Resolved: In the United States Current income disparites threaten democratic ideals.

Resolved: In theUnited States, current income disparities threaten democratic ideals. Werepresent our stance through the following observations. Please follow us toour observation one. Ob.1 Democracy is founded on equality of participation Maureen Cabanaugh, law professor, Washington & Lee, Alabama LawReview, Winter, 2003, Democracy, Equality, and Taxes, p. 438-9 Emergenceof democratic government depends, above all, on acceptance of the belief thatno member is better qualified to rule than any other. More accurately, democratic government depends on thebelief that all are equally qualified to participate in government. Forproponents of democracy, the right of ordinary laborers to participate ingovernment is essential. This is exactly what current income disparities arehindering. The fact is that the poor are not turning out in these elections andthe reason why is in the following observation. Ob.2 Poor Americans Are Less Likely to Make PoliticalContributions TaskForce on Inequality and American Democracy in 2004 Campaign contributors are theleast representative group of citizens. Only 12 percent of American householdshad incomes over $100,000 in 2000, but a whopping 95 percent of the donors whomade substantial contributions were in these wealthiest households. Figure 2shows that 56 percent of those with incomes of $75,000 and more reported makingsome form of campaign contribution compared with a mere 6 percent amongAmericans with incomes under $15,000. Giving money to politicians is aform of citizen activity that is, in practical terms, reserved for a selectgroup of Americans. As wealth and income have become more concentrated and theflow of money into elections has grown, campaign contributions give theaffluent a means to express their voice that is unavailable to most citizens.This undoubtedly aggravates inequalities of political voice. What we need tosee in today's debate judge, is that because of these current incomedisparities not only are democratic ideals being threatened, but the definitionof democracy as well. The poor Americans are not going out and voting becausethey know that they can't afford for their idea or plan to make it into officesuch as the rich do through lobbyists. By hindering the poor class of Americansto vote, we are indeed letting these income disparities threaten the verydemocratic ideals we were founded upon. It is for these reasons and many morethat my partner would like to kindly ask for a vote in the affirmation. Thank you. Ob.3 Poor Americans Are Less Likely to Make PoliticalContributions TaskForce on Inequality and American Democracy in 2004 Campaign contributors are theleast representative group of citizens. Only 12 percent of American householdshad incomes over $100,000 in 2000, but a whopping 95 percent of the donors whomade substantial contributions were in these wealthiest households. Figure 2shows that 56 percent of those with incomes of $75,000 and more reported makingsome form of campaign contribution compared with a mere 6 percent amongAmericans with incomes under $15,000. Giving money to politicians is aform of citizen activity that is, in practical terms, reserved for a selectgroup of Americans. As wealth and income have become more concentrated and theflow of money into elections has grown, campaign contributions give theaffluent a means to express their voice that is unavailable to most citizens.This undoubtedly aggravates inequalities of political voice. What we need tosee in todayï¿½€™s debate judge, is that because of these current incomedisparities not only are democratic ideals being threatened, but the definitionof democracy as well. The poor Americans are not going out and voting becausethey know that they canï¿½€™t afford for their idea or plan to make it into officesuch as the rich do through lobbyists. By hindering the poor class of Americansto vote, we are indeed letting these income disparities threaten the verydemocratic ideals we were founded upon. It is for these reasons and many morethat my partner would like to kindly ask for a vote in the affirmation. Thank you.