Essay: We the People And The Constitution

We the People And The Constitution:
Preamble: Do we truly live in a democratic society?
Does the word democracy really describe the kind of society we live in? That’s debatable. It’s easy to say that America is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. After all, the definition of a republic is “a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch” It’s also likely that the founding fathers intended for America to become a constitutional republic. For one, the fathers never used the word democracy in either the declaration of independence or the constitution. Also, the constitution is our most influential document in the history of our country, and it seems to be based on a republic form of government. However, there are reasons to support America being a democracy. Like a democracy, the United States government is based on the votes of the people and is run by elected representatives. America also does its best to be democratic in terms of social equity. There is one more reason why America could be considered democratic. Everyone calls America a democracy! Think about it. Obama, news anchors, talk shows host, celebrities, politicians, historians, and even everyday regular people call America a democracy. The United Sates was created to be governed by We the People, and when We the People say that our society is a democracy, that’s what it is. So, it wouldn’t be wrong to call America a constitutional republic, but the true spirit of our society is democratic.
Article One: Compromise
During the Constitutional Convention, a compromise was key in getting the constitution approved. But even before the delegates began drafting our constitution, they needed to come to an agreement about what kind of country they wanted to create. Some wanted a country that was run mostly by the people and individual states so that the government would not become too powerful. Other delegates wanted to create a more powerful central government that was run by strong leaders who represented the views of the people. Both ideas for the future government were good, and they delegates decided to compromise, including both ideas in their plans. In the end, they created a government that not only depended on the people and the states but on a powerful central government and strong leaders. The founding fathers used this outline to create a government with the three legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This is still the kind of government we have today. and therefore one of the most important compromises the delegates made.
There were other disagreements that the founding fathers faced during the creation of the constitution. One disagreement was about how America’s chief executive, or president, should be elected. During the drafting, delegates were extremely frightened of creating a tyrannical government, especially since they had just fought for their independence from one. The delegates decided that the president would be chosen by groups of electors. According to them, it was the fairest method. There were only two alternatives. One was giving congress this power, but the fathers decided would make congress too strong. The other alternative was giving the power of election to the people, but the delegates decided against it. They thought that the people would only vote for someone from their own states. In the end, delegates compromised and chose the electors.
However, the electoral college has caused a lot of controversies lately. During the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton received the most votes, but Trump will be inaugurated as president in just a few days. Why? Because Trump received the most electoral votes. Some are angered by this, some are happy, and some people have no opinion. There have even been protesters saying that Hillary deserves the presidency. Though many do not agree with Trump’s policies or leadership, protestors need to realize that he won the presidency, according to our constitution, fair and square. The Gore vs Bush election turned out the same way, with Bush taking home the win even though he did not receive the popular vote. After both of these controversial elections, people have been saying that they want the president to be chosen in a different way. Others disagree. This issue is split pretty evenly, so the only way to solve it would be a modern day compromise.
Yeah, you read it correctly. We still use compromise in today’s society. Why? Because to get along with anyone that has a different opinion, opposing parties need to combine ideas and offer concessions so that everyone can what they want. However, it seems like the government has been making compromises less and less since the 1700s. Political parties started off very minuscule, but have grown into monstrous opposing forces. Republican and Democratic politicians couldn’t agree if their lives depended on it. Political disagreements are about everything from guns to the economy. At any given time on any given news channel, you can hear first hand about these disagreements. Take the Affordable Care Act for example.
Most Republicans are always going on and on about how bad it is. They think that Obama Care should be repealed and discarded forever. Democrats say that the Affordable Care Act is a revolutionary way to help many people. Democrats also say that it might be dangerous to repeal Obama Care. Obviously, it is complex to create a health care system that will care for millions of individual people, but a compromise would definitely make it easier. If the two parties would work together, it would definitely be easier to fix problems with the Affordable Care Act. Can’t they just edit the act, adding, fixing and discarding things to make it better? If people with different opinions, backgrounds, and personalities worked together, it would strengthen an act that needs to work for diverse peoples. Politicians should take a leaflet from the founding fathers. If you want to create something revolutionary, you need to compromise with the people who are working alongside you.
Article Two: Our Daily Lives
The constitution and Bill of Rights establish and defines the way our government is governed, but did you know that it affects your daily life? It sets the framework on how We the People can choose to live our lives. Whoever we want to be, we can be. Whatever opinions we want to share, we can share. Whenever we want to change, we can make a change. Where ever we want to go, we can go. How we want to live, we can live. The constitution establishes the powers the government has and the powers that the people have over the government. The Bill of Rights gives us the ability of freedom. Overall, they both guide the people, letting us know how to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote gene real well fair, and secure the blessings of liberty and our prosperity. These documents are the laws of the land, not because they control what we do, but because they guide the people, and make us better.
Article Three: What Citizen Means
The word citizen means different things depending on who you ask. To some, being a citizen simply means that you inhabit a certain area. But being a citizen really is more than that. To be a true citizen, you should respect your area of living and the people around you. Anyone can do this. You don’t have to totally agree with everything around you, but you should respect your community. For Americans, this means that you pay your bills and taxes, don’t harm others because they are different, respect your country, and follow the laws. This country gives citizens, and people have even citizens, so many rights. The thing that sets us apart from other countries is that citizens get most of these rights when we are born. Unless it’s illegal, dangerous, or unconstitutional, we have the choice to do what we want.
Take for example the Women’s March that is going on right now. These marches, for the most part, are peaceful protests for equality. Since the people in these marches are not harming others, breaking laws, or intruding on private property, citizens have the right to do this. Citizens also have the right to try and create change in our society. If the people don’t like something that’s going on, we have always had the possibility to change that. We can protest or boycott things. We can spread awareness or raise money. We can impeach or kick a corrupt leader out of office. We can write speeches or news articles or rally people and organize events. We even have the option to run for political office ourselves. There are so many rights and possibilities that American citizens have, and we get all of these rights and policies the moment we are registered as an American citizen.
Article Four: Growth in Our Government
Things have changed in our country since the 1700s, and not just wigs. America’s economy, population, laws, social etiquette, and government have grown, developed, and evolved. One issue that has, arguably, changed the most is civil rights. It’s scary to think that just 300 years ago, the only people that we treated with decency were upper-class white males.  It’s strange to think that these people decided to base our society on equality, respect, and trust, but also denied women the right to vote, and decided anyone who was not white to be considered 3/5ths of a person. Compare that to today. We had a black man for president, and a woman came very close to becoming one. Now, when we talk about achieving equality, respect, and trust, that means everyone, not just one group of people. America has moved forward so much. Slaves were freed, laws about segregation were demolished, and we are discussing our racial problems through the black lives matter movement. There will always be hate and discrimination in the world, but the United States has been moving forward one step at a time. Power in our country has shifted in our society. it is in the hands of all people who and want and deserve it.
God bless America!