Ellen+Brotherson

Political Tolerance Political tolerance is a very hard issue for me. I believe that civic problems come from a deterieration of moral values. If we, as a country and government, get rid of moral codes and laws then what is left? The basic moral laws of our country were found at the beginning of our government and should remain the basis. I do believe in giving citizens the freedom of thought, speech, religion, and so forth, but not when moral laws are broken down and transgressed. I would not allow an atheist to speak in a public school setting because religion is not allowed to be discussed in a school situation. I would not allow a communist or a terrorist to speak in a school setting either. I would not allow this because I would want to protect students from certain ideas that could be unintentionally harmful. When I am compared with others I am much more likely to protect standards and worry that the government is too tolerant of behaviors that threaten society. I believe in liberty and freedom, but what is the cost when it harms people?

Political Trust a) I just turned eighteen which means I can legally go to jail because I am an adult, but I can also vote in this year's November elections. A whole new world has opened up to me in the political spectrum and I am proud to be able to participate in my country's politics, make a difference, and fight for what I believe in. I do have a lot of trust in the way the government works. Each branch of government is there to check and balance the other branch, so that no branch of government becomes too strong. I have a lot of trust in Congress because the people elected to Congress are generally elected because they reflect what the state wants. If I voted for the president of the United States and the candidate I wanted was not elected then my political trust would go down because that was not the person I wanted in office. A lot of political trust depends on who is in power and what they are doing with that power. I have immense trust in the political party that I favor because I agree with most of its policies and ideas. The Supreme Court is chosen by the President, so I generally have a good political trust in the supreme court. The Supreme Court decides what laws are constitutional and unconstitutional. This power is huge and I have a pretty good trust in that system. b) My trust in the "political actors" of government all depends on who has been elected and if they represent what I believe. At the moment, President Obama and Vice President Biden are great men who have been elected by a majority of our country. I honor those who are elected into office, but that does not mean I always agree with their ideas and policies. would say they are doing a fairly good job after one year in office, but I do not agree with everything they have done. For the state of North Dakota, I feel like Earl Pomeroy, Kent Conrad, and Byron Dorgan do a fairly good job of fighting for what the people of this state want and need. The state I live in does not necessarily reflect all of my beliefs, but for the most part I have a strong political trust in them. I feel like I have more political trust in the government and its officers than most people in the United States. It seems to me that a lot of people do not always agree with the system and they do no often have trust in that system. I have a lot of trust and feel like the government will do what its people wants.

Political Socialization My first political memory is the Bush vs. Gore campaign and then the Bush vs. Kerry campaign. Both of these were hot button topics in my house and with my relatives. My parents follow the elections very closely and learn about each candidates different policies. I often remember sitting around the dinner table or in my parents room during a national debate and asking them questions about what I was hearing. My other major political memory is of the Twin Towers falling down. I was in third grade and my teacher turned on the T.V. I was so shocked at what I was seeing, I don't think I even knew what the twin towers were! The two most major agents of socialization that have impacted me are my family and my religion. My family and my religion are the most important things in my life. What my family believes and what my religious beliefs are definitely impact my political ideas and associations. Political events that have impacted me are the fall of the two towers, the war in Iraq, the elections of George Bush and Barak Obama, and all of the historical events I have learned about through my education. Yes, they all differentiate who I am and what my beliefs are. Many things help me understand my political thinking such as my parents, my teachers, and myself.

Ideology My political ideology is a conservative Republican. There are a few very sparse issues that I feel liberal in. Most social and economic issues define me as conservative such as gay/lesbian marriage, abortion, high unemployment, immigration. Many things have impacted my issue preferences such as my religion, my relatives, my education, the media and many other things.

Political Efficacy My level of political efficacy is pretty high. I feel that if I put in an effort to participate in the government and to use government programs then my external efficacy will be increased. I already have a pretty high internal efficacy and I feel like I will do my civic duty to the national government and to state legislatures. My external efficacy may be a little lower because I have seen the National Government not respond to its citizens.