Two Questions

Posted: September 4th, 2013

Two Questions

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Question 1

The current event in the U.S concerned with public policy that is of special interest to me is the policy of same-sex marriage. The legitimization of same-sex marriage in the United States raised eyebrows from all over the world due its controversial impact on citizens and even people in the global spectrum. Therefore, it managed to satisfy the proponents who believe that gay people should also have the same matrimonial rights, as the heterosexuals and that refuting such a policy would be no less than stigmatization. However, those against the policy deem it as a negative intrusion to the traditional belief of marriage that should be strictly between a man and a woman. According to opponents, there should be no compromise in such a unity since it will cause bleakness in future marriages. The same-sex marriage policy, which has been going through a situation of push and pulls since 1969, was finally endorsed by the current U.S president; Barrack Obama on 11^th may 2012. On the other hand, the policy has not been accepted by states such as North Carolina that advocates for a ban in the notion.

In as much as the same-sex policy is a form of democracy for gay people in America there is no doubt that it still has its constraints in the society. Under the umbrella of democracy, every American citizen has the right to relate with any other person in the society, whether male or female. If two people of the same sex have compassion for each and share a personal relationship, it is their right to have freedom of expression as long as they do not tamper with the comfort of the others. If they want to commit for a certified long-term relationship, they should be consented because they are also citizens. However, the marriage institution as traditionally known will soon disintegrate. It will lose its special meaning with the high divorce rates adding salt to the wounds. Marriage for procreation is under threat, and the more gay marriages there are, the less the procreation and the more the vacuum in this basic unit of society. Proponents argue that there is nothing as traditional marriage because the latter has been corrupted by other immoral practices such as polygamy and presence of concubines nullifying the supported monogamy of heterosexuals. However, traditional marriage is based on beliefs and values that have been inculcated in the society’s mind overtime.

Proponents argue that gay marriage is not a religious rite per se but religious leaders are only state mandated to perform the ceremony. However, the ideology that has been practical for ages is that procreation should be a product of marriage. Procreation can only happen in the harmony of a man and a woman. If same-sex marriages rise rapidly, the children adopted will have that as an example, and no one will have the power to criticize them if their future will be dominated by homosexuality. It is fair that same-sex policy has liberated the gay people from the bondage of stigma, but morality will be at stake in as far as a long-term benefit to the whole of America is concerned.

Question 2

The three presidents in the U.S since 1900 that have triggered my interest with their policy formulation and implementations are former president George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and President Barrack Obama. Bill Clinton served the United States from 1993 to 2001, and one of his policies was the economic policy. The policy was based on America’s higher spending and taxes would be elevated. Clinton’s idea was that such a mechanism would create employment, promote investments, and boost the U.S economy. This was his economic plan whose implementation saw a radical rise in employment among citizens and the reduction of the federal deficit. He was also responsible for the admirable growth in GDP in 1994. His administration had an immense economic robust, and he left a legacy. However, he failed to provide universal healthcare coverage and his infidelity scandals ruined his esteemed reputation.

Former U.S president George Bush served America from 2001 to 2009 and in his administration; he formulated policies that worked on implementation, but others had adverse effects on America. In his economic policy, Bush introduced a tax cut act that was denied in congress for fear of social security, but he fought tooth and nail for its implementation. His idea was that the surplus from the budget should be returned to the citizens because it belonged to them and this was a good gesture for public consideration. However, it remained questionable that most of the average Americans did not receive the calculated tax relief. Overall, his intentions were to reduce the strain in the incomes of the citizens. He remained vigilant despite the negation by congress and organized several pubic forums to raise the awareness of the American citizens and solicit their support. On the other hand, there was a recession in his administration in 2007.This destabilized the economic status of America.

President Barrack Obama is the current running president in the U.S who began to serve since 2009. In his economic plan, Obama advocated for a tax cut among the middle class families in America and proposed a reduction on the budget deficits to spearhead economic growth. Taxes were to be higher only on well-paid families and attempted to reduce the mortgage crisis by the introduction of the Stop Fraud Act to magnify penalties on fraudulent mortgage brokers. However, the Obama economic plan seems to be loose because the rate of unemployment is still lingering at its peak and there is a risk of debt growth in Europe. The economy is weakening, and there are still no strategies to boost. President Obama might have majored on other policies such as health care at the expense of a restructured economy. Economists believe that Obama’s focus would have been at the economic pedestal to try to avert the recession that imposed a financial strain in the U.S. otherwise, he spoke for change at the beginning, and one of his new public policies is same-sex marriages in America.

References

Liveris, A. (2011). Make it in America: The case for re-inventing the economy. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

Pierceson, J., Piatti-Crocker, A., & Schulenberg, S. (2010). Same-sex marriage in the Americas: Policy innovation for same-sex relationships. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books.