Abstract This paper examines the actual impact of the VotingAct of 1965 through an analysis of the theoretical aspects of the vote, the historical background of the issue, the steps that led to the signing of the Act, the controversies surrounding the issue, and its immediate consequences. The paper shows how the Act of 1965 was an important and decisive legislative creation of the US Congress.
Outline:
Theoretical Aspects of the Vote Historical Background
The Steps and Controversies of the Voting Rights Act from 1965 Consequences
Conclusion
From the Paper "The struggle for civil rights in America was marked throughout its history by numerous important events which in the end achieved the equality that the US Constitution defined in the 18th century. However, it was an uphill battle which demanded sacrifice and continuous activism. In order to have a more comprehensive view on the actual impact of the Voting Act of 1965 it is important to consider some theoretical aspects of the vote, the historical background of the issue, the steps that led to the signing of the Act, the controversies surrounding the issue, as well as its immediate consequences."
From the Paper "Voting has been a major issue for black Americans in this century, although the 15th Amendment, which was ratified in 1870, provides that neither the federal government nor any state shall deny the right to vote on account of race or color. It specifically authorized Congress to enforce its provisions by legislation.. Nevertheless, especially in the South, white people denied blacks the right to vote, using everything from literacy tests to physical harm. In 1965, however, the Voting Rights Act was passed, and it suspended in certain areas the use of literacy tests and similar devices as prerequisites to registration and voting and provided for the appointment of federal examiners to register persons who met valid state voting requirements.. This act was a departure from the acts of 1957- ... "
Abstract In the post-World War II period, American has undergone any number of often dramatic social transformations, many of which have focused on new demands for empowerment on the part of disparate minority groups such as African-Americans. Many theorists suggest that the "identity politics" of this era challenged the American establishment of elites in business, society and government as well as the military. The paper shows that this challenge was integral to the liberal agenda of the 1960s, an agenda that resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, banning discrimination in employment and public accommodations on the basis of race, religion, gender or national origin. It is the social transformation ushered in by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, with a specific focus on the impact of this and other Congressional Acts (e.g., the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the 1966 Metropolitan Area Redevelopment and Demonstration Cities Act), that is analyzed in this paper from the perspective of C. Wright Mills.
From the Paper "The 1960s and the 1970s brought permanent, even revolutionary, changes in American race and social relations. Henretta, et al (1997), for example, state that Jim Crow segregation was overturned in less than a decade, and federal legislation ensured protection of Black Americans? basic civil rights. The enfranchisement of Blacks in southern states ended the political control by a lily-white Democratic party, and facilitate the political advancement of African-Americans and their increased visibility in local government positions and elected state and federal Congressional seats. Today, African-Americans hold or have held key posts - as city mayors, council members and aldermen or women, as governors, as Congresspersons and as Senators. Many (though perhaps hardly enough) have been appointed to the judiciary, to Cabinet-level posts in Washginton, DC, to positions in the State Department, or have reached high-ranking military ranks (including a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell). Other African-Americans have moved into the managerial and executive suites of corporate America, or into the worlds of academia, medicine, science, and the entertainment industry. However, Henretta, et al (1997), and Martin and Roberts (1990), as well as William Julius Wilson (1996), suggest that the advancement of African-Americans (and other minority groups) into the highest echelons of power, authority and influence has remained partial at best."
Abstract This paper examines the issue of racial gerrymandering in the U.S. The author provides examples of cases in which Democrats lost seats because of racial gerrymandering. Then, the author discusses the Voting Rights Act as amended by the Supreme Court.
From the paper:
"The Voting Rights Act allowed the U.S. attorney general (who was Nicholas Katzenbach at the time) to review voting practices and determine which states, counties, and political subdivisions were discriminating against nonwhite voters. Using rules set out in the act, the attorney general could identify those places that had a "test or device" (McWhirter, 1994) that limited voter registration as well as those places in which less than 50 percent of the voting-age residents were registered to vote in the 1964 presidential election. The act also allowed the attorney general to appoint voting examiners to go into these states, counties, or political subdivisions (which were mainly in the South) and register voters who met all requirements for registration other than the illegal test. The act also required that any changes in voting requirements in the areas that were affected by the act had to be approved by the attorney general. Chief Justice Warren found this to be within the power of Congress as well.
In 1970 the Voting Rights Act was amended. The Supreme Court reviewed the constitutionality of the act in the 1970 decision of Oregon v. Mitchell. As different sections of the act were being considered, the Court divided into different voting blocks. A unanimous Court ruled that Congress had the power to end literacy tests across the country. With a vote of eight to one, the Court accepted the idea that Congress could establish uniform standards for voter registration and absentee balloting. By a vote of five to four, the Court upheld the power of Congress to lower the voting age to 18 in all federal elections. By a vote of five to four, however, the Court ruled that Congress did not have the power under the Fifteenth Amendment to lower the voting age to 18 for state and local elections."
Abstract This paper examines the War Powers Act of 1973, which was passed by Congress in response to the massive deployment of American troops to Vietnam in the nineteen-sixties. This deployment had begun in 1965 in the aftermath of the passage of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution and had continued to escalate for four years. The paper shows that by 1969, more than five-hundred-thousand American soldiers were fighting in Southeast Asia and U.S. military commanders were demanding the deployment of two-hundred thousand additional troops.
Abstract The paper considers the chronological perspective of the march on Selma, Alabama in the context of the Civil Rights Movement and examines its influence at the time and for the future. The paper shows how the events that started with the first Selma march are essential in the history of the Civil Rights Movement because they resulted in the Voting Rights Act. The paper explains that this was a piece of legislation which increased, to a certain extent, the right of the African-American to go to the polls as well as the scope of democracy promoted by the US constitution.
From the Paper "The Civil Rights movement raised one of the most stringent matters for the American society in the 20th century in particular. Indeed, the issue of the equality between men of different race and color was a crucial matter of the 19th century especially from the perspective of the slavery institution which created the visible differentiation between white and black individuals. However, as the Civil Movement began to emerge and develop resistance movements against the practice of segregation, soon the society came to be attracted in the discussions related to the need for equality and honest and fair treatment of all individuals, without regard to sex or color (Jenkins, 1997)."
Abstract This paper is an historical description of the country of Malaysia during the year 1965 told in first person from the Prime Minister's point of view. It describes the political, economic and social situation in Malaysia at those times.
From the Paper "1965 is a time of change and revolution in South East Asia and as the Prime Minister of the newly formed Federation of Malaysia I have a challenge in front of me that needs to be faced with wisdom and innovation. For Malaysia to enter the modern age it must make alterations in its political, social and economic policies. We have been ruled by a colonial power for too long and must learn to survive and grow on our own. We must tackle our ethnic diversity, and restrain traditional enmities amongst our neighbors. My country needs to focus on scientific and industrial development and education instead of racial differences and old world values. Malaysia must become a united nation and move forward in the 20th century an example for others and a subject of pride for its people."
Tags: Malaysia, South, East, Asia, Prime, Minister, 1965, political, social, economical, 20th, century, colonial
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that voting fraud has always been a concern in U. S. elections. However, the writer points out that during the last few years, concerns over electronic voting and the possibility of fraud has sparked heated debates that continue today. The writer discusses the two different types of electronic voting systems, the optical scan system and the touch-screen system. The writer maintains that the success of the system of elections is based on three premises: the secrecy of the ballot, safeguards against fraud, and safeguards against voter intimidation. The writer concludes that, while criticism still echoes concerning electronic voting machines, butterfly ballots, chads and other twentieth century voting technology have all but disappeared.
From the Paper "Internet voting is the process by which a voter casts his/her ballot on a personal computer that then electronically sends the ballot to the election office. While this system has the greatest potential for making election more convenient and accessible, it also presents major concerns surrounding the verifiability and security given the overall vulnerability of the Internet environment. Most agree that Internet voting is far too risky for general implementation, however as advances in encryption and other security measures are made, Internet voting will likely become more prevalent. The Defense Department is leading the way in resolving Internet security measures with several experiments and pilot projects. For example, to improve voting opportunities of overseas military personnel, the Defense Department conduct an experiment called Voting Over the Internet Pilot Project during the election of 2000, and planned another called the Secure Electronic Registration and Voting Experiment during the 2004 election, however this project was cancelled before the 2004 election due to unresolved security issues."
Abstract This paper discusses and analyzes the topic of e-voting, or voting through ATM-like electronic terminals. It looks at the pros and cons of the election process moving into an electronic age and away from the "hanging chads." The writer also examines issues of security, such as hacking and vote count integrity.
From the Paper "The 2000 Presidential election and the fiasco in Florida's vote count were just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to voting in America. Today, voters are faced with more than punch cards. They are faced with "e-voting." What is e-voting? E-voting is a more practical way of voting by using electronic touch-screens or optical-scanning systems that record the vote when a voter touches the screen, clicks a mouse, or marks a ballot than can be optically scanned. The systems work electronically, and votes should be tallied almost instantaneously. The machines automatically show each office or item on the ballot as the voter enters their vote, and "If a voter makes a mistake, such as selecting two candidates for the same office, the computer points out this error and allows the voter to correct it" (Bonsor). These machines eliminate the inefficiencies of punch card and manual voting, and they are quicker for voters to use, so polling places can handle more voters in less time. In addition, they bring voting to many more people, including the blind and non-English speakers, for there are screens that talk back and screens in other languages."
Abstract The development of a secure and accurate voting system for the populace of Orange County is a task of paramount importance. Incorporated in this proposal are recommendations for the construction of such a system. In this proposal the writer addresses both the benefits and potential shortcomings of a computer based system and highlights the technologies used to insure security, privacy, accessibility and accountability. Finally, it addresses several issues relevant to the new voting system including public acceptance and system administration.
From the Paper "Any computer based voting system must balance the benefits of automation and convenience with the security risk inherent in such systems. Computers are compromised daily and various measures must be implemented to insure the integrity of the system. It is well worth noting, that though the traditional "hacker" is a threat, lack of public confidence in the security, privacy, and accuracy of the system, pose far greater a threat than any one individual can. These sentiments are what led Rebecca Mercuri to argue that, ?the benefits of automation are still outweighed by the risks.? This feeling is still prevalent in the general public so our system must take every step necessary to facilitate public trust and to insure the integrity of our results."
Abstract The main aim of this paper is to investigate the connection between the amount of attention paid to news coverage in elections by citizens, and the effects of this on voting intention. Analysing secondary source data from the 2000 Canadian federal election, this paper finds that the only significant correlations between voting intention and attention paid to news were found amongst television viewers and newspaper readers. The data shows that the more attention individuals pay to news, the more they move away from being an undecided voter and towards identifying with a party.
Paper Overview
Abstract
Background
Research Question
Rationale for Method Used
Methodology
Design
Procedures
Analysis and Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
Tables, etc.
References
From the Paper "Paul Nesbitt-Larking argues that the media love elections because they "possess all the qualities of first class sporting events-provide cheap thrills for the media, who are able to garner much good material for little or no expenditure. Elections are easy because the protocols and rhythms of what will take place have been reasonably well established." If he is correct, then the 2000 Canadian federal election should have had Canadian media salivating. It was momentous for many reasons. It was the first election of a new millennium. It marked the third campaign as incumbent begun by then Prime Minister Jean ChrA(c)tien who, if he won (which he did), would have been handed with his fellow Liberals their third majority government. Finally, adding drama, there was a new, right-of-centre party on the scene in the form of the Canadian Alliance led by a young, charismatic, sea-doo riding leader by the name of Stockwell Day. Arguably therefore, it could be expected that the media would dramatically increase its coverage of the election campaign. By doing so however, the media become not just passive observers of the election, but also active participants and take for themselves the ability to, within newscasts especially, prime the electorate as to which issues are important."
Abstract This paper gives a complete overview of the factors which led to the abolishment of slavery, including a comparison of attitudes between the North and the South and how this affected the process of change - with the ultimate change being voting rights for all.
From the paper:
"While the growing unrest in this country that lead eventually to the Civil War included a number of conflicts and demands from various areas across the United States, the majority of the unrest was focused upon one central issue: Slavery. People living in the North and the West were seeking free farms for settlers, federal aid for roads and other improvements, along with protective industrial tariffs. They were also embracing a growing political opinion that America's Founding Fathers were opposed to slavery."
Tags: civil, war, american, vote, Lincoln, Jefferson, rights, freedom, race, liberty
Abstract The paper focuses on one of the most popular electronic voting systems, the iVotronic touchscreen system, that is already in use in the United States. The paper discusses the complaints with the system in Florida, North Carolina and Texas that have caused a drastic drop in faith in these systems.
From the Paper "Given the challenges Florida had with the 2000 presidential election, it is not surprising that Florida's Miami-Dade County quickly turned to an electronic voting system, in order to prevent future 'hanging chads'. The county invested $25 million in a Election Systems & Software's (ES&S) iVotronic system (Songini, 2005). The iVotronic system is a touch screen voting system that is poll worker activated. It is portable and multilingual system that records vote counts on internal flash memory. Using a device called a Personal Electronic Ballot, the poll worker turns the machine on and enables voting. The voters than choose the language they'd like the ballot in and make their voting selections using a touchscreen. Poll workers than move the summary data from the machines onto the Personal Electronic Ballot, once polls are closed. These are then transported to election headquarters, via a computer network ("Electronic voting", 2004)."
Abstract A thorough examination of this act. This paper looks at why it was instituted and what the government hopes to achieve with these reforms. Current feedback, opinions and assessments of the success of the act are mentioned.
Table of Contents
Overview of Telecom Act Why the Telecom Act was enacted
Purpose of the Telecom Act How the Telecom Act is working
Opinionated Success of Act Conclusion
VII.Works Cited
From the Paper "The first major reform of the telecommunications industry in 62 years since the Telecommunications Act of 1934, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was passed by Congress on February 1, 1996, and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on February 8, 1996. "
Abstract The Family and Medical Leave Act has evolved considerably since its inception in 1993. Since then, employers and employees alike have been struggling with the administration of the program and the costs associated with it. The lack of knowledge in FMLA laws and the misapplication of the Act have been two of the reasons for numerous lawsuits. Does a concerted effort to inform, educate, train, and monitor an organization's FMLA compliance responsibilities reduce the administrative and legal costs of the organization? This paper offers the history of FMLA, key administration items, consequences for non-compliance, suggestions for lowering the risks of litigation, and research methods for obtaining information regarding FMLA. Several tables are included with the paper.
Contents:
Abstract
History of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Background
Time-line and Evolution of the Act FMLA Administration
Eligibility
Entitlements
Maintenance of Health Care Benefits During Absence
Employer Responsibilities under FMLA
Employee Responsibilities under FMLA
FMLA Violations
Family and Medical Leave Act Enforcement Increased
Consequences of Noncompliance
Suggestions on How to Lower the Risks of Litigation
Outsourcing Human Resources Management Responsibilities
Electronic Program Administration
Training and Education
Certification Programs
Online Resources
Conclusion
Research Methods
References
Appendix
From the Paper "According to the available information regarding FMLA administration and violations, many of the lawsuits and much of the legal fees could have been avoided had the companies invested in training and education, outsourcing of HR responsibilities, or through the purchase of FMLA management software. Training and education seems to be the key to the successful administration of the FMLA program. There are a variety of sources where employers and employees can go to get training and general information regarding the Act."
