Political Science for Australian Indigenous Cultural Heritage

Question: Are the recent nuclear and missile tests in North Korea and the US response, best understood as a realist framework, a constructivist framework, or a combination of both? Explain. Answer: Constructivist framework implemented by the US is through dialogue where the presidents of the involved nations agree to discuss under proper conditions. The discussions are aimed at reducing the threats of missile tests to other nations. North Korea ambitions have led to use of nuclear experts in developing highly advanced nuclear weapons. Realist and useful frameworks are aimed at ensuring that there is proper national progress considering the other nations. Realist framework is where the national interests are considered when developing strategies for international relations. The constructive framework focuses mainly on the harmful effects of a particular action implemented by a nation. The recent nuclear and missile tests in North Korea and the US response is a useful framework as it considers the global wellbeing more than the national interests (Sanger, 2017). The missile tests pose a threat to different nations as they can be direct to any part of the world making North Korea very powerful due to their weapon superiority. It is vital for nations to reduce the implementation of weapon superiority for global peace. Realistic evaluation requires the decision makers to perform an analysis of necessary data in coming with a decision which will maximize the performance of a nation. Social and economic impacts of a deci sion require being accessed in developing strategies that will affect the long-term performance of a country (Probst Michael, 2014). The procedures are needed to be effective in maximizing international relations through a proper approach of national operations. The North Korea is required to develop a strategy that considers the safety of other nations for the achievement of set long-term goals of production. The nuclear tests performed by North Korea reduce the international relations with other countries due to the danger imposed by the weapons. In the realistic framework, the military is considered as the most critical unit of the nation due to its ability to keep order and peace in a nation. The constructive approach of dealing with nuclear weapons aims at emphasizing on social interests rather than the economic impact of the project (Narang, 2015). The nuclear weapons have a negative effect on social progress requiring the North Korea missiles to be controlled for an insight of social development. Racism in 'the West' today is a legacy of imperialism. Discuss with reference to contemporary race relations in one western country. Racism is on the rise especially in Europe where people are discriminated due to their race. Russia is one of the countries in Europe where racism is on the rise due to discrimination especially for the black people (FIDH, 2017). The legacy of imperialism in racisms is where some countries have a view of being more powerful than others due to race. GDP of states is used in making some countries in the west act superior to others due to their economic stability. The high rate of racism in Russia has led to individuals from different races to engage in the operations of the nation. It is essential for the government to evaluate the legacy of racism which negatively affects the economic and social progress of a country. Russia is a nation which is widely known of discriminating individual due to their race, especially in public places. This discrimination reduces the self-esteem levels of an individual as one is made look inferior to others. Racism victim is unable to achieve potential from production due to the destructions caused due to race. The government is required to come up with strategies which are aimed at reducing the cases of racisms in the nation for the achievement of set long-term goals (Haltinner, 2014). International relations and trade are negatively affected by the legacy of racism in Russia where people are not willing to engage operations in the country due to increased discrimination cases. Colonialism and slave trade are primary contributors of cases of racisms where some races seemed superior to others (Olusoga, 2017). Even after colonialism and slave trade, there have been cases of racial abuse to the minority group of the society. It is essential to reduce the racisms cases in a nation as it has negative impacts on the individual and national performance. The effects of racisms include; one is the reduction of production level due to reduced self-esteem and motivation. It is essential for employees to have a maximum motivation to achieve the set personal and organizational goals. Racisms make it hard for individuals to reach their potential as it affects their ability to work. Two is mental illness due to racial abuse where one suffers from depression and stress. Continuous mistreatment due to race reduces the psychological and emotional performance which could lead to mental illness. Three is violence caused due to the racial abuse which could lead to injury and de ath thus it is essential to handle the cases of racial abuse in the society (Feagin Bennefield, 2014). Four is reduced international relations where some nations are not willing to engage with a country which is widely known for racial abuse. Lastly, racism leads to diminishing to international trade as investors are reluctant in entering into the business of the nation which leads to reduced economic performance. The government of Russia and the European Union has developed strategies for ensuring that there are reduced cases of racial abuse in the region. In handling racisms in Europe, the nations agreed to International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) where individuals are required to be treated equally regardless of race (FRA, 2017). European Union countries are expected to follow the set policies in handling various issues facing the nations in regards to racial discriminations. Fines and jail terms are used in ensuring that there are reduced racism cases in Russia for the social and economic progress of the country. Russia has developed educational programs which aim at increasing awareness of reduced discrimination for the achievement of set macroeconomic goals of the nation. Preventing racial hatred in a country is essential in providing a reduction of racism cases for continuous social progress. Are critical studies of whiteness an example of: (choose one concept) agonism, political correctness or a politics of mutual liberation? Define your terms carefully and explain. Whiteness theory is aimed at identifying the origin of white people by identifying the social and cultural background of the people. Whiteness studies aim at identifying the beginning of white people as do not possess complexions of other race (Perazzo, 2016). The studies have contributed to racism in universities especially in the USA where the study is prevalent as it is an indication of that white people are more privileged than other races. White people are more dominant in the USA compared to other races where study aims at identifying the cultural beliefs of the people in the earlier days. The whiteness has led to different opinions where some supports and others are against the study of determining the origin of white people. The historical and social aspects are explained in the studies for a systematic identification of race. Agonism is a political theory which identifies the issues involved in politics where some harmful elements have a positive impact on the performance of the society. It is essential in agonism to determine the positive and negative elements in the implementation of a particular policy in ensuring that it achieves an increase in social development. Political awareness requires individuals to acquire required knowledge that will increase the positive aspects of politics for an increase in the social and economic progress of the nation. The politic of mutual liberation requires considering the freedom of all groups involved in the society for a stable performance of an organization (Edwards, 2014). The mutual liberation requires identification of the needs of national stakeholders to satisfy the requirements for increased production. White studies are related to politics of mutual liberation where all races are required to be identified in the study. The research is needed to be controlled in ensuring that there is not teaching of needs of white supremacy and privilege in the community. White studies are necessary to identify the views of affected individuals of the society for a stable performance of in the community. The dominant view of the white community makes the students have different aspects of the topic. Mutual liberation is necessary for ensuring that the opinions of various stakeholders are identified in a smooth flow of the community (Agger, 2014). Some people are vulnerable from the studies by identifying the white society as privileged in the community. The culture and history of the white people are required to be regulated in ensuring that there is a stable performance in a nation. The history and culture in whiteness studies need to have a mutual obligation. Liberation requires considerations of the needs of various people in the community in developing policies that will positively impact the performance of the country (Kinni, 2015). The white studies have the negative and positive impact on the students requiring the system to implement policies to ensure mutual benefits to all benefits. Equality in the political system is achieved through politics of mutual liberation where the needs of different individuals are identified and satisfied. The performance is based on the policies implemented in the nation for the achievement of set social and economic goals. People are required to be equally treated regardless of their cultural or political beliefs. The use proper political ideologies and democracy make it possible for the community to work together in achieving a sustainable performance of the nation (Ball, Richard, ONeill, 2016). White studies are required to be liberated to offer proper impression to the students to reduce discriminative laws. Politics of mutual liberation provides decision-making process that improves the attitude of people in the nation. What does it mean to describe contemporary Australian as having a postcolonial character? Discuss concerning Indigenous-settler relations The Australian indigenous-settle relations are the individuals who were first in the nation which culture and beliefs are followed by most population. Australian indigenous was in the region before the European colonization which is mainly the Australia - Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal people (Australianstogether.org, 2017). There are different languages which are spoken in Australia requiring the community to come up with policies that will handle the changes in the nation. The indigenous people in the region are expected to be dark and have exceptional athletic skills that live in villages (Australianstogether.org, 2017). The postcolonial character of the indigenous people of Australia to reduces their cultural and religious beliefs of the people. It is essential for an individual to consider the cultural views of the community for a stable performance of the community. Colonialism affected the cultural and religious beliefs of people in Australia where people followed the new standards set by the colonial government. Cultural practice is essential in maintaining the entity of particular people in the population for a stable performance of the nation. The Australian indigenous population comprises of 3% of the Australian population (Australianstogether.org, 2017). The community has reduced the practice of earlier cultural beliefs and practices to adapt to the changing times after colonialism. The indigenous culture of people in Australia is the oldest in the world as it started 500,000 to 65,000 years ago (Australia.gov, 2017). Protecting cultural materials is vital in spreading the culture to different generations of the community. Sustainability in production is achieved through the analysis of different cultural beliefs of individuals in the country to handle various issues facing communities. The need of communities is changed in regards to their cultural beliefs requiring a proper evaluation of culture to develop policies that will ensure a continuous development of a country (Garling, Janet Hunt, Will, 2013). The sacred placed and objects of Australian indigenous communities are preserved in providing that there is a sustainable cultural practice despite the changing times. The cultivation of land by indigenous communities of Australia was different to the cultivation of the white people. Colonialism negatively impacted the success of the culture as some individual undertook practices of the colonialists in their daily tasks (Coates Hetherington, 2016). National parks and museums are used in preserving the culture of Australia indigenous communities. The preservation of culture ensures that there is an improvement of knowledge about the individuals who were first in the nation. Postcolonial led to many Australian practicing the English culture which was imposed on them by the colonials. The national identity was affected by colonials as most people engage in activities related to those of colonials for a sustainable performance of the nation after colonialism. The practice led to the reduction in the use of required culture to the society where the strength of indigenous communities of Australia was reduced by the English culture (Christie Verran, 2013). The complexity of Australia indigenous communities culture led to many people preferring to implement the English culture in production. The identity of the nation was negatively affected as it emerged to work as directed by the colonials. The policies implemented in colonialisms were followed leading to the lost identity of the culture and history of indigenous communities. Modern Australian performance uses colonial practices requiring the people to consider the indigenous communities cultures in social progress of the nation through culture preservation. Bibliography Agger, B. (2014). Cultural studies as critical theory. Routledge. Australia.gov. (2017). Australian Indigenous cultural heritage. Retrieved 10 20, 2017, from Australian Government,: https://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-indigenous-cultural-heritage Australianstogether.org. (2017). Discover Stories. Retrieved 10 20, 2017, from Indigenous Australians: https://www.australianstogether.org.au/stories/detail/who-are-indigenous-australians-4 Ball, T., Richard, D., ONeill, D. I. (2016). Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal. Taylor Francis. Christie, M., Verran, H. (2013). Digital lives in postcolonial Aboriginal Australia. Journal of Material Culture , 299-317. Coates, J., Hetherington, T. (2016). Decolonizing social work. Routledge. Edwards, K. (2014). Teach with me: The promise of a raced politic for social justice in college classrooms. Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis, 1-15. Feagin, J., Bennefield, Z. (2014). Systemic racism and US health care. Social science medicine, 7-14. FIDH. (2017). Organisations denounce blatant problems of racism in Russia, and its controlled territories. Retrieved 10 20, 2017, from WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: https://www.fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/russia/organisations-denounce-blatant-problems-of-racism-in-russia-and-its FRA. (2017). Racism related intolerances. Retrieved 10 20, 2017, from European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights: https://fra.europa.eu/en/theme/racism-related-intolerances Garling, S., Janet Hunt, D. S., Will, S. (2013). Contested governance: culture, power, and institutions in Indigenous Australia. ANU Press. Gilpin, R. (2015). American scientists and nuclear weapons policy. Princeton University Press. Haltinner, K. (2014). Teaching race and anti-racism in contemporary America. New York: Springer. Kinni, F. K.-Y. (2015). Pan-Africanism: Political Philosophy and Socio-Economic Anthropology for African Liberation and Governance: Caribbean and African American Contributions. Vol. 1. Langaa Rpcig. McCurry, J. (2017). US is powerless in the face of North Korean missile tests. Retrieved 10 2017, 20, from THE IRISH TIMES: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/us-is-powerless-in-the-face-of-north-korean-missile-tests-1.3143251 Narang, V. (2015). Nuclear Strategies of Emerging Nuclear Powers: North Korea and Iran. The Washington Quarterly, 73-91. Olusoga, D. (2017). The roots of European racism lie in the slave trade, colonialism and Edward Long. Retrieved 10 20, 2017, from Guardian News and Media Limited: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/08/european-racism-africa-slavery Perazzo, J. (2016). THE UGLY RACISM OF 'WHITENESS STUDIES' PROGRAMS. Retrieved 10 20, 2017, from Frontpage Mag: https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/263671/ugly-racism-whiteness-studies-programs-john-perazzo Probst, K., Michael, M. (2014). Long-term stewardship and the nuclear weapons complex: The challenge ahead. Routledge. Sanger, D. E. (2017). How the U.S. Could Respond to Another North Korean Missile Test. Retrieved 10 20, 2017, from The New York Times Company: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/world/asia/north-korea-missile-test-us-options.html

Jeffersonian Republicans Essays - Thomas Jefferson,

Jeffersonian Republicans (1) Some English observers may have viewed Jeffersonian Republicans as hypocritical for several reasons. Jefferson ran for the presidency in order to achieve specific goals such as, the reduction of the size and cost of the federal government, the repeal of Federalist legislation, and to maintain international peace. Jefferson was successful for some time in reducing the size and cost of the federal government. He closed several American embassies in Europe. He cut military spending by reducing the size of the U.S. Army by 50 percent and retiring a majority of the navy's warships. However, despite all these cut expenses, Jefferson found it suitable to accommodate the Louisiana Purchase. As the United States increased its land territory westward, the Jeffersonian democracy continued and sought to remove Native Americans from the path of the white man's progress. Indians were often murdered even though Jeffersonians disclaimed any intention to destroy Indians. Jefferson later increased federal power to enforce the Embargo Act of 1807. His recommendation for an embargo of American goods failed to win foreign respect for American neutrality during the French Revolution. Jefferson nearly led the country to the brink of war. The Embargo polic y succeeded only in depressing the economy and angering northern merchants and was later repealed in 1809. Jefferson also signed another bill in 1807 for a law that prohibited the importation of slaves into the United States. Poor enforcement by America resulted in illegal operations of slave smugglers. Southerners did not cooperate, and for many years African slaves continued to poor into southern ports. It is easy to conclude that the members of Jeffersonian democracy declared their passion for liberty and equality, but in practice, they lived in a society whose members accepted slavery and sought to remove Native Americans out of the white man's path. While some Americans praised Jefferson's pragmatism, others felt betrayed. (2) It is clear that progress had been achieved between 1741 and 1791 regarding the murder of slaves. From the reading, we can see that slaves were recognized as somewhat equal to a free white man. It is stated a man should receive the same punishment for murdering a slave as he would for murder of a free white man. However, the nature of punishment for the murder in State v. Boon cannot be decided. The Law of 1791 was insufficient because the question remained What is the proper punishment for the murder of a slave? Some believed slaves had no rights and our constitution was not made for them while others saw them as equal men and women. (3) From the earliest days of independence, a tension between mechanization and handcraft marked the American quest for technological advance. Some Americans, however, expressed grave misgivings about the new technology. As inventions such as the spinning jenny and the cotton gin promised to save time and labor some Americans refused to accept the new methods of production. Tradition and disbelief was the reason for such behavior. Many people insisted to practice methods they were taught by their parents and were afraid to modernize their lifestyle. Today we see the same thing everyday. This computer I'm writing on, for example. Who would've ever thought a machine would allow us to type by the push of a button and then print in seconds. When computers and the internet were first being introduced many people didn't know what to think. Some people were eager to purchase one and explore the possibilities while others may have failed to believe such technology was possible. We still don' t even know where computers will take us. Today they're used in cars, space exploration, TV, and music production. And today like the 1700's, we will continue to be faced with new forms of technology everyday and some people will adapt and grow with it while others stick to the traditional methods they were taught by previous generations. (4) Chief Justice John Marshall did not want to jeopardize the independence of the Supreme Court over the minor issue of Marbury v. Madison. In his decision of February 1803, Marshall scolded the secretary of state for withholding Marbury's commission. Marshall stated it clearly that the Supreme Court did not have the jurisdiction to handle such

Pearl Harbor - Warning Signs essays

Pearl Harbor - Warning Signs essays On November 26, 1941 a fleet of Japanese ships under the command of Chuchi Nagumo moved into a position 200 miles northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. Their instructions, providing good weather, were to attack Pearl Harbor with maximum efficiency, dealing the U.S. a mortal blow (Stinnent 292) by destroying all battleships and airplanes in the vicinity. Nine days later, with good weather, Pearl Harbor saw the first wave of a crippling Japanese attack. 183 bombers, fighters and torpedo planes unleashed the initial and most killer wave of hostile fire. Just an hour and a half later the second wave of Japanese aircraft were returning to their respective carriers, while the U.S. forces at Pearl Harbor were not only shocked but also suffered damage in large amounts. 2,403 U.S. personnel were lost along with 188 airplanes. Eighteen U.S. ships were sunk or damaged. The most famous, the Arizona sank with most of its 1,300 men onboard. The Japanese lost a little fewer than 100 men and sixty airplanes, a very small loss compared to that of the U.S. Although the U.S. lost no aircraft carriers, the Japanese surprise attack hit the U.S. forces in the Pacific hard. The beautiful waters of a harbor known by the Hawaiians as Wai Momi (pearl waters), because of the pearl oysters that once lived there, were stained with a clear Japanese victory. Without a doubt the men stationed at Pearl Harbor had little, if any, clue that they were going to be attacked. This is clearly exhibited by ratio of U.S. loses to Japanese losses. However, there is strong evidence that suggests that high ranking officials in the U.S. government not only knew about the attack, but also provoked its happening. The first thing that must be considered when understanding the attack on Pearl Harbor is the position Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in. Roosevelt and his state department realized the danger of Nazi success. If the Nazis happened to captu...

Nigersaurus - Facts and Figures

Nigersaurus - Facts and Figures Name: Nigersaurus (Greek for Niger lizard); pronounced NYE-jer-SORE-us Habitat: Woodlands of northern Africa Historical Period: Early Cretaceous (110 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 30 feet long and five tons Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Relatively short neck; hundreds of teeth in wide jaws About Nigersaurus Yet another Cretaceous feather in the cap of the globetrotting paleontologist Paul Sereno, Nigersaurus was a rather unusual sauropod, possessing a relatively short neck compared to the length of its tail; a flat, vacuum-shaped mouth packed with hundreds of teeth, arranged in about 50 columns; and almost comically wide jaws. Putting together these odd anatomical details, Nigersaurus seems to have been well adapted to low browsing; most likely it swept its neck back and forth parallel to the ground, hoovering up any vegetation within easy reach. (Other sauropods, which had much longer necks, may well have nibbled on the high branches of trees, though even this remains a matter of some dispute.) What many people dont know is that Paul Sereno didnt actually discover this dinosaur; the scattered remains of Nigersaurus (in northern Africas Elrhaz formation, in Niger ) were described by a French paleontologist in the late 1960s, and introduced to the world in a paper published in 1976. Sereno did, however, have the honor of naming this dinosaur (after studying additional fossil specimens) and publicizing it to the world at large. In typically colorful fashion, Sereno described Nigersaurus as a cross between Darth Vader and a vacuum cleaner, and also called it a Mesozoic cow (not an inaccurate description, if you ignore the fact that a full-grown Nigersaurus measured 30 feet from head to tail and weighed up to five tons!) Sereno and his team concluded in 1999 that Nigersaurus was a rebbachisaurid theropod, meaning it belonged to the same general family as the contemporary Rebbachisaurus of South America. Its closest relatives, however, were two intriguingly named fellow sauropods of the middle Cretaceous period: Demandasaurus, named after the Sierra la Demanda formation in Spain, and Tataouinea, named after the same bleak Tunisian province that may (or may not) have inspired George Lucas to invent the Star Wars planet Tatooine. (Yet a third sauropod, the South American Antarctosaurus, may or may not have been a kissing cousin as well.)

Crowdfunding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crowdfunding - Essay Example The four main types of crowdfunding are donation-based crowdfunding, reward-based crowdfunding, lending-based crowdfunding and equity-based crowdfunding. In this type of funding, there are no financial returns to the contributors or investors. In many cases, this type of crowdfunding is used for raising money for charitable projects. Some of these projects include disaster relief and medical bills (Nesta, 3). For example, an organization such as the Red Cross might conduct a campaign aimed at getting people to donate. Such donations have no returns attached to them. The donors are satisfied when a given project is completed. The motivation for the donors is non-monetary. Many organizations that use this type of crowdfunding rely on their websites to get contributors, although other outlets such as social media may be used. In this type of funding, the donations are gathered and assigned to a given project (Gadja &Walton, 8). This then helps get more donations because the funders understand that their money will be used for a specific purpose. In the end, the donors may give repeated donations if the organization keeps on updating the m of the progress of the ongoing project. Examples of such platforms include JustGiving (England), Startme (South Africa) and m-changa (Kenya) (Gadja &Walton, 8). This type of funding involves people contributing to a given business or project in exchange for some type of reward. In many cases, this reward is in the form of product or service offered by the organization seeking the funding (Nesta, 3). This is the most popular type of crowdfunding and is mainly used for creative and entrepreneurial projects. Usually, this model allows for the rewards to be given to the contributors based on the amounts contributed; the more a person donates, the better the rewards received. The donation is usually higher than the monetary value of the reward given, and this

Assignment worksheet Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Worksheet - Assignment Example They are drawn to express beauty and the message of solemnity and calmness in the surroundings. The art work has primary colors of red, blue, green. There is definitely harmony in using these colors are red which is the dress worn by the Madonna gave focus to the theme of the art work and blue is used as her drape which provides subdued hues to the red. The touch of green as a backdrop for the landscape is also harmonious as it gives balance to the color complimented by the light blue sky and white cloud. The cream color of the angels with touch of brown was very appropriate as a complementing color highlighting the harmonious relationship of the figures. The sense of space is depicted though fine lines and smaller figures which create the impression of a far location. The more prominent and bigger figures at the center clearly depict nearness and closer perspectives to the viewers of the art work. The actual texture of the art work appears basically smooth. The visual texture shows balance in lines, color, and spaces to give the perfect illustration of the Madonna in the meadow, with angels tending and giving her company. The visual weight and emphasis is carried by the Madonna as manifested in the color (red and blue) and size (biggest among the illustrations in the painting) with darker lines to create the space illusion that it is closer to the viewer than the rest of the landscapes, except for the angels which appear to be closest to the viewer of the painting. The artist expressed a symmetrically balanced work through the illustration of mountains on both the left and right side of the painting; the clouds also on the left and right side of the painting, the angels being two to provide symmetry, trees and shrubs on the left and rights side, and the focal point, which is the Madonna is strategically located at the center with her right

Pragmatism in Government Essay Example for Free

Pragmatism in Government Essay The character of politics makes consistency pretty close to impossible, partly because politicians are human and human nature is inconsistent, and partly because the voters dont really want consistency. As voters, we have the luxury of holding politicians to standards we would almost certainly be unable to meet if we were in their positions. And when they fail, we revile them for their hypocrisy, which is as pointless as reviling a dog for having a moist nose. Now, all of this may make Auntie sound awfully cynical. Should we have no moral standards at all for politicians? Should we throw principles by the wayside and let ome kind of shifty situational ethics fgleaf naked greed and power grabbing? Not at Just for illustration, take the issue of saving people from oppressive dictators, which is unquestionably a worthy concept, right up there with protecting children from pedophiles or saving animals from being abused and mistreated. But no matter how worthy an end is, its moral righteousness alone can never Justify evil means employed in achieving it. Its not wrong, cold, or cynical to carefully calculate the cost of achieving a noble end, its responsible, and responsibility is what we should be emanding from ourselves and the leaders we elect to represent us. Costs come in many forms. We may not always agree on the totals, or even what should be counted as cost in such an equation, but the greater the potential for harm from an action, the more stringently we should perform the analysis. If, for example, saving people from an oppressive dictator requires unpopular political decisions, economic pressure that involves some level of pain and suffering on both sides, diplomatic actions that require quids-pro-quo wed rather not give, possibly even strained relations with another party whose good will has value for us, etc. thats one calculation. If it requires military action, thats another cost accounting entirely. Military action, even for noble motives, has enormous potential for doing harm if something goes wrong, if errors are made, or the logistical or tactical situations change. And the intensity and impact of that harm is likely to be enormous as well. The consequences can be grave, long-lasting, and far-reaching, so the costs have to be calculated with extreme care and with maximum possible integrity. Those potential costs, and the likelihood of their being required, have to be factored into the equation. Lets take the other examples, protecting children from pedophiles and saving animals from abuse † each of these goals is indisputably good. What is required to achieve them, however, must be calculated, and each voter, and each elected official, will calculate differently. How effectively will any given measure reduce the risk of children being victimized? What are the costs of each measure, both short-term and long-term? . who bears those costs and n It, tor example, the measure under consideration involves restricting or denying civil rights and liberties granted under the Constitution, how do we choose whose rights will be curtailed? How much will that reduce the risk to children, and how much will it cost all of us to ensure that only those we are certain pose such a risk are denied their civil rights? I saw an amusing bumper sticker recently that said Liberals treat dogs like people, and conservatives treat people like dogs. Although I cant agree with such blanket characterizations (l have known liberals who mistreat dogs, and whose treatment of people wouldnt give dogs much to hope for, and conservatives who rescue dogs and exhibit deep compassion and care for people,) it provokes considerable thought. What are our priorities, and how do we choose to act on them? What should we expect our elected leaders to do with our priorities? First, it helps to remember that our elected officials are balancing my priorities against my neighbors priorities, not to mention the priorities of those who gave big money to their campaigns. And not only our priorities, but our beliefs about what means can and should be used to address them, will differ widely. What if the policy or legislative action that an elected leader truly believes is right also happens to address a priority of a donor who gave them a lot of money? On the other hand, what f the means of implementing that policy or action would go against the donors ideas of what is acceptable? What if those means address a priority of mine, but would require a sacrifice from my neighbor and seem a little doubtful to me? The reason so many people think of issues in black and white is that its easier. By establishing a rigid framework of right and wrong and tying everything to that framework and ignoring the complexities, they free themselves from having to do all those calculations. Its reprehensible enough in a voter, because after all, we have the ultimate responsibility for our government. But in an elected official, whose actions have immediate and far-ranging consequences, taking the black/white shortcut is deeply irresponsible. An elected leader cant be consistent and still be responsibly considering all the aspects of her actions. What she has to be, is thoughtful, cautious, and open-minded† willing to admit mistakes and work to correct them, but less likely to make them because she considers each action thoroughly. And we as voters need to stop reflexively chastising those we elect for inconsistency or hypocrisy, and start holding them accountable for how carefully and completely hey calculate the costs of their decisions, and their willingness to abide by those decisions. Thanks for bringing up such an interesting question, Jeniece, and for putting it to Auntie Pinko! It seems that the question is based on a false dichotomy. Ideology and pragmatism arent an either-or, its a case of apples and oranges. The liberal call tor a pragmatic response to Iraq is not necessarily a choice between idealism and the ends Justify the means, while Clintons support of NAFTA was both pragmatic AND ideological, no matter how misguided (Clinton is a neoliberal after all). The response seems to confuse ideology and values. Ideology is political theory, the basis of policy and, when misguided the lense through which problems and opportunities are viewed. Pragmatism (in the sense used in both the question and the response) is tantamount to realpolitik, which is the practice of politics without moral or ethical values. I myself have an issue with the American political system because it IS largely bereft of ideology outside the leitmotif of neoliberal economics and neoconservative foreign policy. The GOP and the DLC indeed propound the above ideologies and to a great extent base their world-view through ideologically-tinted glasses, but it is a alse ideology in more ways than one. What is worse is that neither group actually articulate their ideology in political discourse with the electorate it is hidden through rhetorical flourish and spin. Neoliberalism is a false ideology because it was created ex post facto in order to justify a pre-existing condition (laissez faire capitalism, free marketism, greed, abuse, etc. ). It was created in Mt. Pellegrin on the basis of the Austrian School of economic theory and it is wholly divorced from democratic principles (the common weal, etc). Neoconservatism is philosophically based on a serially mendacious ndividual (Leo Strauss) that Justifies manipulation and lies. Nevertheless, America NEEDS ideologies because, for too long our political discourse has been driven by relatively unimportant, short-term and specific issues such as abortion, gun control, immigration, and the like. Neither party has expressed a long- term goal and of course strategies to achieve said goals while both parties have gone their merry way maintaining a situation of corporate corruption and the tyranny of special interests. This makes American political discourse something of a bad Joke and party affilliation little different from being a fan of a sports team. cepting, of course, those earthshaking issues such as Terry Schiavos cerebral cortex. Politicis in a democracy is indeed the balancing and negotiation between sides, groups and individuals. The responses confusion between values and ideology clouds the issue in a democracy with ideologically-driven parties (that articulate said ideologies) the compromises take on a different meaning and scope. The absence of ideo logy turns our body politic into a trade show and keeps the electorate from fighting for a better future. Hear, Hear, from the OTHER District of Columbia, Washington State. The Columbia River restricts access, Just like the security forces in D. C. ) Here our politics has shitted over the years as well, even though, tortunately, we are rather progressive. Pragmatism is an important factor in the decisions politicians make, and sometimes utopians lose sight of the dangers and difficulties in making things turn out right. Even so, I agree with the utopians regarding their goals and commitment. The main questions involve what to do about the fact that not everybody agrees, at least in the short term, on the issues. I urge utopians to maintain their goodwill, while nderstanding reality as much as possible. Fighting for justice and a well-adjusted society requires patience and effort, which can often cause people to quit working for a better future. I urge steadfastness to principle here. Idealism is good, as long as you realize that not everybody is idealistic. Progress in human affairs is difficult and somewhat uncertain. But we do have evidence of its existence. Lets stick to our beliefs, through thick and thin. Remember to use your head to help your heartfelt beliefs come to realization, because finding the answers to problems takes thinking and effort.