How do individuals and groups of people influence the political process?



I thought this was a good letter that shows how people want to know more about what is going on.


Both individuals and groups of people influence the political process by getting involved, making their voice heard and their opinions count. Voting is what individuals and groups can both participate in. However, groups are better heard in a crowd with a protest or other involvement and can easily influence the individual. Any individual cannot do the same as easy.

Just think about it, all it takes is just one person to speak up, one person to make others turn heads. This one person can start a group to rally and join forces in what they believe. Individuals make the groups and they can in turn combine their powers to influence above all other voices and that would truely help the united states people.

Here is the citation for an article I read about how it takes one person.
Dorn, William. "Join Forces with ONE to Fight Extreme Poverty." GreenvilleOnline.com. 27 Feb. 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. .



Critical Question: If we only had the opportunity to be a part of a whole group, democrates vs. republicans, how would that change our individual influence of the political process?
 

 
 
 
 

How to Become a Lobbyist: Politics & Voting | eHow.com

How to Become a Lobbyist: Politics & Voting eHow.com

Here we go, this is a good start for individuals!

In what ways does public opinion influence the formation of a democratic society?

A democratic society allows the people to rule themselves. Therefore their public opinion runs the democratic society and if that did not happen then there would be no democratic society. This happens because of voting. This creates the public opinion because it is getting people involved.....which is GOOD! The people express their opinion through that and it forms a democratic society.





Do for your country what your country would do for you.

Fairness and equality will help create a democratic society and will make this country run in a circle.

 
Critical Question: Switch the question around a little bit- How does the private sector influence the formation of a democratic society, or does it influence capitalist better?
 
 
There is an article that I read parts of that interested me about the ways our democratic society was organized. Talking mostly about propaganda, which honestly I think is funny and true at the same time because it's all about business and making it but how you do make it. This article talks about the public opinion and compares it to a private opinion. Here is the citation:
Bernays, Edward. "Propaganda." History Is A Weapon. Web. 18 Feb. 2011.    http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/bernprop.html.



 
Here is a website to a SNL video that I found that mocks the public opinion. It has Will Ferrell and Alec Baldwin in it. Its a good laugh about politics!
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/public-opinion/1018683/

How do government and the private sector intersect?



check out this interesting graph that I found at blog.american.com



The main thing that intersects the government and the private sector is the economy. I think that it is because of this why big corporations are succeding in paying the ones on top so much money and little businesses are struggling to survive. In a way I think it is fair but in another way I don't think it gives everyne an equal chance. Then here is the government who say we all need to work together to have a good economy and they say that more businesses are putting more jobs out there, but I really can't see it. It looks to me that its all just talk so that people will continue to vote for who ever is in the government.

If you look at the video that I posted, I think that is a good example on how the government is trying to take over everything....the government says its all for the better and they said its going to change and that the people will still have control over it but I see the opposite. Even more funny, on the video title "lie of the year", I could not have put a better name on it!
Pfeiffer, Tracy. "YouTube - 'Lie Of The Year': Government Takeover Of Healthcare." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Newsyvideos, 18 Dec. 2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoYbktOuFCA.




I also read this article that pertained a little bit to what we are talking about and I think it would be a good thing for you to read. There is one paragraph that really stood out to me that I think is really messed up but can believe it. It says, "the report shows that desipte all the public pleas for the federal governement to play a reduced role in private businesses, many fortune 500 companies are using the federal government as their personal ATM's and have made no moves to get off the dole".
Curry, George. "Democrates and Republicans Should End Corporate Welfare." The Wilmington Journal. 14 Feb. 2011. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. http://www.wilmingtonjournal.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=107402&sID=34&ItemSource=L.

Critical Question:  If the government didn't intersect like that, do you think the economy would be better??
I think there is a good chance.

'Lie Of The Year': Government Takeover Of Healthcare

What role does power play in government, economy, and politics?

Power plays a huge role in government, politics and the economy because those three things is what our counrty is based around. Take a look at anyone who is in a higher position. They have power and if you think about it, they didn't get to where they are without having power. Just think about the definition of what power is; power is having the ability to control and to change what is around you. The government has the power to put laws into effect. The government is made f political leaders who have power to raise new issues that need to change. Political runners have power to persuade citizens to vote their way because they are better and can utlize their power more efficently. The economy is a little bit tougher because people are really the ones who control that. If you are spending, then you aren't gaining thus causing loss and the economy goes down. But it can go up if people are spending and profit is gained. Without power, people would run wild because there would be no order no "higher power" to answer to. Power is our gift but also our consequence both to and from the government, politics and economy. Some people abuse it but others do good with it.

Critical question: If every person had an equal opportunity and our government really did operate as a democracy,what do you think would happen with government, economy and politics?

Here is how I think of it: if people had more power maybe they wouldn't complain so much when things didn't go their way....wouldn't that be nice!

I also found an interesting article that you guys can check out. Here is the citation,
Meyerson, Harold. "Harold Meyerson - What's Holding Back the U.S. Economy?" Washington Post - Politics, National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - Washingtonpost.com. Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2011. Web. 06 Feb. 2011.
.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/02/AR2011020205040.html

The Purpose and role of Government