Friday, September 12, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Blog Archive
John Locke
Our "1776 - The Musical" Blog
27 comments:
The fact that people vote (mind you our voting rate is relatively low) shows that the people consent to being governed. Also, in our country you can leave to live in another country if you choose to do so. The fact that our immigration rate is higher than our emmigration rate shows that the people don't mind our government.
i do agree with black lizzy that voting is a clear sign that people agree to be governed by our current government. I also believe that the fact that we have over 300 million people living in the U.S. shows that the people agree with the government. I don't think that emmigration is not nessasarily a sign of consent to the goernment, but more our capitalist economy.(though it isn't very strong at this time)
I'm going to have to take black lizzie's side on the emigration issue. As long as the millions of citizens stay here in the United States, then they are giving implicit consent to the government. People can not just be in the country to show consent, however. They have to be here and follow the rules that were established. That is why illegal immigration is a problem. Illegal aliens are living off this country's land, but not following its rules. I do not really see how our capitalist economy shows that the people give consent to their government. I believe the main signs are the voting, the immigration/emigration rates, and that all citizens (except for criminals) abide by the laws of this nation.
Im on the side of slappy o'hoolahan because i think that what immigrants think about first is the "American dream" and how improved their lives could be if they moved to america. Dont get me wrong, our government is one of the most fair and upstanding governments in the world ut i dont feel thats why people immigrate here. As for those immigrants who want the rights of America, such as to vote however did not come here leagally, i think they sould not be given these rights if they are not truly a citizen and only came here to make more money.
I too agree with black lizzy that the votes of US citizens definately show our giving of consent to the government. I also believe that an even larger way of showing our consent toward the government is simply by paying our taxes. This is something we must put up with daily, and if someone hated it enough, they could just leave the country. As far as the emigration issue goes, i also agree that our low emigration rate shows how we have a strong consent, from most US citizens, toward the government.
To go along with Slappy, when people function in everyday life, they are respecting the laws and regulations that the U.S government has decided upon. this includes obeying traffic laws to go to work, paying bills and taxes, and so on. As seabeard said before, only the people who do not abide by these rules are the criminals, in which have less rights because of this.
First I would like to state my own opinion. In today's world you hear a lot of complaint going around about our government.I hear all this complaint yet I see nothing getting done. Why you may ask? Simply because Americans have become lazy and ignorant. Not all Americans but MOST. And doesn't it say in the social contract that the people can change and overthrow the government. Only as long as MOST people agree. Well MOST people today are to lazy or caught up in themselves to take a second and look at the country as a whole. So basically I'm saying that people aren't really consenting they are just sitting back and letting the government do whatever. What do they care, they are to caught up in their own lives. However once in awhile these people's lives are affected by something that makes them angry. Such as soaring gas prices. People go ' hey wait a second I'm not going to pay those outrageous prices'. So people buy smaller cars and buy mopeds. However that is only some people. MOST people just go hey whatever I have to drive my Escalade to and from work everyday and that's that so they pay the outrageous gas prices. In doing this they are consenting to the government. Because the government could go' hey wait a second all this gas and pollution from cars is killing our environment we should come up with some better renewable energy ideas. Then big oil companies go ' hey don't worry about the pollution we have it all under control'. 'How about we give 20% of what we make and we keep making these big automobiles and keep drilling up oil all we want and you just don't worry yourself about it'. So really is consenting with the government always the right thing to do because we are doing it.
i agree with black lizzie in the fact that voting shows our consent to being governed, i do think that many of those who live here disagree with the government. just because they remain in the country doesn't mean they want to. sometimes its just sheer laziness to change.
\I feel as though yes, voting is a way of showing your consent to be governed by the government we have, but it isnt always. i disagree in some ways because people may not wish to be governed by our government, but still vote anyway because they dislike the other candidate or just feel like they are supposed to. however, for many, voting is a sign of showing consent because you are saying yes, i want this person to be the president of my country. another example of consent to be governed by our government is participating in this such as the pledge of allegance. also, ill add that i agree with others who felt that people immigrating into our country may not be doing it because they want to be ruled by the US government, but because they want to make the money they see people making in the US.
ah what happened! the first half of my last post dissapeared!!!
In many ways citizens of the US give "unspoken" consent to be governed by our government. Like black lizzy said, we vote. However, I have a hard time agreeing that this is full consent because I have met numerous people that don't like either candidate, and end up voting for the "lesser of two evils". But, they do vote and they stay here in America so technically they are agreeing to live under our government. Anyway, as Slappy said we have a large population, showing that families have actually made the choice to live under our government. As cap'n raja seabeard said, most people abide by the nation's laws. Kee-haulin' blythe made a good point about paying taxes, which is a huge part of daily life in America. Also in school, students are taught about our US History and it is viewed as an important subject.. Freejack's comment about the Pledge of Allegiance kind of struck me in a weird way. Yes, all schools reserve a time to say the pledge, but honestly I think we could count on our fingers the amount of students (and teachers) who actually recite the pledge out loud. The majority just stand up because they have to, some don't even stand up, and only about half place their hands over their hearts. Is it jsut laziness? Maybe so, but how about the disrespectful talking during the moment of silence? Are they giving their consent to be governed in this situation? I'm open to what you all have to say about this. :)
I think a lot good points have been brought up. I do agree with black lizzy, too, that voting is one way of giving consent. I have to also agree with black lizzy and cap'n raja sebeard on the emigration issue. With everyone staying here in the U.S., abiding by the laws, they are giving their consent to the government. Haley Holiday brings up an interesting thought on the pledge. As children in elementary school, we learned the pledge of allegiance and were made to say it every day, until we went off to middle school. Then, once in middle school and many still said it, but not all. Now that we're in high school, it is true what haley said, you can count on one hand the amount of people that actually say it. Some of this is due to pure laziness, but is some of it because they don't agree and this is the way they show it, seeing as how some may agree that this is a way of giving consent to the government?
Yes, I have to agree with the majority of you. The only way we, as a mass, consent to being governed is voting. I don't know if just living here is evidence of consenting. Some people have no choice but to stay here.(i.e. family, money,friends, their life) I do hope that Americans are well educated and informed. Hopefully in this year's election, more young people will get out there and vote.
all and all, (present administration excepted!)I think that the US govedrnment has done a pretty good job of protecting the rights of its people and I think that many people do imigrate here because of the libertys we are allowed. However, many people when immagrating are much more interested in the economy of the country they are attempting to live in as opposed to the polotics. I think that voting is not so much an expression of consent but a willingness to try and make things work the way they are. I think the only true form of consent is to obey the "laws of the land" and to allow yourself to be governed.
I do agree with black lizzy that voting does show that people consent to be governed. That way the people can pick who they want to lead their government. Obeying by all the laws is another way that people consent to be governed. The laws are in place so others can have their rights protected. By agreeing and obeying them they are consenting to this government.
I also agree with black lizzie that when the people vote it is showing that we as people do not mind being goverened but it also shows that we get to chose who governs us. Also many people wish to flee communism countries and dictatorship to come to a free world which shows that our government must not be bad. And Jack Fruit dont be so hot headed about us americans because your also speaking about yourself. People are consenting because we vote on who gets to govern us. The governemtn is trying to help the soaring gas prices, they cant change them overnight its an enduring process not a okay put them bakc down to two dollars next issue please. So think again.
Like most before me, I agree with Black Lizzy that voting is one way that people provide their consent to be governed by the U.S. government. How people handle their obligation to vote and such branches off into a different topic, but there sure is a lot to say about it; it's difficult to resist. Anyway, voting, abiding by laws and paying taxes are all fine examples of people giving their consent, even if they loathe some or all of those things to some extent. People can complain all they want, but they're still providing consent. There are surely more things that show consent, but maybe they're so habitual that they're overlooked.
I'm not entirely agreeing with those that feel reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is evidence of consent. Some don't recite it (or some parts of it)-and that's alright. Some see it as disrespectful, but it's not some all-important thing; after all, actions are louder than words, and in this particulat case what one DOES to give consent matters a whole lot more than what they SAY to give their consent, in my opinion. People can break the law and evade tax payments, but recite the pledge every time and swear upon a bible to tell only the truth, too. Also, I disagree to some extent with Black Lizzy and others who feel that people are coming to our country and thus they automatically don't mind it. Not every case is as such and though I don't have any specific accounts to share (which isn't good because it makes things harder to explain and prove), some situations lead to the US being a person's only feasable option. Just because it's a safe place doesn't mean they want to give consent; a refugee who knows better times might prefer to be under the (perhaps former) rule of their country, but the US is their haven for now and they cannot do anything about what they disagree with. Just throwing that out there, of course; I do believe that many, many people are fans of the U.S. government! Sorry this is so long!
I am just one more that agrees with the fact that living in this country, and abiding by the basic rules of doing so, it is implied consent that you are "okay" with the government that follows. However, I think that millions of people do not agree with the many of things that our government decides to take action upon. But this is not the place where protests and violence are going to occur out in front of the white house because of one event that some of the population doesn't agree with. People have begun to naturally ignore what doesn't affect them. For example, the war with Iraq. We, the people, vote, between many people, which ones we want to represent us. We naturally vote for the person who we think is the most intelligent and reasonable. This usually is the person who is most like ourselves as far as political views and environmental/world issues. But once we choose the person to represent us, believing deep down that they will make a good decision, their decision is out of our hands. Hillary Clinton voted for the war, Barack Obama voted against. If I myself did not want to go to war, I would most likely vote for Obama. But if Obama loses and Clinton wins and we end up continuing the war, what am i to do? Most of us wouldn't do anything at all..because it doesn't truly affect us. But I am not saying that this is the way it should be. I am not at all.
If a refugee liked their former government, then they should have stayed in their former country. I'm assuming this isn't a political refugee, otherwise Cheatin' whatever, your point would make no sense, because they'd obviously be leaving their government for ours. I do agree with you though on the point that certain types of refugees don't necessarily love our government.
I agree with what Pink Jeannie Galindo said about the fact that since the majority of people follow the laws of the US, they obviously consent to be governed by those laws. I disagree with what some people said about the pledge of allegiance being a form of showing consent. Just because words come out of a person's mouth does not mean that they mean those words. Like the phrase "actions speak louder than words", the act of voting or following basic laws shows a person's consent to be governed.
The people first and fore most get to vote for who they believe would be the best to run the country. Whether or not the people use that right to the full advantage is another matter entirely.
The government does not get its consent from the people in general, it gets the consent from those who vote. those who vote control only a very little of wat goes on. everyone can babble on about some regular powerless foriegner all they want but that has nothing to do with the facts. the facts are that once an official gets elected, they can do whatever they want. eventually if they do something too wrong, they could get impeached, but how many times has that happened? there is nothing that binds a politician to what hes says he's going to do on the campaign trail. Even after they get impeached(implying that the long difficult process goes successfully) those laws or actions that happened don't just magically diappear, they stay there untill that a few individuals decide to change that. which is hard to tell if they will based on what they say.
As gone over in class, by either voting or not actively opposing the government, a person is implying their consent. Therefore, the government not only rules by consent, but unless activly opposed by a significant number of people, it can do whatever it want. And it does.
I would also like to point out that illegal immigrants are as human as legal immigrants; they live, breath, and consent to be governed as much as the next person. By taking such extreme measures to reside in this wonderful (ahem) country, they are not only implying consent, but they are actively pursuing it. To respond to freejack mick yeager's comment;people DO NOT just go out and vote, in fact the percent of our population that actually does vote is extremely low, as compared to the percentages of the rest of the world. Less than hald the population votes; I think I could safely say that the percent of those people who vote because they either feel obligated or they have an interest in politics is rather small.
There are many ways in which citizens of the United States state in nondirect way that they consent to the government. One both specific and major way would be through paying taxes. By doing this people are saying that they agree that the money they pay are going to be used wisely by the government. I dont not agree with Freejack's comment that the pledge of allegiance shows consent to the government. Many people in school as Ms. Holiday stated, barely stand up for the pledge let alone recite it. Also many americans are staging walks and riots against the goverment so there are also very specific ways in which citizens show there discontent towards the government.
There are so many ways that people in this contrent give consent to follow the laws and live here. I think the biggest one, is they stay here! If they don't like it, then leave! If your an immigrant that comes here and dosen't like it, then you can go back to you home land. I know it's hard for young people to leave, but if you really wanted you could find a way. But i also agree with everyone else that voting is a clear way you give your consent!
I think virtually everything has been said, but i agree that we show our consent by voting, and by staying in america. If we didnt like the way we were being governed we could just leave
An obvious example I can think of would be most United States citizens vote. By doing so, we are giving no clearer example of our consent, I mean, we are PICKING our government! Also, for every person who doesnt move out of the US, they are also showing there consent.
So I guess I'm mostly agreeing with Black Lizzy. Congrats, you have another follower!
I even agree with the whole emmigration showing consent. Clearly if people are immigrating here, they are consenting!!!!
Also, we consent every time we folliw a law, or rule given by the government. Such as going to school!
Post a Comment