The United States Constitution provides for a Republican/representative form of democracy yet many states and localities allow for direct democracy through ballot initiatives, referendum, and recall. Develop a paper in which you identify and assess arguments in favor and against both representative and direct democracy. Drawing on your assessments of representative and direct democracy, develop an argument in which you advocate for one form of democracy over another. Do not equivocate. There is no right or wrong answer.
In looking at recent Presidential Campaigns what made the candidacies of both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump so unusual? What were the strengths and weakness of both candidacies? What role, if any, did economic inequality play? What role did racial and ethnic antagonisms play? What are the long term impacts of both figures on American Politics? Describe the current coalitions of the Democratic and Republican Party and the development of these coalitions since 1920’s. What tensions exist within these parties? How are these tensions reflected in the candidacies of Donald Trump and Hillary Clintonin 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020? The Black Lives Matter and the attention paid to Police Killing of civilians have highlighted problems in the Criminal Justice System in regard to race. What role has Race placed in the development of Civil Right in United States? Beyond criminal justice what other areas are the rights of racial minorities under threat historically and today? Why has economic inequality important became a more prominent issue in last ten to fifteen years? What role has government played in increasing inequality? Do lawmakers give preference to the concerns of certain groups over others? What impact does lobbying and money in politics have on lawmakers?
