Alteration in My Life Moving to America Essay - 531 Words

There are many unfair things in this world. Some people are born rich and live in luxury, while some people are born into a poor life that people are suffering. All of us may live in a different life, but we also have one common thing before that. We are all born into this world to live once and we die when the time comes. While living our lives, we all taste contentment and depression. In this process, we sometimes meet moment of enlightenment and life can change in an instant. When I was young I was an active child. I had many friends and they followed me a lot. I could tell my opinions clearly and express my emotions very well. I was always bright and cheerful child. However, when I moved to America for 5th grade all this was†¦show more content†¦I followed my parents and transferred to another school called Woodrow Wilson Middle School. It was very strange but on the first day at the new school, I made some friends and because of that, I could have adapt to new environme nt faster and could communicate better with other people. I think this was my turning point in my life. By my experience, I could understand many other people who are struggling because of different cultures and languages. I also could advise people about how to go through in this difficult time. While I was living in America, my family got many home staying students. Because we didn’t have many rooms, I had to share my room with one person. I was very sensitive back then cause of my adolescence. I never fought with other people but we had many quarrels. We had some similarities, but we had more differences. There were total of four people home stayed at my house for past 3 to 4 years. I still have one another person. We were all different and I went through with many conflicts. At that time, it was arduous and difficult time for me, but as the time passed by, I was very grateful to have those times with them. My point to view of people got wider and because of that, I could understand people more easily. I could see what their problem was and help them if they needed. All this experience was very difficult time for me. In these past years, I had enjoyment and ordeals. I only lived for 17 years now, but I saw many things and experiencedShow MoreRelatedLowell Mills1346 Words   |  6 Pagesexplored working and labor conditions in the new industrial factories in American. To describe the Lowell Textile mills it requires a look back in history to study, discover and gain knowledge of the industrial labor and factory systems of industrial America. These mass production mills looked pretty promising at their beginning but after years of being in business showed multiple problems and setbacks to the people involved in them. Lowell mills were located in Lowell, Massachusetts and specializedRead MoreFrederick Douglass And Hester Prynne1701 Words   |  7 Pagesthem are one in the same. Douglas and Prynne represent everything that America is supposed to be moving forward out of the Antebellum time period. The Antebellum period of the United States was the pre-civil war era where turmoil was building up across the country. Abolitionists were becoming a main part of the fabric of the political infrastructure. The country becoming more and more divided. There was a dream of what America was supposed to be. The state of the country at this time was far awayRead MoreMalcolm X : The Black Leader And Activist1656 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican Americans that created a huge following of people for him. He did not feel that nonviolent approaches towards civil rights would result in change and had a different and more radical way of achieving it. Towards the end of his life he made a surprising change in his life and had completely different ideas for the struggle for civil rights. Named Malcolm Little at birth, he was raised by his mom Louise and father, Earl in Omaha, Nebraska. Earl was a Baptist preacher that supported Black NationalismRead MoreGenetic Engineering and a Brave New World1694 Words   |  7 PagesBrave New World and My Sister’s Keeper. But what exactly is Genetic Engineering? What exactly does Genetic Engineering entail? Genetic Engineering in its self is a mammoth and board field, yet not many people actually know or even understand the diversity that Genetic Engineering entails. When most people perceive the slightest sound of the word Genetic Engineering they robotically think about cloning. A massive ninety seven percent of people in the Unites States of America have heard of cloningRead MoreThe Provincials By Daniel Alarcon Essay1461 Words   |  6 Pagesimperialism, as he represents America being the empire, becomes the central target of resentment; on the contrary, his father, who left for the capitol city, also opens himself for criticism from the isolationist men who both celebrate the father’s success and envy it. Manuel hopes to inspire Nelson to stop amusing his idle self, and make a promising change in his acting career path by taking him along to visit the province; however, Manuel realizes his own life’s alteration in pursuing institution ofRead MoreHow Sleep Disorders Change a Day and Night1106 Words   |  5 Pagesfamily life events and academic stress predicted increased insomnia scores† (Brand, Serge, et al). How a pe rson may deal with these stressful situations can also negatively affect their Insomnia. Without properly dealing with their stresses can cause anxiety. That can cause their mind to work overtime, when not needed. The next sleep disorder is Sleep apnea, â€Å"a respiratory disorder in which the person intermittently stops breathing many times while asleep† (pg. 3420). Also common in America, SleepRead MoreZionism and Non Zionists Essays1191 Words   |  5 Pagesand how to solve current issues in the religion. A State is formed by a social contract and is still being created today. Rousseau states, â€Å"The conditions of this contract are so precisely defined by the nature of the agreement that the slightest alterations would make them null and void. The consequence is that, even where they are not expressly stated, they are everywhere identical, and everywhere tacitly accepted and recognized.† States are mainly created by a nation struggling with social and politicalRead MoreThe Dangers of Bulimia Essay1551 Words   |  7 Pagesfor a whole week because I am a stupid, fat, ugly, pig!† However those were the same words she has spoken to herself for the past week. A glimpse of hope comes to Janie’s mind, â€Å"At least I have won the battle for now. The food I just shoveled down my throat won’t affect me today.† What Janie doesn’t know is that she is a victim of a destructive disease called bulimia. Bulimia, which comes from the root word meaning oxhunger due to the persons appetite, affects 5% of American teenage peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Term Captains Of Industry2304 Words   |  10 Pageswhich had accumulated vast personal fortunes and contributed positively to the country through some act. Amidst the second industrial revolution in America, names such as Vanderbilt (Rail), Carnegie (Steel), Rockefeller (Oil), Morgan (Electricity/Finance), and of course Henry Ford (Automobile) are often lionized for their achievements in building America into a modern day power. On the contrary, many of these same figures are also considered Robber Barons; industrialists that routinely cheat investorsRead MoreA Personal Reflection on the Liminal Spaces in Life1857 Words   |  8 Pagesare the in-between moments. It is often an interval of tribulation, of halt and alteration. Your old habits, beliefs and even personal identity deteriorates. In that moment of liminality, you have the chance to become someone new. Liminal space is the middle of every great story. In movies, it is the period you find that there is a twist in the plot. Change happens through liminal space, which is the period of alteration and transformation. The word, liminal means â€Å"threshold†. It can relate to a transition

Women in Hills like White Elephants and The Yellow...

Through history women have fought for equal rights and freedom. This tension is derived from men; society, in general; and within a woman herself. In the nineteenth century, women in literature were often portrayed as submissive to men. Literature of this period often characterized women as oppressed by society, as well as by the male influences in their lives. This era is especially interesting because it is a time in modern society when women were still treated as second-class citizens. Two interesting short stories, Hills like White Elephants and The Yellow Wallpaper focus on a womans plight near the turn of the nineteenth century. Both authors, Hemmingway and Gilman, leave an open end to the stories and allow readers to create†¦show more content†¦Instructed to abandon her intellectual life and avoid stimulating company, she sinks into a still-deeper depression invisible to her husband, which is also her doctor, who believes he knows what is best for her. Alone in the ye llow-wallpapered nursery of a rented house, she descends into madness. Everyday she keeps looking at the torn yellow wallpaper. While there, she is forbidden to write in her journal, as it indulges her imagination, which is not in accordance with her husbands wishes. Despite this, the narrator makes entries in the journal whenever she has the opportunity. Through these entries we learn of her obsession with the wallpaper in her bedroom. She is enthralled with it and studies the paper for hours. She thinks she sees a woman trapped behind the pattern in the paper. The story reaches its climax when her husband must force his way into the bedroom, only to find that his wife has pulled the paper off the wall and is crawling around the perimeter of the room. Hills Like White Elephants and The Yellow Wallpaper are both about couples dealing with a delicate situation in a time when the power of men over women is obvious. The characters in both stories show that the man has more control and authority than the woman. Hills Like White Elephants demonstrates this through the use of the setting, time restrictions, and poor communication exhibited by the couple. In The YellowShow MoreRelatedHills Like White Elephants And The Yellow Wallpaper Comparisons1374 Words   |  6 PagesHills like White Elephants The Yellow Wallpaper Comparisons In comparison with Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, both female’s thoughts and feelings are oppressed under the demanding obedience of the male. With this being the case, can the women in both stories honestly believe their truly happy with whom they want to spend their lives with? In these two short stories, the females are both being portrayed as characters thatRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Hills Like White Elephants And Charlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper 1633 Words   |  7 Pages In comparison with Ernest Hemingwayn’s â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, both female’s thoughts and feelings are oppressed under the constant weight of their male supplements. With this being the case, are women truly happy with whom they are choosing to spend the rest of their lives? In both Hemingway and Gilman’s short stories, the females are both being portrayed as characters who capitulate to the demands of their male-orientated significantRead MoreBeing a male or a female is the most important determinant of the person’s directions and interests1700 Words   |  7 Pagessituation where men and women get together. Ernest Hemingway and Charlotte Perkins Gilman are two authors who succeed in illustrating the gender disparity in their stories â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† Each one of them uses the story to depict men and w omen in certain ways. By analyzing those two works, the implied statement that the authors make about the behaviors and characteristics of each gender can be conceived. â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† is a story about a coupleRead More Love in The Yellow Wallpaper, Hlls Like White Elephants, and A Dolls House1706 Words   |  7 PagesThe Yellow Wallpaper, Hlls Like White Elephants, and A Dolls House True love is the love that everyone fantasizes about. It is the love that is unconditional and everlasting. Love is very hard to define since everybodys concept of love is different. However, in order to achieve a good relationship, people must have a well balanced power structure in their relationship, and good understanding and communication between them. In the stories, The Yellow Wallpaper,; Hills Like White ElephantsRead MoreErnest Hemingway s Hills Like White Elephants Essay1853 Words   |  8 Pagesoff into the sunset to live happily ever after; a tale as old as time. However, this isn’t a realistic portrayal of love. Real love is messy, complicated, and even unfair at times. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† (1892), and Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† (1927) offers a more accurate portrayal of romantic functionality that is still applicable today as it was back then. Written in the pre-feminist move ment of the 1970s, these authors have provided a rich base ofRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women2756 Words   |  12 PagesSince the beginning of time, women have been viewed as the â€Å"lesser half†. This can be seen as early as the creation of man (according to the Bible). Adam was created first and Eve was created from Adam’s rib. This action alone shows that women have been viewed as the subordinate to men. In this literature the idea present is a woman cannot be created without a man. Since men are viewed as the dominate, women have struggled and are still struggling to have equal rights. One way to really see the struggleRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesexplicitly dramatized or presented in an early scene or chapter. Some conflicts, in fact, are never made explicit and must be inferred by the reader from what the characters do or say as the plot unfolds (as, for example, in Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like Wh ite Elephants†). Conflict, then, is the basic opposition, or tension, that sets the plot in motion; it engages the reader, builds the suspense or mystery of the work, and arouses expectation for the vents that are to follow. The plot of the traditionalRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesCulture awareness 1.4.4 Project offices 8.1.2 Continuous improvement 5.1 Requirements vs. actual [5.3] Chapter 17 Agile PM 6.1.2.2 Rolling wave This page intentionally left blank Project Management The Managerial Process The McGraw-Hill/Irwin Series Operations and Decision Sciences OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Beckman and Rosenfield, Operations, Strategy: Competing in the 21st Century, First Edition Benton, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, Second Edition Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper

Sustainability Accounting and Accountability

Question: Discuss about the Sustainability Accounting and Accountability. Answer: Introduction A reversing entry is a voluntary journal entry which is recorded at the starting of an accounting period in order to undo the adjusting entries of the previous period (Brown 2014). It can also be said that these reversing entries generally reverse or cancel out the adjusting journal entries that have been recorded at the ending of the preceding accounting time. The objective of recording the overturning entries is clear out the accrual entries and the prepaid entries from the previous year. Therefore, the transactions in the present period can be documented normally. As the accrual basis of accounting and GAAP need the expenses and the revenues to be matched in the periods where they occur (Demski 2013). On the other hand, the accrual journal entries are documented at the end of every accounting period. However, it has been found that some of the accounting managers prefer to implement the reversing adjusting entries at the starting of the next financial year and some do not prefer. Therefore, depending upon the advantages and disadvantages of not reversing adjusting entries at the starting of the next financial year, the accounting manager of an organization communicates and thus, the success of the leadership depends upon the decision-making and communicating skills of the leader. Communication and Leadership Communication is defined as a two-way process that helps in mutual understanding and also helps the participants to exchange any information, feelings, ideas and news between them. The process of communication also helps to develop and share meaning between two or more personnel. Therefore, it can also be said that the methodology of communication is not only an exchange of ideas, news or information; rather it is a process of encoding and decoding. Thus, it is also better known for connecting people. In case of operating and regulating any organization, communication plays the most important role as this key function of management helps to communicate between the various levels of management, employees and departments. From this, it can be said that the success of a leader is directly related with his or her ability of communicating with the various levels of management and the employees of an organization. The fundamentals of a strong and an effective leader are discipline, strate gic alignment, accountability, empowering his or her employees and managing her or his own values towards the operation and regulation of the business. On the other hand, the principle functions of an effective leader include planning, leading, organizing, controlling, communicating and staffing. Therefore, it can be said that the process of an effective communication and an efficient leader are directly related to each other (Knapp, Vangelisti and Caughlin 2014). In other words, it can be said that for being an efficient leader, the particular person should be an effective communicator. The reason behind this is that this skill of communication helps all the employees of an organization to connect with each other and also with the management. Thus, it can be said that a better process of communication can bring a success to the leadership of a leader. Therefore, for avoiding any dilemma in the process of implementation of not reversing adjusting entries at the beginning of the nex t financial year, a proper process of communication is an essential factor. It has been found that some of the leaders implement the reversing adjusting entries at the beginning of the next financial year and some do not. According to Broadbent (2013), both the processes have its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, in this report, the advantages of not reversing adjusting entries at the beginning of the next financial year and the disadvantages of preparing reversing entries have been discussed. In addition to this, the disadvantages of not reversing adjusting entries at the beginning of the next financial year and the advantages of preparing reversing entries have also been analyzed. On the basis of the advantages and disadvantages of reversing adjusting entries, a conclusion has been drawn that might help the leaders of an organization to run the firm successfully and profitably. Advantages of not reversing adjusting entries There are various advantages of not reversing the adjusting entries at the starting of the next financial year. These include firstly, an entry which needs the reversing strategy involves an amount entered into the accounting system for allocating the expenses that span two accounting periods (Edwards 2013). Therefore, it can be said that to implement a reversing entry is more complex as if the amount is not entered into the accounting system for allocating the expenditure in two accounting periods, then error might occur in the accounting system of an organization. Thus, it can be said that in order to avoid any error throughout the financial year, implementation of not reversing adjusting entries is more advantageous. The reason behind this is that the not reversing adjusting entries will help a firm to show a stable and balanced assets and liabilities throughout the year (Weil, Schipper and Francis 2013). On the other hand, it can also be said that the not reversing adjusting ent ries might also help the accountant to understand the actual expenses or income of the firm on time. The implementation of reversing adjusting entries might help an accountant to understand the total expenses or the income of the firm at the beginning of the year. However, this also has a negative effect on the operation and regulation of firm. The reason behind this is that if an accountant applies reversing adjusting entries and starts spending as per the plan of future income in the particular year, then the total expenses of an entity will increase at the beginning of the year only (Weygandt, Kimmel and Kieso 2015). However, if the entity does not receive the pre-planned amount at later part of the year due to various negotiations, then the proportion of expenses will relatively increase all of a sudden and the entity will get into trouble. Therefore, in order to avoid any such circumstances, an accountant of a firm should implement the not reversing adjusting entries. The accou ntants generally develop entries for the expense items that have not been received. On the other hand, in case of reversing adjusting entries, the accountants have to work more or it can be said that he have to work double as with any changes in the later period, the accountant have to change or adjust the entries made in the beginning of the next year. Thus, making of reversing entries needs a system of tracking them in order to get ensure about completing the entries successfully (Christensen et al. 2015). On the contrary, it can be said that implementation of not reversing adjusting entries is more advantageous for an entity or an accountant as in this system an accountant have to adjust only once or have to make single entry. Thus, it is simpler or easier of an accountant to use not reversing adjusting entries as it helps to avoid double work. From the below example, it can be better understood. Mr. Z pays his staffs $ 500 for two weeks. Therefore, he might debt the wages expenditure amount for $ 250, credit cash for $ 500 and debt wages payable for $ 250. Disadvantages of preparing reversing entries There are some disadvantages of preparing reversing entries. These might include an error can take place which might understate or overstate the account. It has also been found that the reversing entries double the work for an accountant. In addition to these, the preparation of a reversing entry might also increase the probability of making errors (Drury 2013). The primary limitation of using the reversing entries or preparing the reversing entries is that if the accountant of an organization overlooks or fails to do so, then the expenses or the revenues can be end up being overstated on the basis of the transaction. The objective of journal entries is to modify the data of accounting within the financial schemes. As rightly stated by Flamholtz (2012), the double entry system of accounting is mainly used in the present days accounting that ensures the accountant about the influence of the entries on a minimum of two accounts. In case of double entry system, two accounts are general ly affected because one account receives a credit on one hand and another account receives an analogous debit on the other hand (Rusak 2016). The reversing entries change back the regular entries which have already been recorded. This particular practice is considered as an optional; however it makes the accounting process smoother. The reversing of an entry from the previous accounting year keeps the expenses and revenues away from being overly stated. For instance, if a rental car expense is recognized from the previous month as a part of closing of that month, then if the bill of the rental car comes in the next month and its get paid, then this car rental bill could be billed as an expenditure in that month only. Nevertheless, to forget about the reversing of the entries might lead to an inaccuracy in the total expenditure. In addition to this, reversing entries provides benefit due to its simplicity, but as everyone can use this technique without proper accounting training, the valuation of the particular system has been decreased (Bebbington, Unerman and O'Dwyer 2014). Disadvantages of not reversing adjusting entries It can be said that there are various disadvantages of not reversing adjusting entries within an organization at the starting of the next financial year. These include an accountant might forget about any expenses that might occur at the middle of the financial year and this might put an entity into trouble (Clementi and Palazzo 2013). Therefore, if the accountant forgets about any adjusting entries in later period it might affect the assets and liabilities of the entity at a certain period of time. In addition to this, if an accountant of an entity does not implement the not reversing adjusting entries, then the entity might fail to maintain a stable and balanced assets and liabilities (Kaplan and Atkinson 2015). The other disadvantage of implementing not reversing adjusting entriesis that it is much complex and can lead to confusion. This process is also considered as inefficient and does not get any second scope or chance to make any corrections. Advantages of preparing reversing entries The journal entries are generally used in order to change the accounting information in the financial systems. Opined to Deegan (2013), the double entry system is the most modern accounting system that is used nowadays. The entries as per the double entry accounting system always influence a minimum of two accounts, as one of the accounts is added and one more account is mainly credited. As such, a reversing entry inverts a previously recorded regular entry. It can be said that using reversing entries is an optional factor but many of the accountants use this system for various advantages. These include accuracy, simplicity, efficiency and correction (Warren, Reeve and Duchac 2013). It has been found that when an accountant uses or implements a reverse entry and reverse an entry which was made in the previous accounting year, the particular accountant can prevent any duplication of the expenses or revenues that improves the accuracy. On the other hand, the reversing entries are cons idered as a simple process that might be performed by any staff without much knowledge regarding accounting. The account that was originally debited is now credited and vice versa (Xie et al. 2013). In this process, without changing anything or without any research, the conducted calculations can be used in the next step just by reversing the entries. Therefore, it is considered as a simple process and any complexities can be avoided here. In addition to these, the reversing adjusting entries are considered as more efficient as certain reversing entries can be set up in advance and can make it in an efficient and organized process. Moreover, the reversing adjusting entries can be done faster than not reversing adjusting entries (Needles, Powers and Crosson 2013). Additionally, this particular system helps an accountant to avoid in making any mistakes in calculating and also during entering the journal entries in a system. It can be better understood from the following example: In the month of December, Mr. Z accrued an amount of $ 250 to be paid wages for half of his staffs pay period that was in the month of December; however it was not aid until January. Conclusion Therefore, it can be concluded that the leaders should implement either of the two options on the basis of the situation. It has been found from the detailed analysis that the not reversing adjusting entrieshave comparatively more advantages and fewer disadvantages if it is implemented at the starting of the next financial year. On the other hand, it has been noted that preparing reversing entries has more disadvantages and fewer advantages. Thus, in order to avoid any complexity and confusion and also to keep the process simple, an efficient leader should implement the not reversing adjusting entries at the beginning of the next financial year and disadvantages of preparing reversing entries. References Bebbington, J., Unerman, J. and O'Dwyer, B., 2014.Sustainability accounting and accountability. Routledge. Broadbent, D.E., 2013.Perception and communication. Elsevier. Brown, R., 2014.A history of accounting and accountants. Routledge. Christensen, H.B., Lee, E., Walker, M. and Zeng, C., 2015. Incentives or standards: What determines accounting quality changes around IFRS adoption?.European Accounting Review,24(1), pp.31-61. Clementi, G.L. and Palazzo, B., 2013.Entry, exit, firm dynamics, and aggregate fluctuations(No. w19217). National Bureau of Economic Research. Deegan, C., 2013.Financial accounting theory. McGraw-Hill Education Australia. Demski, J., 2013.Managerial uses of accounting information. Springer Science Business Media. Drury, C.M., 2013.Management and cost accounting. Springer. Edwards, J.R., 2013.A History of Financial Accounting (RLE Accounting)(Vol. 29). Routledge. Flamholtz, E.G., 2012.Human resource accounting: Advances in concepts, methods and applications. Springer Science Business Media. Kaplan, R.S. and Atkinson, A.A., 2015.Advanced management accounting. PHI Learning. Knapp, M.L., Vangelisti, A.L. and Caughlin, J.P., 2014.Interpersonal Communication Human Relationships. Pearson Higher Ed. Needles, B.E., Powers, M. and Crosson, S.V., 2013.Principles of accounting. Cengage Learning. Rusak, O.A., 2016. Financial Accounting: syllabus for master's program 1-26 81 01" Business Administration". Warren, C.S., Reeve, J.M. and Duchac, J., 2013.Financial managerial accounting. Cengage Learning. Weil, R.L., Schipper, K. and Francis, J., 2013.Financial accounting: an introduction to concepts, methods and uses. Cengage Learning. Weygandt, J.J., Kimmel, P.D. and Kieso, D.E., 2015.Financial Managerial Accounting. John Wiley Sons. Xie, Y., Liu, L., Tang, G. and Zheng, W., 2013. Highly constrained entry trajectory generation.Acta Astronautica,88, pp.44-60.

US Democracy Essays - Forms Of Government, Democracy, Elections

US Democracy Is the Unites States Political System a Legitimate Democracy In any system which claims to be democratic, a question of its legitimacy remains. A truly democratic political system has certain characteristics which prove its legitimacy with their existence. One essential characteristic of a legitimate democracy is that it allows people to freely make choices without government intervention. Another necessary characteristic which legitimates government is that every vote must count equally: one vote for every person. For this equality to occur, all people must be subject to the same laws, have equal civil rights, and be allowed to freely express their ideas. Minority rights are also crucial in a legitimate democracy. No matter how unpopular their views, all people should enjoy the freedoms of speech, press and assembly. Public policy should be made publicly, not secretly, and regularly scheduled elections should be held. Since "legitimacy" may be defined as "the feeling or opinion the people have that government is based upon morally defensible principles and that they should therefore obey it," then there must necessarily be a connection between what the people want and what the government is doing if legitimacy is to occur. The U.S. government may be considered legitimate in some aspects, and illegitimate in others. Because voting is class-biased, it may not be classified as a completely legitimate process. Although in theory the American system calls for one vote per person, the low rate of turnout results in the upper and middle classes ultimately choosing candidates for the entire nation. Class is determined by income and education, and differing levels of these two factors can help explain why class bias occurs. For example, because educated people tend to understand politics more, they are more likely to vote. People with high income and education also have more resources, and poor people tend to have low political efficacy (feelings of low self-worth). Turnout, therefore, is low and, since the early 1960s, has been declining overall. The "winner-take-all" system in elections may be criticized for being undemocratic because the proportion of people agreeing with a particular candidate on a certain issue may not be adequately represented under this system. For example, "a candidate who gets 40 percent of the vote, as long as he gets more votes than any other candidate, can be elected?even though sixty percent of the voters voted against him"(Lind, 314). Political parties in America are weak due to the anti-party, anti-organization, and anti-politics cultural prejudices of the Classical Liberals. Because in the U.S. there is no national discipline to force citizens into identifying with a political party, partisan identification tends to be an informal psychological commitment to a party. This informality allows people to be apathetic if they wish, willingly giving up their input into the political process. Though this apathy is the result of greater freedom in America than in other countries, it ultimately decreases citizens' incentive to express their opinions about issues, therefore making democracy less legitimate. Private interests distort public policy making because, when making decisions, politicians must take account of campaign contributors. An "interest" may be defined as "any involvement in anything that affects the economic, social, or emotional well-being of a person." When interests become organized into groups, then politicians may become biased due to their influences. "Special interests buy favors from congressmen and presidents through political action committees (PACs), devices by which groups like corporations, professional associations, trade unions, investment banking groups?can pool their money and give up to $10,000 per election to each House and Senate candidate"(Lind, 157). Consequently, those people who do not become organized into interest groups are likely to be underrepresented financially. This leads to further inequality and, therefore, greater illegitimacy in the democratic system. The method in which we elect the President is fairly legitimate. The electoral college consists of representatives who we elect, who then elect the President. Because this fills the requirement of regularly scheduled elections, it is a legitimate process. The President is extremely powerful in foreign policy making; so powerful that scholars now speak of the "Imperial Presidency," implying that the President runs foreign policy as an emperor. The President is the chief diplomat, negotiator of treaties, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. There has been a steady growth of the President's power since World War II. This abundance of foreign Presidential power may cause one to believe that our democratic system is not legitimate. However, Presidential power in domestic affairs is limited. Therefore, though the President is very powerful in certain areas, the term "Imperial Presidency" is not applicable in all areas. The election process of Congress is