AP+GOV

Course Calendar  AP GOV Summer Assignment =**Underpinnings of American Government**=

Optional Question from unit test:
====America has attempted to balance the concepts of equality, democracy, and liberty throughout its history. Briefly describe how the founders envisioned these concepts and then summarize how liberals and conservatives each view these concepts today. Make reference to specific issues to support your summation.====

The Founder's discernments between liberty, equality, and democracy have become the differences between liberals and conservatives of the twenty-first century. To the founders, liberty meant personal and economic freedom from government control. To them, liberty could nearly be synonymous with the Bill of Rights, which itself limits the power of the national government. Equally important was economic freedom (laissez-faire capitalism) free from government intervention. The Founders interpreted equality as equality of opportunity, meaning that each individual should have the freedom to use whatever skills or talents he may possess to reach his full potential. By no means did the founders champion economic, political, or social equality, as do liberals of today. For instance, many Occupy Wall Street protestors think it is unfair and dangerous that much of the nation's wealth is concentrated in the hands of a select few, regardless of how hard that few worked for their fortune. Further, many liberals support the concept of universal healthcare, which is a clear manifestation of social and economic equality of condition. Conversely, modern conservatives have not transformed the founder's interpretation of liberty or equality as have liberals, but instead adamantly try to uphold them. Most conservatives advocate cutting or even ending most governmental assistance programs and allowing individuals to make of themselves what they will, as can be seen in the conservative response to the debt crisis. Similarly, Conservatives cling to the founder's interpretation of liberty and tend to support minimal government interference in the daily lives of citizens. In each debate for the GOP nomination, far-right wing candidate Ron Paul argues for limited government and minimal government action, regardless of the issue.

[McDaniels]