Description
Read the following readings available on OAKS, under Content -> Assignments -> Paper 1
• Dahl: How Democratic is the Constitution? • Levinson: “The Ratification Referendum: Sending the Constitution to a New Convention for Repair” • Land and Oreskes: “We”
Answer the following questions in your paper. It is acceptable to use first person when addressing the questions.
- Dahl lays out “seven important shortcomings” that make the Constitution undemocratic and I want you to react to Dahl’s argument in two ways:
- – 1. In about two paragraphs, pick two of the seven shortcomings that you find most convincing and explain why you think they are undemocratic.
- – 2. In about a paragraph, explain how would you define democratic and does the Constitution meet your definition?
- Levinson argues that the Constitution needs to be changed.
- – 1. What way does Levinson propose to change the Constitution?
- – 2. In about three paragraphs and in your own words, explain the process that Levinson lays out. How would you vote? Why?
- Land and Oreskes takes a different approach then the previous authors with regard to the Constitution.
- – 1. Who does Land and Oreskes blame for the noted dissatisfaction with the political process in the US?
- – 2. In about three paragraphs and in your own words, summarize the “five lessons” about the US political system that Land and Oreskes describe. Are these lessons still applicable today? Why or why not?
- Conclusion (about two paragraphs): After having read these readings, do you feel that the current political system in the US is responsive enough to what the public wants? If so, how is it responsive? If not, what changes would you make?
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Explanation & Answer
Please find the answer in the attachment below. Btn it was more than 4 pages, it was actually 4 pages single spaced that needed to fufli all the assignment requirements
Surname 1
Name of student
Name of tutor
Course
Date
The American Constitution through History
A constitution is a vital document for every country because it is the presents the
foundation on which a country was born. A constitution is like a document that defines what a
specific country means and what one should expect when living in that country. Therefore, a
constitution needs to be very accurate and sufficient in a way that it covers all the aspect of a
society that it presents. Any shortcomings may result to unequal rights, mistreatment of people,
misuse of power, corrupt activities among many other things that can make it hard for a country
to be stable enough to meet the needs of all its citizens. A good example of a country that holds
great value on the constitution is the United States. However, even though the constitution has
played a great role in shaping modern America, there have been different shortcomings in the
constitution, and that is why people like Robert Dahl, Eric Lane and Michael Oreskes, and
Sanford Levinson offers different interesting points regarding its effectiveness.
Dahl Argument
Dahl describes seven compelling arguments on the shortcomings of the constitutions
which covers areas of slavery, suffrage, the election of the president, choosing senators, equal
representation in the Senate, judicial powers, and Congress power. Out of the seven arguments, I
Surname 2
think the strongest is the issues regarding suffrage and choosing of senators. I think suffrage was
one of the biggest shortcomings of the constitution which people still experience today. It was
the major cause and creation of the problems that Americans suffer today like cultural
discrimination and unequal treatment of people which is still evident today because it separated
the country into three, the African Americans, the Native Americans, and women. They are the
most obvious undemocratic issue that the constitution failed to consider and other issues have
been raising up like equality of sexuality rights where people had to suffer for a long time on
expressing their sexuality like being a lesbian or gay. There is still evidence of a great division in
America society regarding receiving medical healthcare and same-sex marriages, and access to
quality education that America stills struggle with due to the ...
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