 21).

Political parties

Political parties are not mentioned anywhere in the American constitution. However, political parties emerged and Americans hold on to them as vehicles of governance. Today most of the decisions made are backed by either one of the two dominant political parties in the USA, the Republican and Democratic parties. Political parties influence citizens’ voting behavior and government policies as well as outcomes of economic practices (Ferreira and Gyoucko 1).

Cultural beliefs

The tradition of doing things the legal way is long standing in America. However, the legal way has been changing with respect to the particular period in history (Black and Merle 26). During the early years of the USA, there was suppression of the indigenous Indian cultural and religious practices in favor of Christianity as a matter of government policy. Today, some of the religious practices can be allowed under the law thanks to enactment of RFRA which states religious exercises would not be disallowed by the government unless they contravene public interest (Black and Merle 27-32).

Attitudes towards racial minorities and women have changed over the past several years and they affect the constitution and government directly. Politically, there was a time when Blacks were not allowed to vote, but this has changed and all citizens of legal age have a constitutional right to vote. Women were looked down upon for a long time; however social attitudes towards women in the recent past have changed. The can now rise to positions of authority in all fields, including government (Cundiff and Kamarraju, 1).

Interest groups

Interest groups affect government decisions and policies. They lobby for support in the particular areas they are interested in and by doing so may compel the government to enact or change policies and/or legislation. In the USA, interest groups play a big role in politics. Interest groups do political funding with the hope that the elected leaders will fulfill their interests.

Contemporary political process

In the constitutional debate, there are many questions which need to be answered. There is the question of whether the constitution still reigns supreme in the current political era. It is evident that the constitution has had amendments over the years, but it is still upheld in the USA (Canon, Anne, and Kenneth 45).

Federalism in the USA is defined by the interaction between state governments and the federal government. Most of the powers are vested with the national government. There was the aspect of new federalism with the view of returning powers to the state governments, but it was not successful (Canon, Anne, and Kenneth 52).

The people of the United States of America have a bearing of political liberalism. The democracy that exists in the USA allows for participation in political practices like voting after attaining a given minimum age. However, the participation of the people in voting has been declining over the years (Patterson).

Conclusion

The American constitution has undergone various amendments, but it still reigns supreme as the governing document. Politics depend on the guidance of the constitution to avoid overstepping the law and this ensures that democracy and justice are upheld.

Works cited

Black, Earl, and Merle Black. Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007. Print.

Canon, David T, Anne M. Khademian, and Kenneth R. Mayer. The Enduring Debate: Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. Print.

Cundiff, Nicole, and Meera Komarraju. “Gender Differences in Ethnocultural Empathy and Attitudes Toward Men and Women in Authority.” Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. 15.1 (2008): 5-15. Print.

Ferreira, Fernando, and Joseph Gyourko. Do Political Parties Matter? Evidence from U.s. Cities. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2007. Print.

Goldford, Dennis J. The American Constitution and the Debate over Originalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Print.

Kelly, Alfred H, Winfred A. Harbison, and Herman Belz. The American Constitution: Its Origins and Development. New York: Norton, 1991. Print.

Leighley, Jan E. The Oxford Handbook of American Elections and Political Behavior. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.

McElvaine, Robert S. The Great Depression: America, 1929-1941. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2009. Internet resource.

Patterson, Thomas E. The Vanishing Voter: Public Involvement in an Age of Uncertainty. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. Print.

Richardson, Jeremy. “Government, Interest Groups and Policy Change.” Political Studies. 48.5 (2000): 1006-1025. Print.

Streitmatter, Rodger. Mightier Than the Sword: How the News Media Have Shaped American History. Princeton, N.J: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, 2008. Sound recording.

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