Political Themes Essay Research Paper Jane RhoPS1

Political Themes Essay, Research Paper

Jane RhoPS1- FahimiMW@9:30May 4, 1999Thought Paper #3Political Themes Most political stories and articles share prominent themes about the American government. The elements in these articles are the underlying factors holding up the stories. The most frequent found themes have to do with the congress, the two main political parties, and various interest groups with their political participation and opinions. The United States Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The roles of Congress are legislation, representation, checking and balancing, and informing the American public. The importance of the Congress is shared among all five political stories. Article one shows how Congress is involved in passing the constitutional amendment banning flag desecration. If the proposed amendment were to pass, both the House and Senate by two-thirds majorities, three-fourths of the state legislature would have to ratify it before becoming part of the constitution. The Congress utilizes its checking and balancing in article two, where the House of Representatives votes to limit President Clinton s authority to use ground forces in Yugoslavia. In article three, the Congress created the Federal Commission in 1996 in response to widespread complaints from leaders over the proliferation of lotteries, casinos and other forms of gambling. Between the two Social Security plans in article four, the Congress has to make the final decision on which plan to pass for the benefit of the aging American citizens. It is up to the Congress to determine which of the two plans is more appropriate. In article five, the Route 66 bill is awaiting passage from the House and the Senate to preserve the historic sites along the highway.

Interest groups or lobbyists are people that share common interests trying to influence American politics. These interest groups provide input for the government to change or alter certain political issues on behalf of the average citizen. In article three, the Federal Commission created to study the proliferation of legalized gambling voted to urge state and other policy makers to consider a moratorium on new casinos, lotteries and other gaming until more is learned about the human and social costs. Also in article five, the Route 66 bill s supporters, including a Route 66 enthusiasts based in Tujunga, hope the measure will help revive interest in a road they view as an American icon. A political party is a group of people that share common knowledge and beliefs belonging to the same political ideology. There are two main political parties that influence politics, the Democratic Party and the Republicans. Most political articles are based on the two parties and their disagreements on issues and policies. For example, article four demonstrates the difference in opinions among the two parties on the Social Security plans. The Republicans are opposing Clinton s plan for extending the life of the Social Security system. It is inevitable that the two parties will be attacking each other on innumerable policies and issues to come. In understanding political stories, it is essential to realize the main points and elements discussed in the articles. These main themes lay the foundation of political articles found all over the nation.