ASSIGNMENT#11 INVERTED TOTALITARIANISM

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

INVERTED TOTALITARIANISM

     The increasing power of the state and the declining power of institutions intended to control it has been in the making for some time. The party system is notorious example. The Republicans have emerged as a unique phenomenon in American history of a fervently doctrinal party, zealous, ruthless, antidemocratic and boasting a near majority. As Republicans have become more ideologically intolerant, the democrats have shrugged off the liberal label and their critical reform-minded constituencies to embrace centrism and footnote the end of ideology. In ceasing to be a genuine opposition party the democrats have smoothed the road to power of a party home.  Bear in mind that a ruthless, ideologically driven party with a mass base was a crucial element in all of the twentieth-century regimes seeking total power.

     No doubt these remarks will be dismissed by some as alarmist,but I want to go further and name the emergent political system “Inverted Totalitarianism.” By inverted I mean that while the current system and its operatives share with Nazism the aspiration toward unlimited power and aggressive expansionism,their methods and action seem upside down. For example, in Weimar Germany, before the Nazis took power, the “streets” were dominated by totalitarian-oriented gangs of toughs, and whatever there was of democracy was confined to the government. In the United States, however, it is the streets where democracy is most alive-while the real danger lies with an increasingly unbridled government.

    My understanding about this passages is that Inverted Totalitarianism is the representation form of the United States government. Also, exert control over the freedom, will, or thought of others; authoritarian and an autocratic. Basically, this is only a part of the political power.

   I chose this passages about Inverted Totalitarianism because this is the clear vision of how United State is governed. The government controls the country which means they make us follow the law. For example, paying taxes.

ASSIGNMENT #10 GROUP SIZE AND BEHAVIOR

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

GROUP SIZE AND GROUP BEHAVIOR

1. The Coherence and Effectiveness of Small Groups. 

  The greater effectiveness of relatively small groups the “privileged” and “intermediate” groups is evident from observation and experience as well as from theory. Consider, for example meetings that involved to many people and accordingly cannot make decisions promptly or carefully. Everyone would like to have the meeting end quickly. According to, professor James variety of institutions, public and private, national and local, “action taking”group and subgroups tended to be much small than “non-action taking.” He said, that committees should be small when you expect action and relatively large when you are looking for points of view, reaction, etc. However, James found that U.S. senate subcommittees at the time of his investigation had 5.4 members on the average, house subcommittees had 7.8, the Oregon state government, 4.7, and the Eugene; Oregon municipal government,5.3. In short the groups that actually do the work are quite small. In addiction, the sociologist George Simmel  explicitly stated that smaller groups could act more decisively and use their ressouces more effectively than large groups.

B.  Problems of the traditional theories.

   Homans belief that the lessons of the small group should be applied to large has that has much in common with the assumption up on which much small-group research is based. There has been group in recent year, much of it based on the idea that the results of (experimentally convenient) research on small groups can be made directly applicable to large group merely by multiplying these results by a scale factor. Some social psychologists, sociologists and political scientists assume that the small group is so much like the large group, in matters others than size, that it must behave according to somewhat similar laws. But if the distinctions drawn here among the “privileged” group, the “intermediate”group and the “latent”group have any meaning, this assumption is unwarranted, at least so long as the group have common, collective interest. For the small, privileged group can expect that its collective needs will probably be met one way or another, and the fairly small (or intermediate) group has a fair chance that the voluntary action will solve its collective problems. But the large; latent group cannot act in accordance with its common interests so long as the members of the group are free to further their individual interest.

C. Social Incentive and Rational Behavior.

  

    Economic incentives are not to be sure the only incentives; people are sometimes also motivated by a desire to win prestige, respect, friendship and other social and psychological objectives, though the phrase “Socio Economic Status” often used in discussions of status suggests that there maybe a correction between economic position and social position. There possibility that, in a case where there was no economic incentive for an individual to contribute to the achievement of a group interest, there might nonetheless be a social incentive for him to make such a contribution, must therefore be considered, and it is obvious that this is a possibility.

If a small group of people who had an interest in a collective good happened also to be personal friends, or belonged to the same social club, and some of the group left the course of action, lose socially by it and the social loss might outweigh the economic gain. their friends might use “Social Pressure” to encourage them to do social club might exclude them and such steps that most people value the fellowship of their friends and associates, and value social status, personal prestige, and self-esteem. Social sanctions and social rewards are “Selective Incentive”; that is, they are among the kinds of incentives that they can distinguish among individuals: the  recalcitrant individual can be invited into the center of the charmed circle. In general, social pressure and social incentive operate only in group of smaller size in the groups so small that the members can have face-to-face contact with one another.

     My understanding about this passage is, that “less talk and more work,” what I mean by this is that smaller groups have better communication and better decisions, while the large group behavior is always arguing and complaining for everything with no good results. In addition, the larger group should learn from the small group  according to Holmans, size of group should no be a problem in any decision made. Moreover, some groups only try to have some incentive that motivate them. For example, In exchange if the companies need their participations or feedbacks they may give a bonus or a raise that makes them look good and get respect for their participation and  ideas.

I chose this passage because I have heard that some small companies have broke after they got bigger. Unfortunately, some companies think that bigger is always better but it’s really not because “less is actually more.” That means small groups  usually have better results.

Assignment #9 THE JUDICIARY, LOVING V. VIRGINIA CASE

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

THE JUDICIARY

LOVING V. VIRGINIA CASE

       In 1958, two residents of Virginia, Mildred Jeter, a black woman, and Richard loving, a white man, were married in the District of Columbia. The Loving returned to Virginia Shortly thereafter. The couple was then charged with violating the state’s antimiscegenation statute, which banned inter-racial marriages. The Lovings were found guilty and sentenced to year in jail (the trial judge agreed to suspend the sentence if the Loving would leave Virginia and not for 25 years). However, Virginia’s antimiscegenation law violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

      In a unanimous decision, the court held that distinctions drawn according to race were generally “odious to a free people” and were subject to “the most rigid scrutiny”under the Equal Protection Clause. The Virginia law, the court found, had no legitimate purpose “independent of invidious racial discrimination. “The court rejected the state’s argument that the statute was legitimate because it applied equally to both blacks and whites and found that racial classifications were not subject to a “rational purpose” test under the Fourteenth Amendment. The court also held that the Virginia law violated the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment “Under our Constitution,”wrote chief Justice Earl Warren, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual, and cannot be infringed by the State.”

      I chose this passage because it was unfair the way these couple were accused just for married a different race. In addition, if we’re supposed to treat everyone as equal, how come Virginia has that kind of law, for me that’s called racism.

      I believe that this case is important because I learned how laws can change between one state to another. 

Assignment #8 The Presidency

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

THE PRESIDENCY

     President Obama, for obvious ideological reasons, seeks to portray himself in the lineage of Jefferson and Lincoln.Obama addresses the issue of race in a way Lincoln never could by drawing upon his own experiences with racism,especially as child of mixed race who has insight into the attitudes of whites and blacks. His association with political radicals like the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, has also pushed the president to defend the legitimate anger and resentment many African-Americans feel towards a system of government that has, historically speaking, failed to meet their needs and protect their rights as citizens

     My understanding about Obama’s Presidential Inauguration speech is that Mr. President Obama broke his promises of taking care of U.S citizens, when he referred to the economic situations but unfortunately, these economic situations were getting worse after he was elected as a President. Also, medical insurance is the worst , that Obama care system  is not working for everyone, especially for the lower class. Moreover, the education system is bad because a lot school have been closed. In addition,when he said that we need to treat everybody equal not matter what color skin you have, sadly no one respects each other. Some people still thinking like ignorant in this days.

      I chose this passage because President Obama didn’t keep his promises as he said in the speech and a lot people feel disappointed for duties as a President.

ASSIGNMENT #7 THE CONGRESS

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

THE CONGRESS

       The U.S. Congress is divided up into two houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House is large and more democratic body, made up of 435 representatives drawn from multiple districts within each state. House of Representatives serve two- year terms with no term limits meaning there is no limit to the number of time they can be re-elected. Senators serve six-year terms also with no term limits. The House is supposed to be more democratic because since they represent smaller districts. Although overall approval of Congress is almost 90 percent, meaning that once someone is elected to Congress they have an enormous advantage over un-elected challengers. It also suggests that while people may disapprove of the actions (or lack of action) of Congress as whole, most people seem to be Satisfied with their Congressional Representation. However, members of Congress do not seem to react the same way in every issue area, meaning in some areas, they are more representative of what the people in district or state want, in some areas they seem to act with more independence. Generally Speaking, members of Congress seem to be more receptive to their districts or state on domestic issues, but on foreign affairs issues seem to act more on their own.

        My understanding about this passage is basically that, the Congress represents the people and makes laws through a well-established and orderly process, also plays a vital role in our government’s system of checks and balances. In addition, The constitutions gives the Congress many expressed powers, and it implies some others. Moreover, the House of Representative is the more classical chambers of the Congress. Its members carry out much of their work in committees. In the other hand, the Senators represent entire states, have longer terms, and follows different rules of debates, giving the senate its reputation as a more weighty body than the House.

       

          I chose this passage because even though the Congress representing us ,some people have a very bad opinion about them. These people think that they’re supposed to do more for us as a citizen, a lot people abuse from the public assistance like medicare, medicated and others public services. Also, they should be more considered and should stop raising the bus and subway fairs, etc…

ASSIGNMENT #6 EQUAL RIGHTS

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

EQUAL RIGHTS

          Marshall argues the demand for social rights really begins with the idea of public education. If civil rights literally means only that the government cannot interfere with you, then on that basis alone there is no clear right to provide education for all the people. Same with political rights and the right to vote. It is of course a commonly accepted value that everyone is entitled to go to school, at least primary school, but this is only because we accept the idea of education as kind of social right that everyone needs. In today’s politics things like healthcare would be considered as social right. This however makes it clear, that not everyone agrees on the idea of social rights. When it comes to healthcare most other countries have accepted it as a social right,this is still something debated in the U.S. With the education there is a continuing effort to privatize education and de-fund and eventually shut down many public schools.

      My understanding about this passage is that, marshall was fighting for everyones social’s rights, and he tries to make understand how important is the education because everybody have the right to assist to school. Also, He argues about the right to vote as a citizen of the United State of America, as well the right to a healthcare assistances. Unfortunately, today many people still have not medical care because  of their economic reasons or even worse lack of medical insurance. 

          I chose this passage because sadly as mention in the paragraph above, now in schools or colleges the government is not giving us enough help like before. Being in college is too expensive and many parents do not earn enough money to pay a college and some students need to work to help with the colleges expenses. In the other hand, the healthcare is kind of complicate for some people, especially with the Obama care that not everybody qualifies for it and sometimes people got sick and have no money to cover an emergency room cost. People should not be suffering for none of these situations because as a citizen we all pay taxes to cover all of those cost from the government and they should be investing more in education and healthcare.

ASSIGNMENT #5 A LECTURE ON THE ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

A LECTURE ON THE ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT

1855 BY FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was born in Maryland and escaped bondage at the age of 20 years old. As a free black in the North, he became an active abolitionist traveling the region and using his outstanding skills as a speaker and writer to rally support for the anti-slavery cause. Douglass delivered this address to the Rochester Ladies’Anti-Slavery Society in 1855. In the mid-1800s, many middle-class Northern women worked to end slavery by joining moral reform societies, where they established networks of women and learned political organizing skills.

He referred as anti-slavery as a combination of moral, religious and political forces which has long been, and is now, operating and co-operating  for the abolition of slavery in this country, and throughout the world. 

My understanding about this passage is, that slavery was the way of treated people as a property that also were owned ,sold, and bought like an object. Also these people didn’t have the right to express themselves as we do now. Moreover, the anti- slavery movement was created to help abolitionist.

I chose this lecture about anti- slavery because I agree that everybody should be treated equally and not like trash.

Assignment #4 Another Stab at the Constitution

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

Another Stab at the Constitution

     Akhil Reed Amar, teaches law an political science at Yale University. Also author of the forthcoming. refer to the limitations on naturalized citizens for holding office, specifically the president. The constitution states that only citizens born in the U.S.,

but those American citizens who happen to have been born abroad to non-American parents and who later choose to become “naturalized”American citizens are not the full legal equals of those of us born in the U.S. true, naturalized Americans have always been allowed to serve as cabinet secretaries, supreme Court justices, Senators and governors. And at the founding, anyone already a citizen could be president,regardless of birthplace.(Alexander Hamilton, for example, though born in the West Indies, was fully eligible to serve as president under the Constitution he himself helped draft). But modern-day naturalized citizens are barred from the presidency simply because they were born in the wrong place to the wrong parents.  

     Bourne and Chesterton would not be in favor of this restriction because as they mention in their articles, we are all foreign-born or the descendants of foreign-born, and not distinctions should be made between us and this country made of immigrants. I think that this restriction is unfair because if a person become a “naturalized” American citizen can serve the army, work for governmental entities, why they can be consider and treated as equal as a natural-born citizen, because as mention in the constitution all citizens have the same rights, so being a president should be one them.  

     I chose the article because I believe that everybody should be treated equal with not exceptions. Moreover, this country was form and constructed by men and women from others countries and after 300 years later this country still receiving immigrants that came to get new opportunities. Some immigrants lived in this country since they were a child and those are the people that should have the right to become a president. They know U.S. culture and will be perform the presidential role as well as a natural born citizen. 

ASSIGNMENT #3 THE CONSTITUTION AND THE FEDERALISTS

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

THE CONSTITUTION AND THE FEDERALIST

THE CONSTITUTION 

     The Articles of confederation established the first system of government,the first ratified in 1777 and again in 1781. 

     The constitution is the fundamental and entrenched rules governing the conduct of an organization or nation state, that establishing its concept, character and structures. It’s a rather short document consisting of seven articles that broadly lay out the power and responsibilities of the government and its operation. The constitution, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787, ratified in 1788 and put in effect 1789. Moreover, the first three articles set up the basic separation of power between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government. Originally, the legislative brach, its split into two different chambers- the house of representative and the senate, while the executive branch  manages the day- to -day operations of government throughout various federal department and agencies, such as the department of treasury, and the judicial branch outlines the powers of the court system. The remaining articles deal with the relationship between the federal government and the states, Article IV  defines the relationship between the state and the federal government, Article V mention the amendment, both the state and congress have the power to initiate the amendment process. and Article VI  debts, supremacy, oaths determines that the USA constitution and all laws made from it, are the “supreme law of land,” and all officials, whether members of the state legislatures, congress judiciary or the executive have to swear an oath to the constitution. The last Article VII ratification, details all those people who signed the constitution, representing the original 13 states.

THE FEDERALIST

   The supporters of the proposed constitution called themselves “FEDERALIST.”Their adopted name implied a commitment to a loose, decentralized system of government. In many respects “FEDERALISM.”Which implies a strong central government was the opposite of the proposed plan that they supported. A more accurate name for the supporters of the Constitution would have been “naturalists.” Along with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton,James Madison penned The Federalist papers. In addition,the federalists were also aware that the problems of the country in the 1780s stemmed from the weaknesses  of the central government created  by the article of confederation. Furthermore, for federalists, the constitution was required in order to safeguard the liberty and in dependence that the America Revolution had created. In the other hand, James madison defined a faction as a number of citizens, whether a majority or minority, who were united and activated by some common impulse of passion, or of adverse to the rights of other citizens. there two ways of removing the causes of factions,or political parties. The first was to destroy the liberty essential to their existence. This remedy would be the worse than the disease,and the second was to give everyone the same opinions, passions and interests. but this was impossible. 

   My understanding  about this is that the constitution and its seven sections are the component of how the government run this country. As mention in article IV congress is legislative body that holds power. Example, borrow money for the nation, declare war and raised military. Also can check the balance of the other two branches, Executive and judicial. While the other last four articles refer of how states and the federal relationship and how these government powers divide. 

     I chose this passage because it is very important to know that the constitution is the law that guides the duties and powers of the government, as well as the citizens and residents rights.

ASSIGNMENT #2 TRANS-NATIONAL AMERICA

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

TRANS-NATIONAL AMERICA

     Trans-National America is failure of the “melting pot.”Refered as a place where different people are mixed together. According to Bourne, Americans at the time trying to assimilate the immigrants cultures into their own. Moreover, this people came over this country not to be part of Native American cultures and adopt all it ways, but in Search of freedom and better job opportunities. Some escape from the  chaos and the slavery of the old world. 

    My understanding about this passage, is that America would not be America without all of these ethnic groups. Is how this country made of immigrants, forming the most wonderful multicultural society where everybody have different behavior, language,beliefs and needs. Also, the immense economic contributions that these immigrants gives to this country. Even though, sometimes people have been treated as slave in this country, I believe that most of them found the freedom that they never had.

     I chose this article because I believe that everybody have the right to decide what to do with their life and how to live better. Immigrate to another nations sometimes is the best choice for some people, where they can have better opportunities for them and their family. Unfortunately, some of our countries can not offer too much due to the poor economy and lack of knowledge. That is the consequence of delinquents and crimes etc. 

Assignment #1 Power

Nieves Micolta

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco   

Lehman College

Reflection Essay On Power

            “Power has been observed in different ways by political scientists and sociologist”according to Bachrach and Baratz in 1962. In the other hand, sociologist find that power is “highly centralized” while political scientists describe it as “widely diffused.” Basically, “power is divided between different groups”(dahls). A familiar American example is the division of power between the federal and state governments. America governance is a hybrid arrangement that combines elements of both centralized and decentralized political system.

          This passage makes me understand why is the reason to pay two difference income taxes (federal and State); and where do my income tax money go. In addition, the government has the power to obligate all the citizen and residents of the united states to follow this rule. Likewise some people do not agree with this because they think the government uses our money for unnecessary things, like wars that only causes more innocents dead and conflicts between nations, instead to invest the money in education, for examples more after school programs etc…

          I chose this passage about power because as citizen I see a lot of injustice. That’s not fair that the upper class always gets the benefit of all our effort and the lower class has to keep working everyday, follow rules and we never gets anything for it. An example is the public transportation, that’s the worse service in new york city, the most of time dirty and homeless sleeping on the sits etc. Moreover, some people believe that government power does not work as much as they pertained.