Politics and Government - Sample Claims for Essay

Some sample claims:

• The U.S. constitutional system could be vastly improved through a few, powerful democratizing changes, namely changing to a proportional electoral system, abolishing the upper house of Congress and eliminating equal representation of states in the Congress.

• Our Constitution is globally renowned as a contradictory and enigmatic document, primarily because it reflects the warring ideals of the two main groups within the framers, represented by Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans and Hamilton’s Federalists.

• The U.S. financial system favors the wealthy banking elites, primarily because Alexander Hamilton’s vision for a federal financial system won out over Thomas Jefferson’s somewhat more egalitarian vision.

• The framers did not intend to create a revolutionary and democratic government and instead sought to create a government that protected property rights and individuals of wealth more than civil liberties and common people.

• Although the framers’ notion of democracy was flawed—they protected the institution of slavery failed to enfranchise women —they did intend to create a government that was revolutionary and democratic for its time.  Their intentions are best evidenced by the ability of some citizens to participate in government, the Bill of Right’s protection of civil liberties, and Jefferson and Madison’s tendency to lean toward majoritarianism and the expansion of the franchise.