DBQ

Kyle Whisman
Government – B1
2/15/15
DBQ
The definition of democracy is “a form of government where the supreme power is vested within the people and exercised by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.” The main principles of democracy include majority rule with minority rights, competing political parties, individual liberty, and free elections. These ideals have been the foundation of American democracy since the Declaration of Independence. However, other democracies value each ideal differently than the United States. This paper will evaluate whether or not the principles of democracy are reflected in the qualifications, election, and structure of the executive branch. It will argue that although liberty is represented in the qualifications of the executive branch, that free elections, and minority rule are not represented in the election and structure of the executive branch.
First, liberty is an important principle of a democratic government because it ensures that citizens have the ability to be free within society from harsh restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. Secondly, liberty gives certain people the opportunity to run for presidency that fit the requirements. Lastly, liberty is evident within the two-term limit for presidency of the United States. As President Reagan states in a New York Times article that after leaving office he “would like to start a movement” to repeal the constitutional amendment that limits presidents to two terms (SOURCE #2). Reagan had the freedom to try and elongate the time a president could be in office. However, to this day a president is limited to two terms (8 years), with 10 years being the exception, when either the previous president being impeached or died while in office. The new president is still eligible to be elected to two more 4-year terms according to the 22nd Amendment.
Second, free elections are very important to American democracy. These elections are official decision making processes where people choose an individual to lead public office. However, one does not directly elect the president during these free elections. That is the Electoral College’s place. The Electoral College was created for two reasons. “First, being the government’s fear of direct election of the President because it could result in a tyranny manipulating public opinion to come into power. Second, to give power to smaller states (SOURCE #3)”. Even though the Electoral College has done a good job electing candidates for office, free elections are not represented in the election process of the Executive Branch. This is because people do not directly elect the president during free elections; we elect electors who choose the candidate.
Third, minority rights are a very important principle to the government of the United States of America. The definition of minority rights is “the normal individual rights as applied to members of racial, ethnic, class, religious, linguistic or sexual minorities; and also the collective rights accorded to minority groups.” Having different minorities in the executive branch is important because different sexes, races, and ethnicities will be more appealing to a wider range of American people. When looking at the seating chart of the cabinet in 1976 under President Gerald. R. Ford, there is only one female, Carla Hill. She was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (SOURCE #5). This means that minority rule is not entirely represented in the structure of the Executive Branch. However, that was in 1976. Today the current President of the United States, Barack Obama, is African American, and is the first one ever. Also, there are three females currently in the cabinet. That is a step in the right direction.
Although liberty is represented in the qualifications of the executive branch, that free elections, and minority rule are not represented in the election and structure of the executive branch. Liberty is represented in the qualifications of the executive branch because presidents have the ability to serve two terms. Next, free elections are not the direct election of candidates due to the Electoral College. Finally, minority rule is not represented in the structure of the executive branch, because there are not many different races and females in the cabinet. But having an African American president, we are heading in the right direction. These are how the principles of democracy both are and are not reflected in the qualifications, election and structure of the executive branch of the United States of America.