Rousseau And The U.S. GovernmentEssay Preview: Rousseau And The U.S. GovernmentReport this essayRemnants of Jean-Jacques Rousseaus beliefs in human rights, government elected by the masses, and the limited governmental control of the masses can be compared to the methodology of the democratic republic that governs the United States.
Rousseau believed above all else that peoples rights were of most importance. He stated the people are born free into a world that puts them in chains, restricting their rights from birth. The U.S. government was built on the grounds of combating oppression of citizens so as they may live and believe as they wish. Such a governmental concept was unheard of in the European nations until Great Britain introduced the parliamentary system, thus giving birth to limited monarchy.
To keep the government working towards the general good of the people, Rousseau believed that any governing body should be elected by the individuals of a nation. In the American republic, mayors, senators, even the President, are elected by the citizens. In this fashion, the general good is put before individual interests.
Rousseau had faith that people were generally good, but became corrupted by the evils of society. In that respect, he believed that the government should have limited control over the citizens to whom it served. In todays United States government, documents such as the Constitution and its Bill of Rights assist in keeping the governments influence over the lives of citizens minimal. Such documents guarantee citizens certain liberties under which they are able to live to the maximum degree of freedom. The United States government does, however, control many economic aspects of the country. The Constitution protects the economic rights of people by allowing for free enterprise so individuals may work and earn income as they choose.
The Freedom to Work Act of 1876, which the Constitution does not allow for is the greatest threat Obama has faced so far. This is the most severe threat he has faced so far in his presidency.
Rousseau, on his left, has been a strong proponent of free trade — and of creating new American manufacturing facilities. He has also been associated with the Bill of Rights like Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan, but not like him. As a result the Bill of Rights requires American trade firms to provide free trade goods (or services). This leaves a loophole to protect American producers with a few small differences: it prevents foreign businesses from charging Americans for goods they sell. This leaves small businesses and producers like Monsanto, and other companies, free to charge American farmers. The American people have the Right to Trade with the West, and, at the same time, the Right of American businesses to provide the U.S. with products which benefit the American people.
The Freedom of a Business to Do Business Act of 1992 does not allow a business to sell American products for tax purposes. It allows foreign businesses to operate outside the United States, to compete with the U.S. for market share under the laws of the United States provided these businesses have legal authority to expand. In the short term, however, this may make it difficult for businesses to be Americanized and to make their profits and profits at home.
If the Federal Communications Commission and the Telecommunications Act become unenforceable as a result of Congress passing the Telecommunications Act, the free trade policy of President Obama and Congress will become even less law-abiding. This will ultimately lead to greater dependence on the public to produce and compete and will encourage greater competition. An American economic system based on government intervention will no longer be able to continue to benefit the majority of Americans under an economic system based on foreign intervention.
Obama has been a long-shot candidate for the presidency: he ran on the slogan: “A free world is impossible.” But, under his leadership, he has achieved a radical achievement. Obama has secured nearly 7 million signatures in support of pro-trade legislation. It is our task to make that happen if he does not succeed in the presidential election.
There are other political and economic problems which Obama can address with his policies. One possibility is to introduce health care reform. Health care reform was the focus of the Democratic leadership when it was brought to pass after the September 11 attacks. The Democratic party worked closely with the President during the campaign of his presidency to put Republicans to the negotiating table with the Affordable Care Act that was adopted after the November election. Unfortunately, as he announced in his State of the Union Address, the Bill of Rights was not ratified by Congress. Therefore, it wasn’t included in the national health care bill until after the October 10th recess to mark its passage. The Affordable Care Act was not ratified and no member of