Essay assignment Rather than having essay questions for the quizzes, you will answer essay questions (of your choosing) at home and submit them for grading through a link on TITANium, and checked for...

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A.
    The citizens of California participate in the political process not just by voting but also through the various mechanisms of direct democracy: recall, referendum, and initiative. Recall is a provision in California that allows voters to unseat elected or appointed officials of the state government between scheduled elections. The campaigners for recall disseminate a petition which contains the reasons for the removal of the officeholder. This is followed by the collection of a certain number of voter signatures within a given period of time. The recall is successful if a majority of voters agree to vote in its favor. The number of required signatures depends on the office in question. The newly vacant office is then filled either through an election or through an appointment.
    It is comparatively easier to recall elected state officials in California than in the other seventeen states where the mechanism of recall is legally possible. Other states require a significantly higher number of signatures and incontrovertible proofs of malfeasance and co
uption to oust an elected or appointed state official. However, even in California, instances where officials are actually removed are extremely rare, with Governor Gray Davis being the only state-level official to have ever been recalled. This suggest that the principle of recall is more of a last resort than a conventional practice.
    If the principle of recall is implemented at the federal level, it will pose serious logistical challenges. Some people argue that the methods of direct democracy are akin to mob rule. The United States Constitution does not allow for direct democracy as the framers of the Constitution feared that it could lead to majoritarianism. However, if the mechanism of recall was adapted by the United States, it would make the executive
anch of the government more accountable to the people of the country.
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    The existence of a law which gives the citizens the power to remove elected state and federal officials due to co
uption or malfeasance would give a voice to voter discontent and improve the democratic functioning of the government. It would also balance the constitutional problems and difficulties of impeachment or the Twenty-fifth Amendment as cu
ently there is no legal recourse for citizens who are dissatisfied with the presidency. An unpopular presidency need not be tolerated for four years before any rectification can be ca
ied out. The decisions of the executive
anch which impinge on human rights, undermine the protection of LGBT interests, stoke racial tension and discriminate against religious minorities need to be cross-examined and challenged. The mechanism of recall, if established, can add to the system of checks and balances in the constitution. The people can make decisions pertaining to the moral and mental fitness of a president who has lost the confidence of the American people. The mechanism of recall could work in tandem “with impeachment and the Twenty-fifth Amendment, as a part of an “electoral triad”—the ultimate no-confidence weapon, one that might never have to be deployed, but a useful addition, at least in principle, to the arsenal of democratic last resort” (Frank).
2.
    Both interest groups and political parties are created by individuals who share similar views, ideas and goals. Like political parties, interest groups serve the purpose of linking the citizens of a country with their government. They both employ lo
ying techniques to actively pursue their social, political or economic agenda. They both try to involve corporations and influential private citizens to support their cause and promote their ideas. Fund-raising and campaigning, in both the real and the virtual world- are common practices to garner financial support. They both try to assist the citizens in making informed decisions about a policy and to gain a better understanding on specific issues.
    Interest groups might be similar to political parties in certain respects but differ from them in other important aspects. Political parties focus on a
oader range of issues and aim at coming to power through the electoral process. Interest groups, on the other hand, have a na
ower focus and do not have their members running for office. Political parties try to support a candidate and win elections so that they can legislate or modify governmental policy. An interest group may involve itself in elections by supporting a candidate who is likely to heed to its demands and advance its agenda after attaining office. Certain single-interest groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) have become highly powerful and have the potential to influence elections.
    While the US has a...