Quick, Efficient, or Democratic?
You have likely seen that when it comes to legislation at the top of the federal government, a bill can become a law fairly quickly. However, the time it takes for that law to be implemented is often a much longer period of time. Part of this is because it is up to the agencies to interpret and implement the law (discretion) as they see fit, and that can often take much longer.
If you had the ability to change this process, would you? Why or why not? Be specific about what you would change or why you wouldnt make changes. Include real examples to support your position.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Streamlining Legislation Implementation: Balancing Speed, Efficiency, and Democratic Principles
Introduction
The legislative process in the United States is often criticized for its inefficiencies, particularly when it comes to the implementation of laws enacted by Congress. While a bill can be passed relatively quickly, the subsequent process of interpreting and executing the law can take much longer due to agency discretion and administrative hurdles. This essay argues for a reform of the current implementation process, emphasizing the need to balance efficiency with democratic principles.
Rationale for Change
The Problem of Bureaucratic Delay
One of the most significant issues with the current system is the bureaucratic delay that often accompanies the implementation of new laws. For example, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed in 2010, took several years to fully implement due to the complex regulations requiring interpretation by various agencies. As noted in critiques of the ACA, these delays led to confusion and uncertainty among both providers and consumers, undermining the law’s intended benefits.
Preserving Democratic Principles
While efficiency is important, any changes must also respect democratic principles. A purely expedited process could foster an environment where laws are implemented without sufficient public input or oversight. Therefore, reforms must strike a balance between speeding up implementation and ensuring that stakeholders have a say in how laws are enacted.
Proposed Changes
Streamlined Regulatory Processes
One potential reform involves streamlining the regulatory process for new laws. This could involve establishing clear timelines for agencies to develop regulations. For instance, setting a requirement that agencies must finalize regulations within a specified period—perhaps 180 days—could help ensure timely implementation.
Example: Environmental Protection Regulations
Consider environmental regulations. The Clean Air Act amendments passed in the 1990s faced years of delays in implementation due to extensive regulatory processes. If agencies had been mandated to follow a timeline, more timely actions could have been taken to address air quality issues.
Enhanced Public Engagement
To maintain democratic integrity while speeding up implementation, I propose enhancing public engagement during the regulatory process. Agencies could utilize technology to facilitate more efficient public comment periods, allowing citizens to contribute feedback more easily.
Example: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The FCC’s recent initiatives on net neutrality showcased how effectively public engagement can occur through online platforms. By utilizing similar strategies for all regulations, agencies can gather input quickly while still allowing for public discourse.
Conclusion
In summary, while the current legislative implementation process often suffers from bureaucratic delays that hinder effective governance, reforms can be enacted to improve efficiency without sacrificing democratic principles. By streamlining regulatory processes and enhancing public engagement, we can create a system that allows laws to be implemented more swiftly while still ensuring that stakeholder voices are heard. Such changes would lead to a more responsive government that better serves its citizens and upholds democratic values.
