[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 57 (Thursday, April 14, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 MAJORITY RULE ESSAY BY NANDAN MARWAHA

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                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 2016

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight from across the political spectrum that 
sheds a light on the concerns of our younger constituents. Giving voice 
to their priorities will hopefully instill a better sense of the 
importance of being an active participant in the political process. 
Many of the students have written short essays on a variety of topics 
and I am pleased to share them with my House colleagues.
  Nandan Marwaha attends Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas. The 
essay topic is: Majority Rule.

       The idea that public policy makers have to justify their 
     actions to the general public is one that was around long 
     before the United States of America. It seems that the best 
     way for this justification to happen is a basic utilitarian 
     ethic, an ends-based methodology. It states that the action 
     that should follow is one that promotes the greatest good for 
     the greatest number. In other words, if the majority of 
     people benefit from, or agree with, an action it ought 
     morally be the one that is taken. This ethic applies to the 
     majority rule system in the United States federal government, 
     as utilitarianism clearly serves as a basis for this system.
       However, we must place side-constraints on this theory in 
     order to help the minorities, as we cannot just dismiss the 
     ideas of 49% of the population. As a policymaker, I would 
     take into account the views of the minorities in order to 
     prevent their systematic oppression. Moreover, the 
     perspectives of the minorities bring a new viewpoint to the 
     table, and allow for government officials to solve societal 
     ills. Thus, if was ever to be part of the political machine, 
     I would accept the views of the majority alongside the views 
     of the minorities as both have an important role and carry 
     equal weights. I would serve as a trustee, combining the 
     different views to form a more comprehensive plan that all 
     people can agree with. I would also push for more 
     collaboration between the minorities and majorities in order 
     to make a compromise that reaches everyone's needs.
       Not only does the idea of majority rule affect public 
     policy changes, but also the governmental system itself. For 
     example, in a presidential election, the candidate who 
     produces the most amounts of votes gains all the electoral 
     votes from that state, a ``winner-take-all'' system. This 
     serves as proof that the majority rule system gives too much 
     power to the 51%. Not only that, but in the House of 
     Representatives we see that a majority is able to control 
     nearly all the actions of the government. We cannot simply 
     ignore the voices of the minorities; they still play a vital 
     role in the government.
       Though majority rule has its fair share of benefits, it 
     also has an equitable amount of flaws. However, the 
     government obligation is to serve and please as many of its 
     constituents as it can, so majority rule serves as the best 
     ideal for any governmental system.

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