The Road to the White House, 2012

Introduction Voter turnout is an important aspect of a free and fair election in a democratic system of governance. A high voter turnout is deemed to be a sign of a healthy democracy (Lee 32). Even though America is one of the leading democracies in the world, its voter turnout has historically remained very low. In the last four decades, the participation of citizens in general elections has been steadily declining due to a myriad of socio-political factors. This paper highlights the measures that can be taken to improve voter turnout in the United States.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Road to the White House, 2012 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Low voter turnout in the US is attributed to the emergence of candidate-oriented campaigns, inadequate electoral competition and the decline in the popularity of party politics (Green and Gerber 66). The rise of a hypercritical press has also contributed to the l ow voter turnout. Since these factors are difficult to address, more citizens are likely to shy away from the electoral process in the future. However, the following measures can help in motivating citizens to participate in elections. First, the current electoral process should be replaced with a proportional representation system. The current system discourages voters from participating in elections since a candidate can be declared the winner even if he wins in fewer states than his competitor (Green and Gerber 111). A candidate can also be declared the winner despite garnering fewer votes than his competitor. This happened in 2000 when Bush was declared the winner despite having fewer votes than Gore. These weaknesses demonstrate that the voters have a limited ability to select their leaders through the voting system. A propositional representation system will eliminate these weaknesses by assuring the voters that their votes will be the ultimate determinant of the countryâ€⠄¢s future leadership. Second, some laws that govern the voting process should be changed. Concisely, the voting hours should be extended to allow more people to participate. Most eligible voters fail to vote due to work commitments. Similarly, conducting elections on weekdays often discourage the working class from participating. Consequently, high voter turnout can be achieved by conducting the elections on weekends. Third, the campaign period should be reduced. Traditionally, lengthy campaigns are expected to give voters adequate time to evaluate the candidates. In the contrary, long campaigns divert the voters’ attention from campaign activities. Empirical studies reveal that â€Å"most voters lack the psychological preparation that facilitates close attention to campaigns when the Election Day is still months away† (Lee 98). Besides, voters are likely to lose interest in campaigns that last for a very long time. Hence, long campaigns produce an uninformed electora te, thereby discouraging participation in elections.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Third, the voter registration process should be reformed. In most states, the registration process is often stopped, at least, two weeks prior to the Election Day. However, most citizens are hardly aware of the registration deadline. Besides, some voters find it difficult to register due to time constraints. Consequently, the registration deadline should be extended. Registration should be allowed on the Election Day in order to give more citizens the opportunity to participate. The registration process can also be made automatic. For instance, the government can use the list of registered citizens (holders of national identification cards) to create the voters register. Fourth, the media can help in motivating citizens to participate in elections (Green and Gerber 132). The print and electronic medi a play an integral role in informing the public about campaign events such as presidential debates, as well as, the policies of each candidate. However, the media has systematically reduced its coverage of political activities in favor of commercial adverts. The electorate is likely to be well informed if the coverage of political events is increased. Thus, the voters will have an incentive to vote. Fifth, civic education should be improved in the United States. Most citizens are not aware of the importance of participating in elections. Thus, comprehensive civic educational programs should be used to sensitize the citizens on the benefits of participating in elections. Finally, conducting opinion polls prior to the elections should be prohibited. Traditionally, opinion polls are used to predict the results of the general elections (Lee 122). Voter turnout tends to be low when the polls predict a landslide victory. This is because the citizens tend to believe that their votes will n ot change the results. Prohibiting polling activities during the campaigns will make it difficult to predict the results. Thus, more citizens are likely to participate in the elections. Collaborative Essay The Road to the White House, 2012, by All of Us The main issues in the 2012 presidential elections include economic growth, unemployment and tax policy (Gallup). Additionally, the voters are concerned about the management of the country’s public debt. National security and foreign policies have also featured prominently in the presidential campaigns. The Republicans have been criticizing President Obama’s economic and energy development policies since the beginning of the campaigns. Obama intends to extend the tax cuts that were introduced by Bush’s administration. The tax cuts are expected to benefit citizens whose income is less than $ 250,000. However, the president has promised to end the tax cuts that are currently being enjoyed by the wealthy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Road to the White House, 2012 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Romney, on the other hand, intends to reform the tax system by introducing a new set of tax cuts. For instance, he has proposed a 20% reduction on personal income tax rate. He has also proposed a reduction in corporate tax by 5 percentage points, as well as, the elimination of the estate and capital gain taxes. In 2011, Obama focused on pursuing green energy development policies. However, in early 2012 he made a dramatic change in his energy development policy by deciding to exploit all energy sources rather than focusing on clean energy. Romney, on the other hand, favors the development of non-renewable energy sources such as oil and gas. His energy policy is based on the premise that the non-renewable energy sector can create more jobs and significantly improve energy supply in America. The Republican presidential primarie s began in 2011 with several candidates competing for the party’s nomination. By February 2012, there were only four candidates left in the competition. They included Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum. Romney was nominated as the party’s presidential candidate in May, after winning the support of 1,144 delegates. President Obama was nominated as the presidential candidate for the Democratic Party in September after he won the support of more than 2778 delegates. The Republicans held their national convention in August 2012, whereas the Democrats held their convention in September 2012. During these conventions, the parties focused on criticizing each other. The parties seemed to have adopted similar political values. Consequently, the conventions produced political strategies which were more or less the same. The Republicans focused on highlighting the weaknesses of their opponents by describing them as people who discourage individual success and free enterprise (Harris and Vandehei). The Republicans also described their opponents as people who prefer the European-style welfare state. The Democrats adopted a similar approach by describing their opponents as people who look alike and have little concern for the less fortunate. The Democrats also accused their opponents of having the intentions to control Americans’ sexual and reproductive freedom. Most voters find it difficult to make a decision concerning the candidate to vote for due to the similarities in the policies and political strategies that have been adopted by the two parties. Since the beginning of the campaigns, the candidates have focused on popularizing their policies in order to win voters’ support. Romney was deemed to be the winner of the first presidential debate. However, Obama was considered to be the winner of the second and the third debates (Gallup).Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the third debate, Obama won the support of the audience by clearly specifying his positions on foreign policy and his past achievements. Generally, Obama has received favorable ratings on healthcare, energy and taxes. Romney, on the other hand, has received positive ratings on economic policy, as well as, his stand on federal budget deficit. The results of the 2012 presidential election will be determined primarily by the candidates’ ability to articulate the socio-economic issues that the country is grappling with. Works Cited Gallup. This Week’s Top Stories. Gallup, 27 Oct. 2012. Web. Green, Donald and Alan Gerber. Get Out the Vote: How to Increase Voter Turnout. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print. Harris, John and Vandehei Jim. Two Conventions Tell the Tale of 2012. Politico, 7 Sep. 2012. Web. Lee. American Voter Turnout: an Institutional Perspective. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print. This essay on The Road to the White House, 2012 was written and submitted by user Remington Wilson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Bad Effects of Vitamin Excessive Intake Essays

Bad Effects of Vitamin Excessive Intake Essays Bad Effects of Vitamin Excessive Intake Essay Bad Effects of Vitamin Excessive Intake Essay Too much of a good thing is an adage that can apply to vitamins. The body needs vitamins to function properly, but high doses of certain vitamins can be toxic, especially fat soluble vitamins that the body stores for long periods of time. Water Soluble Vitamins Water-soluble vitamin toxicity is rare because the body does not store water-soluble vitamins and excess amounts are usually excreted in urine. Side effects associated with water-soluble vitamins occur due to intake of extremely high doses.Peripheral neuropathy, a nerve disorder that can cause numbness and pain in the extremities, is a possible side effect of too much vitamin B6, according to Merck. Medline Plus says more than 2,000mg of vitamin C a day is not recommended because it can upset the stomach and cause diarrhea. Vitamin A Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that supports vision, immunity, genes, growth, development and production of red blood cells. Vitamin A from food sources is not harmful in large amounts but may cause skin discolorations.However, supplemental vitamin A can be toxic. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, acute vitamin A toxicity is rare but can cause nausea, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, dizziness, dry skin and swelling of the brain. Side effects of chronic vitamin A toxicity include dry and itchy skin, loss of appetite, headache, swelling of the brain and bone and joint pain. Vitamin D Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that the body needs for bone formation, calcium absorption and immune function.Too much vitamin D can lead to hypervitaminosis D, according to the Mayo Clinic. Side effects of hypervitaminosis D include calcium buildup, loss of appetite, renal failure, bone calcifications, weakness, nausea, vomiting, kidney stones, confusion and abnormal heart rhythms. Side effects of too much vitamin D are treated by discontinuing supplementation, restricting calcium intake and, in severe cases, hospitalization. Vitamin E Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that fights free radicals, harmful substances that damage the body.According to the Merck Manual, too much vitamin E can cause bleeding. Medline Plus also mentions that the American Heart Association made a statement in 2004 that more than 400 IU of vitamin E a day may increase the risk of death. Multivitamins Multivitamins are made up of a variety of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins and are often prescribed for people who need extra nutrients or are unable to get enough vitamins through diet alone. According to Medline Plus, various ingredients in a multivitamin can be toxic in high doses.Side effects of too much multivitamin include cloudy or frequent urination, dry and cracked lips, eye irritation, sensitivity to light, abnormal heartbeat, pain or weakness in joints, muscles and bones, cognitive and mood changes, itchiness, rash and hair loss. Intestinal side effects of too much multivitamin are constipation, dia rrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Effects include(VA ) * Angular cheilitis * Birth defects * Coarse bone growths * Excessive skin dryness/peeling (desquamation) * Hair loss Intracranial hypertension (see  Idiopathic intracranial hypertension[1]) * Liver  problems * Premature  epiphyseal  closure[2][3][4][5][6] * Reduced  bone mineral density  that may result in  osteoporosis * Skin discoloration Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include: * Dehydration * Vomiting * Decreased  appetite * Irritability * Constipation * Fatigue * Muscle weakness * Metastatic calcification  of the soft tissues[2] An excess of vitamin D causes abnormally high  blood  concentrations of  calcium  (hypercalcemia), which can cause overcalcification of the  bones,  soft tissues,  heart  and  kidneys.It can also damage the kidney and produce  kidney stones[citation needed]. In addition,hypertension  can result. [3]  Ongoing research indicates antagonism with oil sol uble  menatetrenone, MK-4, an internally transported natural form of  vitamin K2, which is associated with bone formation and calcium retention in the bones. [citation needed] Hypervitaminosis D symptoms appear several months after excessive doses of vitamin D are administered.In almost every case, a low calcium diet combined with  corticosteroid  drugs will allow for a full recovery within a month. - Symptoms and presentation[edit] * Blotchy skin * Increased bleeding * Increased  triglycerides * Decreased production of thyroid hormones * Decreased activity of  vitamin K * Increased hemorrhaging from aspirin or anti-coagulant medications * 29. Hypervitaminosis K Causes excess clotting of the blood leading to thrombosis and potential sudden death should clots form in brain or heart