Expansion Of Democracy

There are many factors seen as threats to the United States’ welfare and democracy. More specifically, the expansion of presidential power has implications that are a threat to our democracy. The United States’ democracy is seen as a form of government in which all citizens participate equally—either directly or, through elected representatives. The founding fathers also incorporated John Locke’s idea that the duty of the government is to protect the natural rights—life, liberty, and property—of individuals (Powell). Yet, presidents attempt to redefine what a democracy is. But, their way of redefining a democracy could ultimately result in an oligarchy, or a dictatorship. Our system was set up to have the ability to guard against such concentrations …show more content…
Bush took unconstitutional actions with excuse it was for the “War on Terror” after the 9/11 incidents. He was a strong advocate for the passage of the Patriot Act, which he used to justify the mass surveillance of private phone calls. Above all, Bush “did not to comply with more than 750 provisions of laws concerning national security and disclosure… And the administration has claimed that the president’s war powers give him the authority to detain people indefinitely and deny them access to lawyers and the courts, a policy that it would later be forced to modify in response to legal challenges” (Kakutani). Bush justified his questionable actions that violated Americans’ rights by claiming he did it to protect the well being of the American people and to protect the nation from any potential terrorist …show more content…
Members of Congress are held more accountable than presidents. This accountability improves democracy because under a democracy, citizens elect representatives to advocate and be the voice for them. If a politician is held accountable for their actions, they will make sure they represent their constituents and propose adequate laws. The president is not able to make efficiently make decisions since he is not faced with collective action problems. He is not representing a specific group of individuals because “...Presidents want to control the bureaucracy. While legislators eagerly delegate their powers to administrative agencies, presidents are driven to take charge. They do not care about all agencies equally…they might often choose not to use their capacity for administrative control” (Kernell & Smith, 212) and ultimately let their favored groups use it when they deem necessary or when it benefits them. Presidents have their own agenda that they prioritize over agendas people in Congress