On top of that our discussion in class got me thinking. We talked about whether or not the president should make decisions for the people, and there was an argument about Americans being uninformed. I wonder what you guys think, just because someone is uninformed does that make what they want any less important? Our government is supposed to actualize what the people want, but is it okay to ignore them if their wishes are unbacked by knowledge?
Saturday, December 4, 2010
American Action, or Lack There of In Japan
A commonality in American history is a supposed stance of disapproval that is never quite followed through upon. We saw it in WWI, with a neutrality marked by immense economic and material-based support of the allies, and we see it again in the early makings of WWII. Though highly against Japanese actions in Asia we continued to support them heavily. Until 1941 we continued to provide Japan with war time essentials. This was accompanied by America protesting Japanese action, and threats of military build up. What I don't understand is why our nation seems so unlikely to ever truly stand against an action we disagree with. True we might protest or publicly resent a nation's decisions, but it's our trade that ultimately supports the action.
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I think it is clear that the authors of the constitution did not completely trust the common man (or woman). For example, the Electoral College, the voting requirements were originally very strict, in all branches of our government the office holders can be removed from office by other members of our government. Of course, this is a time when information was not as available as it is today, and this mistrust can at least in part be justified. I think yes, the President should act in what he or she thinks is in the nations best interest, even when opposed to public opinion. This is true in any profession: should a dentist leave a rotted tooth alone because the patient does not want a painful procedure? Should businesses charge less for its products than it costs them to produce the products because we want prices to be lower? I think any wise decision is wise because it is an informed decision.
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