Woodrow Wilson Essays - Presidency Of Woodrow Wilson, Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson In 1856, Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born to Joseph Wilson and Janet Woodrow. Because he was the son of a Presbyterian minister, the moral ideology of Woodrow Wilson had its foundation early in his life. It is this moral approach to politics that shaped American foreign policy for a great part of the twentieth century. Wilson was elected president in 1910, as a result of Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose split from the Republican Party. The idealistic governor from New Jersey believed that the time had come for him to instate moral politics on the American people. Wilson had little experience in the arena of international politics, this is quite ironic of Wilson's presidency because, Wilson himself would be chiefly remembered as a world diplomat, and, his domestic policy would not be long cherished. To understand Woodrow Wilson's take on politics, one must first review his childhood and background. Born in the age of slavery, Wilson grew up as a racist. His parents both came from families of strong Presbyterian influence. Growing up his father would quiz him on the Bible as well as the orations of men such as Daniel Webster and Charles Lamb. It was also a result of his Scottish-Irish ancestry that Wilson began to inspect the British form of government, a government from which he would later try to incorporate ideas into American democracy. It was here, in his childhood, which the brickwork was laid for America's leader in World War I. (Walworth 14) After attending Princeton University, Wilson became the president of the University. He instituted many reforms including the defeat of the quadrangle system and a development of a graduate school. His belief was that Princeton was to transform boys performing meaningless tasks into thinking men. This goal was to be achieved by using the British model of the preceptorial program . After hearing about this new method of instruction, many vigorous young teachers flocked to Wilson praising his method. Wilson had now become the university's Pastor. (Walworth 89) When a new contract concerning the new graduate school was adopted, the pastor was asked to leave the university life, he was now ready to enter the political arena. Many politicians in the state of New Jersey were eager to have Wilson, a democrat, become involved in politics. Muckrakers had introduced New Jersey as a state conducive to corporations and the political machines they controlled, and the need for an honest politician was greater than ever. At the time when Wilson began his political career, the New Jersey machine was lacking a democratic candidate that could take the place of strong progressive reformers. In the 1906 election for New Jersey's senator, Wilson had all but conceded defeat, since the democrats had no viable chance of winning the election, or so he thought. After conversing with a Princeton classmate, Edwin Stevens, he realized that the bosses were trying to place Wilson as a candidate to cover up the real problems of the machines. (Walworth 145) George Brinton McClellan Harvey was the editor of Harper's Weekly Magazine during the latter part of Wilson's tenure at Princeton. Harvey is largely responsible for the governorship of New Jersey. It was Harvey that made a deal with James Smith Jr. Harvey guaranteed that Wilson would accept the nomination if Smith used his pull in the Democratic Party to make Wilson the president of the United States (Walworth 151). Wilson reluctantly accepted the proposal from Harvey and Smith and began the march toward the presidency. As soon as Wilson was elected governor of New Jersey, he was seen as the man who would lead the Democratic Party towards a more righteous end. As governor, Wilson turned and fought the machines that had, unbeknownst to Wilson, in effect put him in office. When Smith learned of Wilson's alleged betrayal, he announced his candidacy for re-election to the United States Senate, Wilson publicly denounced this campaign and had once and for all, ended the reign of the New Jersey Machine. The time for the 1912 election was near and a reluctant Woodrow Wilson accepted the challenge and the Democratic nomination. This was largely due to the crises that were blooming in the Mediterranean. Nevertheless, Wilson campaigned and toured the country giving the speeches, which he had become famous for. Wilson then secured the democratic nomination when he earned the support of the influential William Jennings Bryan . Bryan had respected Wilson and had followed him since the time of his presidential reforms at Princeton, admired and congratulated him on his quest for governor and

Canadian House of Commons Question Period

Canadian House of Commons Question Period In Canada, Question Period is a daily 45-minute period in the House of Commons. This period allows the members of Parliament to hold the prime minister, the Cabinet  and the House of Commons committee chairs accountable by asking questions about policies, decisions, and legislation. What Happens During Question Period? Opposition members of Parliament and occasionally other members of ​Parliament ask questions to get the prime minister, Cabinet  ministers and House of Commons committee chairs to defend and explain their policies and the actions of the departments and agencies for which they are responsible. The provincial and territorial legislative assemblies have a similar Question Period. Questions may be asked orally without notice or may be submitted in writing after notice.  Members who are not satisfied with the answer they receive to a question may pursue the matter at greater length during the Adjournment Proceedings, which occur every day except Friday. Any member can ask a question, but the time is set aside almost exclusively for the opposition parties to confront the government and hold it accountable for its actions. The opposition typically uses this time to highlight the perceived inadequacies of the government. The Speaker of the House of Commons oversees Question Period and may rule questions out of order. The Purpose of Question Period Question Period reflects the concerns of national political life and is closely followed by members of Parliament, the press and the public. Question Period is the most visible part of the Canadian House of Commons schedule  and gets extensive media coverage. Question Period is televised and  is that part of the parliamentary day where the government is held accountable for its administrative policies and the conduct of its Ministers, both individually and collectively.  Question Period is also a major tool for members of Parliament to use in their roles as constituency representatives and government watchdogs.