American Politics

Instructions:
~ Must be 6 pages double spaced
~ Times Roman Font, size 12
~ Provide proper foot-/end-notes, and a bibliography. By proper, I mean that your foot-/end-notes will be individually and sequentially numbered, and will follow the format known as Chicago/Turabian style. This is the style to be used for both foot-, end-notes and also for the separate bibliography. If this style is not clear, either click on (if I can link it up) or type in one or both of the following URLs, which cover the topic quite exhaustively:
http://www.essaystart.com/Documentation_Style/chicago_Turabian.htm
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch10_s1-0007.html
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/ (

~ Please note that Chicago/Turabian style allows for two citation systems: notes and bibliography and in-text author/date citations and reference list. The system I require and the only one I will accept as correct in this essay is notes and bibliography.
~ The foot-/ end-notes and bibliography for your essay, do not count as part of the 6 pages.

Essay Question, 6 pages-double space

Throughout our overview of Congress, questions have been continuously raised concerning the actual representation provided by that body. In what ways would, or could you argue that Congress is and is not a representative body? (Think demographics, as in, “us” versus” them”.) What factors bear primary responsibility for this situation? If you were charged with reforming Congress to provide greater representation of the people in all their glorious diversity, what specific changes would you introduce into our system, and why? How would you level the playing-field, in fact (not just in the fiction that you have been given as the “truth”).

Essay Guidelines:
~ This guide is meant to be something along the lines of a loose set of guidelines and hints. Mostly, it is meant to supplement the latest edition of the primary textbook, which seems to have cut back much that was of importance in terms of how things really work in our government.

As the question is largely a conceptual one (at least for the latter half anyway), so some hints. First of all, cover both sides of the question: how is congress representative, and how is it not. Do we elect these people? Do we have much of a choice (15 brands of detergent, but only two “serious” candidates for most elected positions), and why? Do most of these clowns (excuse me “serious” candidates) look like us in terms of wealth, race, age, gender, and religiosity? Why and/or why not?
When we talk about leveling the playing field, we mean: what if you wanted to run, and really have a chance? Should we make you prostitute yourself to “corporate America” for funding for your campaign? Who the heck are you supposed to be representing anyway? ExxonMobil, PG&E, Intel, GM or your constituents? Most democratic countries in the world frown upon bribery, but our system seems to be built on it. Why do we see George Republican and Joe Democrat only on tv? What about Billy-Bob Greens or Fred Peace & Freedom?
How would you fix the system? Don’t hesitate to look to Europe for some tips on how countries striving for democratic representation have changed the system to reach for it. While none of these countries is in any way perfect, this has not deterred them from striving to be better. Shouldn’t we do the same? I almost forgot to mention that Parenti (Democracy for the Few) is also an excellent source for ideas about how to render our system better (i.e. more democratic and egalitarian.) Last hint here, check out Public Finance, as opposed to corporate bribery, and remember that you get what you pay for, not what they buy up.