Political Analysis
Part One
The result of the Advocates for Self-Government Survey places my ideological leaning at the center, implying that I am a centrist. That is, I am neither a liberalist nor a conservative. Centrists prefer middle ground conserving the control of the government towards the economy and individual behavior. Depending on the issue, centralists sometimes support government intervention and sometimes favor individual freedom of choice. They also pride themselves on having an open mind, tend to criticize political extremes and focus on practical solutions to problems. Therefore, I believe that this quiz accurately measured my ideological leanings to the center because I often support a balance if a degree of social equality and social hierarchy, while opposing political changes that can lead to a significant shift in ideas to either the right or the left. Nearly all the features of centrism, such as open-mindedness, independence, and ability to oppose political extremes, define my character. As such, I strongly agree that the result of the Advocates for Self-Government quiz accurately measured my ideological leaning.
Part Two
I selected chapter 7:- Political parties, participation, and elections. Political parties play a central role in political analysis, especially in the evaluation of democratization and consolidation of democratic political regimes. Political analysists have always argued that the existence of free and fair elections in a country is always a proof of democracy. The reason for choosing this topic is because it outlines various aspects of democracy in the country, particularly when it comes to the voting process. As a highly democratic country, America allows all citizens to exercise their democratic rights through voting. My concern is whether the votes of the citizens always count during elections due to the growing cases of irregularities. Therefore, this topic will help me to analyze political situations in America and determine whether or not America has achieved a democratic goal as stipulated by most political analysts.
The website, the league of women voters, is simplified, although it lacks credibility. For some citizens, voting can be a hard task because they must first register and confirm their registration before participating in the actual process. If absent, they are required to send an absentee ballot. This website is simplified because it guides the user on how to register as a voter. The site also displays the deadline for registration. However, it lacks substance because it does not provide some relevant information, such as voting information and absentee information. I think that a good website, especially the one that wishes to educate the voters on the electoral process, should contain all the information about the election. Failure to do so renders such a website non-substantial. Due to the lack of some substantial information on the website, it can be stated that the league of Women Voters does not provide useful learning tools regarding voting.
In contrast, the website Vote Smart is highly informative. The website has a clip at the beginning with the title ”Vote Smart-Just the facts.” This website also seems to be a non-partisan. The video describes how various conservatives and liberals put aside their differences to gather facts about the leader they want to elect. Below the website, hyperlinks of significant aspects of the voting process and officials of the government are included. The link on ”Election 2016” provides statistical data about voting and the profiles of the candidates. The presentation of the data both on the website and the video clearly indicates that the information on this website is reliable. From an individual perspective, this resource is relevant and can be used in the future reference to explain the voting processes and some electoral facts at the state.