reflection week 6

Friday’s class was a reminder that underneath all of the liberal, realist, and constructivist theories of international relations and the complex global interactions that essentially we are talking about politics in its purest form. When Professor Jackson said that as the President he would go with the position that would contribute the most money to his campaign this particularly hit home. While we might try to avoid the politicking of such situations we all know it occurs.
Friday, I went into the class thinking that each group held the same amount of influence and that if three groups voted one way and two groups the other way that the three groups would win. This was not however the case in the simulation, nor is it the case in the real world of politics. People will look after their own self-interest above all other concerns and the President is no exception. So as hard as the foreign auto manufactures, the Sierra Club, and the consumers tried they would get nowhere with the President because the United Auto Workers and the domestic car manufacturers have a lot more money to donate to the President’s campaign. Sometimes no matter how hard you try you cannot escape the reality of politics. Perhaps that is an overly simplified realist response but I think sometimes it is true and it is important when dealing with such issues the political situations involved. Furthermore these are not just global political phenomenon, they happen in high school student body government elections and even informally among young children at recess. Sometimes there is no getting around politics.
Erica Peterson