posted on January 21, 2003 02:45:46 PM new
In 1996 Ross Perot ran for president as the candidate for the Reform Party, but his impact on the race was negligible. Supporters are hoping that the party will be strengthend for the next presidential election, in 2000.
posted on January 21, 2003 02:50:17 PM new
Parties and Candidates in 1996
Bill Clinton Democratic
Bob Dole Republican
Ross Perot Reform
Ralph Nader Green
Harry Browne Libertarian
Howard Phillips U.S. Taxpayers
John Hagelin Natural Law
Monica Moorehead Workers World
Marsha Feinland Peace and Freedom
James Harris Socialist Workers
Charles COllins Independent
Dennis Peron Grassroots
Mary Hollis Socialist
Jerry White Socialist Equality
Diane Templin Independent American
Earl Dodge Independent
Peter Crane Independent
Ralph Forbes Independent
John Birrenbach Independent Grassroots
Isabell Masters Independent
Steve Michael Independent
posted on January 21, 2003 02:52:29 PM new
The 1948 Progressive Party, with Henry Wallace as its candidate, drew nearly half its votes from the state of New York. The American Independent Party polled nearly 10 million popular votes and 45 electoral votes for George Wallace in 1968-the most electoral votes ever polled by a third-party candidate.
posted on January 21, 2003 02:53:34 PM new
But all of Wallace's electoral votes and the majority of his popular vote came from the states of the deep south.
posted on January 21, 2003 02:55:22 PM new
Macbeth
Canst thou not minister to a
mind diseased,
Pluck from the memory a
rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles
of the brain,
And with some sweet
oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuffed bosom
of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?
The physician replies laconically: “Therein the patient / Must minister to himself.”
posted on January 21, 2003 02:57:46 PM new
Conformity
Of course, not all people are equally likely to accept all ideas at all times. Underlying political beliefs and ideologies predispose some individuals to accept, and others to reject, a given idea or opinion. This is one reason that opinions are so diverse in America. Ironically, however, over time the idea market may work to erode such differences. The operation of the idea market in the United States continually exposes individuals to concepts and information originating outside their own region, class, or ethnic community. It is this steady exposure that over time leads members of every social group to acquire at least some of the ideas and perspectives embraced by the others. Given continual exposure to the ideas of other strata, it is virtually impossible for an group to resist some modification of its own beliefs.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:01:28 PM new
For example, we saw earlier in this chapter that factors such as race, gender, and education level seem to produce differences in political perspective. Interestingly, however, among people who report that they spend a great deal of time reading newspapers and watching television news (and thus are most exposed to the national flow of political information and ideas, differences of opinion are reduced rather than increased. For example, blacks who have high levels of exposure to national news media have political views closer to thos of white Americans than do blacks who obtain their information and ideas primarily from media that cater exclusively to black audiences.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:03:59 PM new
Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that freedom of expression could produce enormous pressure for conformity. He called this pressure tyranny of the majority and warned that it was one of the worst forms of tyranny because it permitted no escape. Thus, rather that see all differences and conflicts of opinion in America as a problem, a certain measure of difference may be an indication taht American politics continues to be healthy and vigorous.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:07:19 PM new
During the past three decades, the cheif vehicle through which liberal intellectuals and professionals have advanced their ideas has been the "public interest group," and institution taht relies heavily upon voluntary contributions of time, effort, and interest on the parts of its members. Through groups like Common Cause, the National Organzation for Women, the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and Physicians for Social Responsibility, intellectuals and professionals have been able to use their organizational skills and educational resouces to develop and promote ideas.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:08:32 PM new
Rev. Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Christian Coalition. Religion is a dominant influence on the political opinions of many Americans.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:12:14 PM new
Journalist and author Joe Queenan has correctly observed that although political ideas can erupt spontaneously, they almost never do. Instead, he says,
issues are usually manufactured by tenured professors and obscure employees of think tanks .... It is inconceivable that the American people, all by themselves, could independently arrive at the conclusion that the depletion of the ozone layer poses a dire threat to our national well-being, or that an immediate, across-the-board cut in the capital-gains tax is the only thing that stands between us and the economic abyss. The American people do not have that kind of sophistication. They have to have help.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:13:32 PM new
Picture Caption
Most of the low-ranking IRS employees who process tax forms by hand are women, predominantly from minority groups.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:15:13 PM new
In 1906, Congress passed the New Meat Inspection Act, which required that all meat intended for interstate commerce meet ferderal health standards. This photo shows a Chicago slaughterhouse immediately following the passage of the act.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:18:52 PM new
Deregulation
The deregulation movement actually began under Presidents Ford and Carter. Their accomplishments include the Securities Act Amendment of 1975, the Railroad Revitalization Act of 1976, the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, the Staggers Rail Deregulation Act of 1980, and the Motor Carrier Act of 1980.
Although this cutback did not have any significant effect on the total budget of the federal government, because the regulatory agencies staff and therefore severe reductions in the level and vigor of regulatory activity by the federal government.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:21:26 PM new
In 1993, President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore criticised the vast number of federal regulations, pointing especially to regulations on purchasing everything from insect repellent as "outrageous" rules that wasted taxpayers' money. Despite the president's rhetoric, it has been the Republicans who have sought most vigorously to cut the number of regulations.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:28:09 PM new
>Nixon got us into China.
Correction -- Nixon did not get us into China! China had had enough of the Soviet Union's no-help at all and had turned to the West for help already. Nixon just did a follow-up visit. As a highest-level of State to make a visit there, he did show the Chinese how interested in relations with China were by the West, however.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:28:19 PM new
Other waves of government regulation are more political in origin. the president may owe to an interest group or a sector of the economy a particular debt that can best be met by adding or subtracting a regulatory policy. A third reason is morality. A number of examples have already been given of ferderal and state regulations aimed at "criminalizing" conduct deemed immoral-taxes on alcohol and tobacco products, for example. Moreover, there are signs that more morals based regulation may be forthcoming, because morality is perhaps the strongest motivation regarding regulations on abortion, drug sales, AIDS testing, smoking in public, labeling foods, etc.
Efficiency is a fourth reason for changes in regulation of the marketplace, because competition usually forces companies to be more efficient. For example, although many Americans believe that competition happens naturally when companies are left alone, they have also historically supported "anti-trust" regulation to force certain companies to be more competitive by prohibiting them from eliminating their competition through acquisition or collusive deals to control prices. A fifth reason for regulation is pure and simple convenience. Americans are quick to say "there ought to be a law" when people places, or things stand in their way or add to their risk of injury.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:30:52 PM new
Most of the time it is difficult to draw a clear line between regulations aimed at eliminating injuries and inconveniences. But these are practical matters, and regulations vary according to how many people feel a regulation will have the desired practical consequences. Finally, a sixth reaons for regulation is equity, such as when a government program seeks to reduce racial discrimination in the workplace.
posted on January 21, 2003 03:33:15 PM new
We The People
An Introduction to American Politics
Written By BENJAMIN GINSBERG, THEODORE J. LOWI, MARGARET WEIR.
Published in New York.
Copyright 1997 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
First Edition
