Application Exercise 3 The Madisonian Model of Government: Can Transparency and Accountability Stimulate and Improve Government Responsiveness?

Application Exercise 3 The Madisonian Model of Government: Can Transparency and Accountability Stimulate and Improve Government Responsiveness? Professors Guy and Ely point out in Chapter 10 of their textbook that transparency is critical to successfully operating a democratic form of government. The assumption is that transparency strengthens democracy and promotes government efficiency and effectiveness. Transparency is designed to increase governmental accountability by providing information to the citizenry about government decision-making processes, including the policies adopted by legislators that public administrators must implement. Among the significant pieces of legislation adopted by the federal government to increase transparency are the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, and the Government in the Sunshine Act. These laws are designed to provide public access to government records, safeguard the personal information retained by government agencies, and ensure that government business is conducted lawfully and ethically. Transparency in government is also connected to the idea of accountability. In a democracy, citizens have a right to choose those who will represent them and the right to participate in decisions that affect them. An accountable government is responsive to its citizens' needs and demands. All levels of government are mainly staffed by career professionals responsible for implementing and effectuating government policies. Public managers are supervised by political appointees and accountable to the chief executive officer (president, governor, or mayor), the legislative body (Congress, state legislatures, and town councils), the courts (federal, state, and municipal/local), and the general public in implementing and effectuating its duties and responsibilities. Woodrow Wilson, who earned a doctorate in political science and taught at Princeton University before becoming president of the United States, authored a seminal article on the politics/administration dichotomy in 1877. Wilson argued for separating politics and administration in that piece while contending that public administrators should have significant powers and “unhampered discretion.” In the ensuing years, it became apparent that public administrators who exhibited subject matter expertise gained via education, training, and work experience were critical to a well-functioning democracy. Political patronage and nepotism became antithetical to the need for a professionally run government. With this as background, please address the following questions in an integrated essay dealing with the issues of democracy, neutrality, and professional ethics in the administration of public services in our democratic system of government. James Madison, one of the primary authors of the U.S. Constitution, argued that majority political factions cannot be controlled when the people rule directly. According to Madison, one way of controlling factions was by creating a representative government. Madison maintained that a representative system of government would moderate the irrational forces of public opinion, resulting in balanced policy options from which government representatives could choose and thereby promote the social good. A second technique for controlling factions in a democracy, according to Madison, is by letting political factions counteract one another. Madison, along with a majority of delegates at the Constitutional Conventions, divided political power by invoking checks and balances, separation of powers, federalism, and bicameralism, thereby it exceedingly difficult for any one faction or party to dominate Congress, the presidency, and the courts. The Constitution was designed to prevent the threat of tyranny by the majority. Rather than suppress factions, which Madison thought would be impossible. Questions 1. What are the significant strengths and weaknesses of our constitutional system of government? Was it designed deliberately to be slow and inefficient? Is it premised on the belief that majority factions are the only problem in the American political system? 2. At its formation, was the Constitution an apparatus to suppress the legal rights of minority groups in America, specifically African Americans, women, and Native Americans? 3. Based on your readings, do you agree or disagree that transparency and accountability are critical governance characteristics in America? What are the most essential purposes of government transparency? Can transparency and accountability encourage public engagement and improve government responsiveness? Directions: Author a paper that addresses the above questions. The paper is limited to five (5) typewritten pages. All papers/exercises must be typed and double-spaced, and an easily readable font size (Times-Roman is preferred) will be utilized. The paper must use an "author-year" citation style such as the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Modern Language Association (MLA). Papers should include any appropriate figures and tables, if applicable. A bibliography citing the works used in the paper must be attached. Papers must be written in standard English. They must contain a thesis statement, be organized coherently, and utilize correct grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Please note that the five (5) page limit on the length of the paper does not include the title page or the bibliography.