Government Interview

            When we first received the assignment to ask someone ten opinion questions about our government, I decided I would interview my mom. However, my mom, who is one of the most intelligent people I know, insisted that she did not know enough about our government and constitution to even answer my questions. Although this surprised me, I hardly think my mom’s situation is rare. There are certainly many Americans who could not describe more than a couple amendments, and yet still contribute to society and take part in the voting process. I just thought this was interesting.

            So, I asked my dad instead. I learned that although he used to be a registered Democratic, he is now an Independent. He believes that the government should stay involved in the social services, such as healthcare, social security, and insurance, as well as gasoline and energy issues. To him, the most important political issues are healthcare, unemployment, and our domestic infrastructure.  If a Presidential election is approaching, my dad says he prepares by watching debates, reading the newspapers, and by doing research to find out how each candidate voted on past issues. He also thinks it is important to become aware about the current issues in order to better understand what each candidate is saying.  When asked whether he thinks multiple people should be in charge (i.e. three presidents), my dad said no; he believes that that would prevent any progress because it would be nearly impossible to reach an agreement. If he had the power to change an Amendment, my dad would edit the “right to bear arms” one because he thinks it is outdated.