You are a recent immigrant who has moved
You are a recent immigrant who has moved to the United States to attend college. Your family has never been to the United States, and you are excited to tell them all about it, in particular the fundamentals of the U.S. government you are learning about in one of your courses.
Instructions
Compose a 3-page letter to your family in which you outline the fundamentals of the U.S. government. Be sure to do the following:
- Briefly explain the purpose of the Constitution. Use relevant and factual information in your explanation.
- Briefly explain two American ideals (e.g., democracy, liberty, equality, justice, freedom, or opportunity).
- Your explanation should include a definition of each ideal and your understanding of what those ideals mean to the average U.S. citizen.
- Your explanation should include a definition of each ideal and your understanding of what those ideals mean to the average U.S. citizen.
- Using what you submitted in your Week 4 Activity, explain how the current event article you chose serves as an example of one of the ideals selected.
- Explain how a constitutional liberty has personally benefited or impacted you as a student or a citizen in the United States.
- Provide two or more specific and relevant examples.
- For example: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion. Title VII also applies to private and public colleges and universities, employment agencies, and labor organizations. So if you chose this one, in your letter you would identify this constitutional liberty and how it applies to you specifically, and you would provide 2 or more specific and relevant examples.
- For example: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion. Title VII also applies to private and public colleges and universities, employment agencies, and labor organizations. So if you chose this one, in your letter you would identify this constitutional liberty and how it applies to you specifically, and you would provide 2 or more specific and relevant examples.
- Provide two or more specific and relevant examples.
2
Name
Date
POL110: U.S. Government
Letter to Family Assignment SAMPLE PAPER using Strayer Writing Standards SWS
Dear Family:
My journey to the United States has been one of the most exciting moments in my life. Since arriving to the US and attending Strayer University, I have developed quite an interest in the US government and politics. I would love to share some of what I have learned about the fundamentals of the United States with you all.
The Constitution of the United States is its guiding light. It was written in 1787 by the founding fathers. It is the longest surviving written charter of the government, which explains why it is so applicable in everyday life here in the US (United States Senate, 1). The purpose of the US Constitution is to establish the roles and duties of the branches of government, balance out governmental powers, and ascertain and uphold liberty and equality all in service of the people such as voting. Voting is a great right and privilege of the American citizen. The fact that there are several constitutional amendments to protect the voting rights of American citizens is an indication of the relevancy of the constitution.
One American ideal that is important to most citizens is democracy. The first three words of the Constitution actually are an excellent description of the core of what a democracy is…”We The People”. The people are the actual authoritative figure in the lawmaking system of this country. They choose government officials to represent their values and they choose those representatives through voting.
An example of this democratic ideal is found in recent news regarding the controversy surrounding abortions. In 1973, the Supreme Court upheld Roe v. Wade to protect pre-viability abortions. Recently however, the Supreme Court decision to allow a Texas law to ban abortions after six weeks goes against Roe v. Wade and suggests that the court may overturn Roe v. Wade in the future. As a result, more than half of states in the country could similarly attempt to apply strict restrictions or ban the procedure entirely. States that choose to maintain access to abortion clinics will see a rise in out-of-state patients as many women would have to travel a much longer distance to the nearest clinic ( Sneed, 2) . There is much frustration surrounding this new law, nonetheless Texas is a majority Republican state, and this law was passed by the state legislatures, and also signed by the state’s Republican governor. This relates to our democracy because the laws should reflect the interests of the majority. However, when there is a disconnect here, it implies that the voice of the people is getting lost somewhere in the process and is indicative of flaws in our democratic system. One of the flaws is that many American citizens are not registered to vote, many vote irregularly or rarely, and many don’t believe that voting makes a difference. That reduces the effects of a democratic election (Clifford, 3).
Another American ideal I would highlight is freedom. Freedom is defined as “the state of being free, such as from any necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action” (Merriam-Webster, 4). Many people immigrate to the United States specifically to attain freedom from poverty, lack of healthcare, and oppressive governments and countless reasons. Freedom is an American ideal linked to so many other privileges that we have.
I also want to let you know that Amendment XIV (1868) of the United States is a constitutional liberty that has had a significant effect on my life here in the U.S.. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment certifies the citizenship status for all people born or naturalized in the US and protects their right to life, liberty, property, and equal protection under the law to all citizens. As a Beninese woman who obtained US citizenship through naturalization this law has impacted me greatly. Through this law, I am considered an American citizen. Therefore, all the laws and protections apply to me just as they do for those born in this country. This law makes me a citizen, and as a citizen, I am able to vote in US elections. Under Section 1 of the 14th Amendment, I am also not to be denied life, liberty, or property, unless determined by impartial procedures. This means that my life matters, and I am free to live and experience my life, and I have the inherent right to own property..
Family, I have learned a lot so far and I am happy to share some fundamental of the United States government with you all. I invite you to visit me to see how these central elements are lived out by everyday Americans and how they play out in politics.
(See next page for Sources list)
Sources
1. United States Senate. 2021. Constitution of the United States. https://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm
2. Tierney Sneed, Priya Krishnakumar. 2021. Overturning Roe could mean women seeking abortions have to travel hundreds of miles. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/30/politics/roe-wade-reversal-abortion-driving-distances/index.html
3. Catherine Clifford. 2020. ‘I don’t plan to vote ever again’: The psychology of why so many people don’t vote, even in 2020. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/30/why-people-choose-not-to-vote.html
4. Merriam-Webster. 2021. Freedom. https://www.merriam webster.com/dictionary/freedom
,
Current Event on America Ideals
POL 110: US Government
Strayer University
Professor Jane El-Yacoubi
Matthew Jung
07/26/2022
Current Event on America Ideals
Step 1: I decided on democracy as the American ideal. A democracy is a system of governance in which the people, either directly or indirectly via the selection of elected officials, have the power to consider and enact laws.
Step 2: From January 6, Americans' faith in elections has eroded, according to the event I chose. The American people used their right to vote democratically by electing to remove Donald Trump; however, some responses followed.
Step 3: According to Jennifer, from January 2021, there's been a steady increase in the number of Americans who do not believe that US elections' outcomes accurately represent most people's wishes. Forty-eight percent of Americans feel it is at least moderately probable that some elected officials will succeed in overturning the outcomes of a US election since their party didn't even win in the upcoming years.
Democratic voters have experienced the most changes throughout that period, even though Democrats remain the party most likely to express trust in American elections. Some residents assert that they just never imagined that they'd already seen anything like January 6 within their lifetime (Agiesta, 1). If there are no long-term repercussions for those who cooperated, does that keep the door open for it to happen again, as they presume there is fear that it may happen? They give the hearings a lot of weight because it creates a precedent that something like this cannot occur in their nation.
Since last summer, Americans' opinions on the possibility that it might throw out a US election t for political reasons have remained stable at a nearly equal split. As a result of their choices being overruled, the American people aren't exercising their democratic rights (Agiesta, 1). 2022 through 2024 elections are already tainted by the unhealed scar in American politics that was first caused by Donald Trump, a leader who attempted a coup after being rejected by the people. The Congressional January 6 committee's investigation and additional hearings throughout September will collide squarely with the midterm election period due to the deluge of new information and the committee's growing desire to hold the former President accountable for the Capitol Uprising.
Trump's persistence to run a 2024 marketing strategy of vengeance based on his mountain of misleading information, notwithstanding his being democratically disqualified from running, means that it may not be until at least 2026 before Americans see a campaign that is not influenced by his unwillingness to grasp his fair defeat nearly two years ago (Jennifer, 1). It is thus no accident that prominent members of the January 6 group are growing more vehement about the necessity for Trump to make up for his wrongdoings right now; just after the 2020 elections, it may already be too late. This indicates that he does not uphold American democratic rights.
In conclusion, the United States' democratic score declines are astounding and worrisome. The United States is still considered a free country but has fallen out of the top group and is now rated behind nations with a less extensive democratic history.
References
1. Agiesta, Jennifer. CNN Poll: Americans' confidence in elections has faded since January 6. July 21, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/21/politics/cnn-poll-elections/index.html
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