Single Member Plurality Electoral System Essay Example for Free

Single Member Plurality Electoral System Essay The Fallacy of the Single Member Plurality Electoral System Government efficiency is dependent on the capacity of the government to make decisions that mirror the views of the majority. This would require municipal representatives to be elected by at least half of the voters. This has not been the case in Canada. Electoral reform has been a highly debated issue throughout Canadian politics. Currently, Canada’s electoral system is being questioned for its inability to reflect the political views of its citizens. The single member plurality system (SMP), which Canada employs to fabricate a democratic election, can cause representatives to be elected without the majority of the popular vote. In contrast, the system of proportional representation eliminates an inequity in parliament composition by ensuring representation from every party that received votes. Although this system would inevitably result in minority governments, it would appropriately cater to the views of the constituents. To produce a more effective government, Canada’s single member plurality electoral system should be replaced by a system of proportional representation (PR). Another attempt to negate the effectiveness of the PR system is by charging that it would lead to the decline of responsible government. The reasoning behind this lies with the theory that PR disenfranchises a parties capability to â€Å"formulate policies, administer programs, make laws, submit budgets†(Barker, 287). Opponents contend that under PR, the government would be unable to garner enough confidence from the legislative branch. However, by looking at the opposite side of the spectrum, one would agree that this disadvantage is minimal compared to the policy making created through single member plurality. SMP encourages parties to form lowest common denominator policies in order to achieve a plurality of votes. Consequently, parties will create platforms that advocate policies that are indistinguishable to those of other party platforms. By providing ambiguous party principles, a constituent’s local MP can avoid being held accountable. In essence, â€Å"the plurality system encourages MPs and political parties to reflect some limited concerns of their geographic districts while ignoring the deeply held principles of the voters†(Heimstra and Jansen, 300). The only thing differentiating Canadian parties is their promise of â€Å"social benefits beyond what the economy could tolerate†(Irvine, 45). Since parties under PR do not have to compete for the median voter, â€Å"governing parties have less incentive to manipulate policy for short run ends†(Irvine, 50). As mentioned earlier, minority governments are likely to be assembled over a majority government under a PR system. This will entice legislature to form a coalition, thereby facilitating the demands of all the different regions comprising Canada. Eventually, long term policy making will be executed with less hesitation, as governments will soon realize that regardless the outcome of the following election, support for their proposed policy will still exist. The inability of the House of Commons to finalize long-term policy-making has stunted economic growth in Canada because of ineffective governments elected through SMP. The greatest disadvantage of single member plurality is its inhibiting effect on voter turnout. Voter turnout has been decreasing steadily as more people have come to the realization that their votes will not necessarily be accounted for. In Jeffrey Simpson’s book, The Friendly Dictatorship, the author reveals that â€Å"only 61 per cent of eligible Canadians bothered to vote in 2000, the lowest turnout by far since the Second World War†(Simpson, 144). It is important to note that Canada counts voter turnout by the number of people who vote in relation to the number of people on the electoral list. Since not everyone eligible to vote gets on the electoral list, the numbers are actually far lower than they appear. With a large number of eligible voters staying home, elected MPs do not have a real mandate to represent their constituents. This discrepancy has the potential to produce an ineffective government and a discontent amid the members of society. It has become increasingly important to determine the cause of this decreased interest in voting. electoral system is often described as a â€Å"first past the post† system. The way in which this system functions is that each voter is allowed one vote and the candidate with the most votes (or a plurality) becomes elected. Proportional representation, on the other hand, can be accomplished through a multitude of electoral methods. But for the sake of convenience, we will focus primarily on the two most notable systems: party list system, and mixed member proportional. The party list system used to achieve PR relies on the voter to choose the party they wish to support as opposed to the actual candidate.

Anne Tylers classic novel, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Essay

Anne Tyler's classic novel, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant In Anne Tyler's classic novel, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, the reader experiences a variety of conflicts between parent and child, one of the most apparent being that between Pearl Tull and her eldest son, Cody. These two characters never seem to see eye to eye, as Pearl prefers to see only the negative aspects of her children. Cody never truly relates to Pearl and her manic ways. As the conflict unfolds between Pearl and Cody, the deeper meaning of the story is revealed; there is never a perfect family, but nonetheless, theirs is a family. As the first child, Cody is expected to excel and be the ideal son. He establishes a rebellious personality once his younger brother Ezra is born. Because of this brotherly competition, he and Pearl never really get along. Whether or not they even truly loved each other is an idea to be questioned. Pearl doesn't like the idea that Cody might, for once in his life, be better than Ezra. The reader sees this in chapter 2, when Pearl insists that Ezra try to shoot ... Anne Tyler's classic novel, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Essay Anne Tyler's classic novel, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant In Anne Tyler's classic novel, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, the reader experiences a variety of conflicts between parent and child, one of the most apparent being that between Pearl Tull and her eldest son, Cody. These two characters never seem to see eye to eye, as Pearl prefers to see only the negative aspects of her children. Cody never truly relates to Pearl and her manic ways. As the conflict unfolds between Pearl and Cody, the deeper meaning of the story is revealed; there is never a perfect family, but nonetheless, theirs is a family. As the first child, Cody is expected to excel and be the ideal son. He establishes a rebellious personality once his younger brother Ezra is born. Because of this brotherly competition, he and Pearl never really get along. Whether or not they even truly loved each other is an idea to be questioned. Pearl doesn't like the idea that Cody might, for once in his life, be better than Ezra. The reader sees this in chapter 2, when Pearl insists that Ezra try to shoot ...

Ethical Delima

This case presents an ethical dilemma, a situation which arises when one must choose between mutually exclusive alternatives (Beauchamp& Walters, 2003). Decisions may have results that are desirable in some respects and undesirable in others. In Juana's case, her decision to refuse the blood transfusion had the desired outcome of allowing her to remain true to her religious beliefs. However, her choice also resulted in her death. If she had followed the recommendation of the physicians and the team, the desirable outcome would have been possible survival but would have had the undesired effect of violating her religious principles.The major ethical dilemma was that by honoring the patient's autonomy and religious beliefs, the physicians and interdisciplinary team were faced with compromising their moral duty to administer professional care in accordance with established standards (Chua & Tham, 2006). A brief review of the literature of Nursing Collection II: Lippincott Nursing Journa ls (from Ovid) and CINAHL databases for the past 5 years found no evidence to support best practice for a Jehovah's Witness who is pregnant and has experienced blunt trauma.Healthcare providers faced with this situation have sometimes attempted to obtain court orders that would overrule the patient's decision and result in her submitting to recommended medical treatment. For example, the Illinois Supreme Court (Illinois v. Brown, 1996) upheld a mother's decision to refuse blood transfusions even though they were vital for both the mother's and fetus' survival. The Patient's Bill of Rights states that the healthcare providers' responsibility is to give patients accurate information and that patients must consent to treatment (New York State Department of Health, 2008).This is consistent with the Federal government's recommendations to create guidelines that assure healthcare quality and to reaffirm the critical role consumers play in safeguarding their own health, (United States Depa rtment of Health and Human Services, 1999). Nursing practice is governed by the patient's right to autonomy rather than her religious beliefs (Levy, 1999). The first item in the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code for Nurses with Interpretative Statements (2001) addresses respect for human dignity:â€Å"Truth telling and the process of reaching informed choice underlie the exercise of self-determination, which is basic to respect for person †¦ Clients have the moral right to determine what will be done with their own person; to be given accurate information, and all the information necessary for making informed judgments; to be assisted with weighing the benefits and burdens of options in their treatment; to accept, refuse, or terminate treatment without coercion; and to be given necessary emotional support† (p. 1).However, it is difficult to witness death based on a person's decision to forgo care when medical options to sustain life are available. Treating this type of patient becomes particularly challenging when it involves two lives. Virtue ethics To analyze this ethical dilemma, the principles of Western medicine and the religious beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses were examined. The questions that surfaced were (a) how would the application of virtue ethics provide insight into Juana's situation, (b) what were the ethical principles in conflict, and (c) why was it an issue to administer a blood transfusion to Juana in an emergency situation.Volbrecht's framework for ethical analysis was utilized to address the clinical dilemma and the questions listed above. Virtue ethics was the primary theory employed prior to the 17th century. This theory centers on shared familial and cultural histories and religious traditions and acknowledges the community's ability to identify, interpret, prioritize, and adjust to moral considerations within a particular context (Volbrecht, 2002). The following is an exposition of this case according to virtue ethics. Virtue ethics focuses on what is morally correct from the patient's viewpoint and centers on the patient's autonomy.Actions and character are intertwined, and the ability to act morally is contingent on one's moral character and integrity. Virtue ethics focuses on the context of the situation (Volbrecht, 2002). Ethical analysis of virtue ethics entails (a) identifying the problem, (b) analyzing context, (c) exploring options, (d) applying the decision process, and (e) implementing the plan and evaluating results (Volbrecht, 2002). Identifying the problem Juana, a 20-year-old Hispanic woman, 32 weeks pregnant, was involved in a car accident. Internal bleeding to the thoracic or abdominal cavity was suspected.The stakeholders were the woman, her husband, the fetus, and the interdisciplinary healthcare team. The team thought the best method of treatment for this patient was to administer a blood transfusion and perform an emergency cesarean section. Both the patient and her husband ref used this option because of their religious beliefs and provided written documentation indicating that the patient would not accept blood or blood products. The value issues were the physical survival of the woman and her fetus versus the woman's religious integrity. Analyzing contextTo understand the decision-making process in this case, one must consider the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, compassion, and respect. The patient's religious beliefs and how they influenced her decision must also be taken into consideration. Gardiner (2003) confirms that the ethical principles mentioned above influence one's choices. In Juana's case, the healthcare team suspected she was experiencing internal bleeding and that she and the fetus were in physiological distress. Juana's decision to reject the proposed treatment was based on her stated religious beliefs.The contextual factors of this case centered on the patient's religious beliefs. The patient stated she would â€Å"rather be embraced in the hollow bosom of Jehovah than to be condemned for all eternity,† if she should receive a blood transfusion. Nurses draw from the code of ethics to reflect upon and understand the person's perspective, and to honor her wishes. â€Å"The nurse provides services with respect for human dignity and the uniqueness of the client, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes or the nature of the health problem† (ANA, 2001, p.1). To respect the patient's decision and honor her dignity, supportive care was provided to the patient in an effort to save her life, while at the same time respecting her wishes. The ANA Code of Ethics supports the point of view that healthcare providers should respect patients' wishes and decisions despite their own personal beliefs (ANA, 2001). Applying an ethical decision process Looking through the lens of virtue ethics, the caregivers focused on Juana's autonomy and her ri ght to choose what she perceived best in spite of the possible outcomes.Juana was a competent, pregnant woman who made informed decisions not to receive blood transfusions or a caesarean section. Based on virtue ethics, the healthcare providers respected the patient's autonomy by reflecting on and honoring the decision of the patient and her husband based on her religious values and beliefs. The healthcare providers also drew on the principle of beneficence, which centers on promoting the well-being of others. In this case, the well-being was not physiological but spiritually oriented.The principle of nonmaleficence was also employed by not intentionally inflicting harm on the patient and honoring her wishes. Violation of a client's deeply held beliefs is a form of doing harm. (Leonard & Plotnikoff, 2000). They also drew from the principles of veracity and respect, which entail being truthful to the patient and allowing her to make an informed decision (Volbrecht, 2002). The nursing virtues of compassion, moral courage, and self-reliance also contribute to an understanding of this situation. Evaluating resultsAt the time this clinical situation presented itself there were no specific guidelines in the institution for dealing with the dilemma presented by this case. However, there are guidelines for Jehovah's Witnesses specifically geared to early identification and management of gynecological patients. For example, in Australasia, there are specific guidelines for treating pregnant women that focus on stabilizing the patient by using traditional and new treatment modalities to meet patient needs, particularly for Jehovah's Witnesses or other patients who decline blood transfusions (Women's Hospitals Australasia, 2005).For antepartum patients, the guidelines focus on early identification of Jehovah's Witnesses during prenatal visits, as well as placing these patients on a high risk protocol, including maintenance of high hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, having advance directives completed, and establishing affiliations with other hospitals that are well-equipped and staffed to meet these patients' needs (Women's Hospitals Australasia, 2005). The Hartford Hospital in Connecticut has a similar program and also performs bloodless procedures on patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses (Miller, 1996).As a result of Juana's case being reviewed by the ethics committee post-mortem, a risk-management protocol was developed requiring patients who refuse blood transfusions to sign a waiver that removes the legal responsibility for the decision from the hospital and caregivers. To support this type of protocol, the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management maintains a database of hospitals that provide blood-conserving services in the United States as well as in Canada, Chile, Korea, and South Africa (Society for the Advancement of Blood Management, 2008).The problem, however, in an emergency situation is that it may not be possible to get the pat ient to a participating hospital. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (2004) recommends that advance directives and other legal papers be in place should an emergency arise. These documents should be easily accessible so that healthcare providers can honor the patient's directives. In so doing, they will be applying the theory of virtue ethics and, therefore, respect the patient's wishes (Macklin, 2003).Healthcare providers should practice beneficence and non-maleficence without imposing their beliefs as to the right thing to do. More explicit and universal guidelines would benefit both patients and providers when faced with similar ethical dilemmas. Conclusion In nursing practice, cases of patients refusing blood transfusions or other interventions are becoming more common. Therefore, content regarding ethical issues, such as Juana's case, needs to be integrated into nursing curricula and the clinical arena.Nursing educators who incorporate bioethics into critical thinking in cl inical decision making situations can prepare novice and experienced nurses to handle complex ethical dilemmas, such as described in this paper. The learning process may be facilitated through integrating lectures with case studies and utilizing patient simulators to further enhance the learning process (Larew et al. , 2006).These teaching approaches would provide the opportunity to expose nurses to scenarios of acute patients where they can intervene in a safe environment, which in turn would decrease their anxiety and promote learning. Nurse educators can further facilitate the learning process by providing clinical experiences with diverse patient populations in a variety of settings followed by discussion of actual clinical experiences, ethical issues, and debriefing (Larew et al. , 2006).Nursing faculty have an ethical responsibility to prepare competent nurses and facilitate continuing education that will help nurses recognize ethical dilemmas in practice and apply ethical pri nciples in trying to resolve them. The focus in practice, education, and research must be on providing care that respects patients' cultural beliefs and autonomy. Nursing educators should place equal emphasis on ethics in order to provide the best holistic care possible. To do anything else is a disservice both to the profession and to our patients.

Firewood Species Burning Properties and Comparisons