e d g e
- education for disability and gender equity
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INTRODUCTION
Government is a powerful force in the lives of every American. Each day, American citizens interact with the government, often without thinking about it. We pay taxes to the government, and use services provided and/or funded by these tax dollars, such as mail delivery, public buses, interstate highways, schools, and law enforcement. Medicines, automobiles, some foods, and many other products must meet standards set by the government. We shop and work in businesses which must comply with various government regulations, such as those related to safety, building codes, labor practices, and fairness. Think about what you did this week. In what ways did the government affect your life this week? The relationship between the government and the people is not a one-way street. The government affects us, but we also affect the government. In a democracy, government is supposed to be responsive to the citizens. Universal suffrage (the right of all adults to vote in elections) is an important ingredient in any democracy. Fully realizing this ideal took our nation almost 200 years, as different groups won the right to vote. At this point in U.S. history, universal suffrage is fairly well-established. There have been a few recent exceptions, such as the 2000 presidential election in which poorly-designed ballots and other irregularities deprived some Florida citizens of their right to vote. Also, physical and communication barriers still make voting difficult for some Americans with disabilities. In principle, the idea of "one person, one vote" means that all citizens have the same opportunity to shape political outcomes. In reality, different citizens have different levels of influence on government decision-making. There are several ways that some people in society develop more political power than others. These ways include:
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