Gerrymandering /Congress

While reading this assignment and the professors blog one can’t help but to see how all our readings intersect at some point. While reading this particular assignment I kept going back to whether our government has too much power or just the right amount. As was the case during the time of President Abraham Lincoln we could see how with President Bush how during times of war people are willing to afford the government powers that would normally not be accepted. During the civil war Lincoln had unprecedented amounts of powers. This was bought on by the need of the people to be able to launch an effective war effort. We also saw the same dynamics taking place after the terrorist attacks of 911 the American people were willing to surrender certain rights in order to feel secure.

It seems that the political climate has not changed in our entire history, although we have system of checks and balances there is always a struggle of power. The House of Representatives is constantly trying to be stronger than the senate, the Senate is trying to be stronger than the House of Representatives, and both the Senate and the House are trying to be stronger than the executive branch of government. It seems the system that had been created to insure a system of checks and balances b also provided an avenue in which parties can strategically put themselves in a position of advantage by securing either or both the Senate or the House.

It seems that in the most recent political environment we can see how the original intent of Congress is being implemented; we can see how Congress is being used as the most power branch of our government. It has proven to be effective to block policies that our president has tried to implement as well as enforce those policies that they are in favor of. In recent years we have seen how if the House and Senate are aligned with the political party of the sitting president they have had the power to appoint positions such as Federal Judges despite the opposition of the other parties and even against the popular vote.

Congress is designed to do the will of the people however in many cases it seems that it does the will of the party. Whether the democratic or republican party is in power Congress has been designed to represent the people and is charged to represent the people in local issues within their district or states. With representation changing depending on the amount of people in their respective states one can see how parties can secure representation depending on parties in their respective states. In cases in which an issues is more conservative when population increases in these states it gives these conservative states advantages during elections.

With gerrymandering the House has the given power to draw new lines which in turn can afford them advantages during elections depending on what party these districts may support.