Case Study: Urbanisation In Nairobi

Case Study: Urbanisation In Nairobi With an ever-growing global population have come changes in the way that cities emerge and develop, with urbanization being one of the most prominent. While only 10% of the worlds population lived in cities in 1900, this percentage has now ballooned to over 50% (Benton-Short Short, 2008, p. 66). During this period of urbanization, trends characterizing urbanizing cities have developed, each posing their own unique challenges for urban planners. These trends include: the emergence of predominant age groups, variations in the size and distribution of cities, environmental degradation, the introduction of institutional changes and participatory planning, and changes due to poor economic conditions. A city is largely defined by its residents. While developed and transitional countries are characterized by aging populations, it is estimated that 60% of residents in urban areas of developing countries will be under the age of 18 by the year 2030 (United Nations Human Settlements Programme [UN-Habitat], 2009, p. 10). These countries will also see their young urban populations grow by 50% within the next 40 years (ibid, p. 10). A country defined by older citizens and a declining or negative growth rate has different priorities and needs than a rapidly growing country with a young populace. These distinctions create different challenges for urban planners. Urban planners of developed and transitional countries are faced with the problem of renewing cities now in their deindustrialization phase. They have to transform areas and structures that have been abandoned by redeveloping waterfronts and brownfields, supported by programs such as the Brownfields Initiative in the United States, so that these areas can contribute to the future growth of the city (Benton-Short Short, 2008, p. 83). They also need to consider how current health systems and facilities for the elderly population can be updated and expanded to accommodate the aging baby boom population. Urban planners in the global south, however, are tasked with developing infrastructures to supply rapidly growing populations with housing, water, and sanitation. Systems need to be developed that will support the surge in young residents, providing facilities and programs that will serve this age group as they begin to shape the future of the city. The emergence of predominant age groups challenges planners to consider the specific needs of that age group. As cities grow in population, they also tend to grow in physical size and expand outwards. This expansion is apparent as the majority of the worlds urban population lives in cities and towns of less than 500,000 people rather than in megacities, which are home to populations of at least 10 million (Benton-Short Short, 2008, p. 73; UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 11). In developed countries like Canada and the United States, this growth has manifested itself in the form of sprawl, creating suburbs that are made up of homogeneous segregated uses: housing subdivisions, shopping centers, office/business parks, large civic institutions, and roadways heavily dependant on collector roads (Randolph, 2004, p. 37). These suburbs are auto-centric, characterized by their residents tendency to travel by personal vehicle. Planners must consider how to guide a citys growth and maintain its sustainability in the midst of the air pollution and high energy consumption associated with automobiles. Unlike these d eveloped countries, Hostovsky (2010b) notes that growth in the developing world has manifested itself as over-urbanization rather than sprawl (p. 19). Huge populations form cities in these countries, which are then surrounded by informal housing areas known as shantytowns or slums. Since shantytowns are considered illegal, there is often no government support to provide the infrastructure necessary for adequate water supply, sanitation, electricity, trash collection, etc. (Benton-Short Short, 2008, p. 90). Planners are challenged to consider how to approach these underserved communities as previous attempts to formalize these areas have resulted in further deterioration in quality of life (UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 12). Urban planners must consider how sprawl and over-urbanization affect the countries in which they occur, and ensure that infrastructures reach the necessary distances and serve the huge numbers of underprivileged citizens that they need to. There is also an alarming trend of environmental degradation and an increasing frequency of natural disasters. Climate change is soon expected to affect the worlds ability to access water, produce food, and maintain healthy populations (ibid, p. 2). Exacerbating this issue of climate change is the proliferation of suburbs and industries that rely on oil as an energy source, leading to significant increases in greenhouse gas emissions (ibid, p. 3). The climate change issue is one that all countries must consider, be they developed, transitional, or developing. Countries are faced with the challenge of supplying their populations with access to food and water in an environment that will no longer be able to sustain such large populations and rapid growth. If the entire globe were to live at the same standards as North Americans, two additional planets would be required to accommodate the increase in ecological load (Hostovsky, 2010a, p. 35). In addition to the degradation of the natura l environment, has come an increase in the frequency of natural disasters. The global rate of occurrence has increased fourfold since 1975, with a threefold increase in Africa in the past 10 years (UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 14). Of particular concern is the fact that disasters have the greatest impact on the poorest of the poor. Of the 270 million people affected by disasters in 2002, 98% of those people were residents of low-income countries (Benton-Short Short, 2008, p. 125). This can be charged to the fact that these low-income countries simply do not have the financial capability to implement disaster preparedness programs like developed countries. Planners will need to use innovative ways to build infrastructures that will be able to withstand these natural disasters and mitigate the economic and human life losses that ensue. By mitigating climate change and planning for natural disasters, urban planners have a significant role in ensuring that the expected population growth is sus tainable with one planet. The trends of urbanizing cities are occurring not only amidst changes in the natural environment, but also changes in the political environment. Governments are no longer in the same form as when these cities were first founded. Citizens are demanding participatory approach to planning, no longer willing to merely accept the planning decisions of their leaders (UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 3). Planners will need to recognize that public consultations will partially guide their work and that their work will only be effective in a political environment that is stable (ibid, p. 3). All of the trends discussed above exist in an economic context, one that has changed significantly over the past century. Economies of the world have become integrated through the process of economic globalization. As a result of this globalization, all countries are feeling the effects of the current recession. This recession is expected to decrease the amount of funding available for urban development projects, increase unemployment rates, and exacerbate current poverty levels (ibid, p. 12). All countries, regardless of whether they are developed, transitional, or developing, will have to face these financial issues. Planners will be faced with the challenge of developing sustainable urban centres with limited budgets. With the trends associated with urbanizing cities (the emergence of predominant age groups, variations in the size and distribution of cities, environmental degradation, the introduction of institutional changes and participatory planning, and changes due to poor economic conditions) come unique challenges for urban planners to ensure that this rapid urbanization is successful and sustainable. Part 2 A Global City: Nairobi, Kenya Overview Located in eastern Africa, Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya (see Figure 1). With 3 million residents, the citys population is growing at a rate of 3.8% per year (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2007). The majority of the residents are between 15-64 years of age, with a median age of 18.7 (Central Intelligence Agency [CIA], 2010). Nairobi was founded in 1902 by the British colonial government and informal housing has been developing there ever since (Warah, 2001, p. 1). The colonial government believed that Africans did not need, nor deserve, accommodation as they were the source of disease (Republic of Kenya, 2005, p. 4). Strict regulations and planning laws restricted the Africans access to urban land in order to isolate them from the Europeans and as a result, informal housing began being built on the perimeter of the cities (ibid, p. 4). These areas were soon destroyed and the residents were forced to return to rural areas. When Kenya achieved independence in 1963, new legislation was introduced that provided subsidized housing, but these subsidies favoured middle and upper income groups even though 70% of the demand for this housing came from the poor (ibid, p. 4). In the 1970s to early 1980s, the government provided minimal services to the slum communities, but when Structural Adjustment Programmes were introduced in 1986, the government no longer provided subsidies, causing life in the shantytowns to further deteriorate (Warah, 2001, p. 2). In the past, there have been attempts to upgrade these shantytowns but lack of affordability, high standards for infrastructure, land tenure complication, misallocation and administrative inefficiency have caused mixed results (Republic of Kenya, 2005, p. 5). The Republic of Kenya and United Nations came together in 2000 to develop the Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP) which is in the process of implemented (ibid, p. 5). Sixty-percent of Nairobis population lives in slums that cover 5% of the citys land (UN-Habitat, 2010). In these slums, only 20% of residents are connected to electricity and 4% have water connections, while solid waste disposal services are nearly nonexistent (ibid). Economy Nairobi began as a stop on the Kenya Uganda Railway (Mitullah, 2003, p. 1). Although it used to be a mere stop on the route, the city became a centre for commercial trade and business when the railways headquarters were moved from Mombasa to Nairobi in 1899 (ibid, p. 1). Today, over 86% of Nairobis residents participate in the citys economy (ibid, p. 4). The citys labour force is comprised of 67,900 individuals in[the] manufacturing industry, 39,700 in building and construction; 57,300 in trade, restaurants, and hotels, 42,200 in finance, insurance, real estate and business services; while community, social, and personal services [employ] 155,900 people (ibid, p. 4). Although so many residents are employed in these formal industries, the majority of people still engage in informal economic activities such as small trade because employment in the informal sector has grown by 176% while formal sector employment has contracted by 0.43% (ibid, p. 4, see Figure 3). As Kenyas capital city, Nairobi also plays a large role in the countrys economy, serving as the regional core for trade and finance (CIA, 2010). It is through this trading capability that Kenya can export almost $4.5 billion worth of tea, coffee, petroleum products, fish and cement to the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Uganda, Tanzania, the United States and Uganda (ibid) per year. Social Issues Nairobi is home to one of the largest slums in the world, Kibera (see Figure 2), which has a population of over 1 million residents (Amnesty International, 2009). Kibera is plagued by social inequities and issues, some of the most prominent being the high rate of HIV/AIDS, the high levels of youth crime, and inequality for women. Youth in Kenya usually only receive ten years of schooling (CIA, 2010). With the lowest literacy rate in the country, Nairobi youth are not empowered to solve their own problems and problems of the community (City Council of Nairobi, 2009, p. 7). This lack of education continues with them and affects the quality of decisions that they make in the future. For example, leaders failed to recognize the effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment programs in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and it is estimated that their delay in making these programs available led to 3.8 million person-years lost in South Africa from 2000-2005 (Harvard School of Public Health, 2008). Over 1.2 million of the countrys population is estimated to be living with this disease with 150,000 dying each year, making Kenya 4th in the world in terms of the number of deaths attributed to this disease (CIA, 2010). There is a lack of education and social stigma surrounding this disease that prevents the country f rom mitigating its horrible effects. Crime is another issue that proliferates throughout Kenya and Nairobi. The frequency of crimes such as armed robbery, murder, mugging, car-jacking, housebreaking, physical and sexual assault have all been increasing (UN-Habitat, 2007, p. 1). A trend is also occurring where the majority of crimes are committed by youth. In fact, over 50% of convicted prisoners are between the ages of 16 to 25 (ibid, p. 1). The Mungiki movement is a key case of this. The movement is considered the most organized criminal group in the country. They are responsible for the death of 23 residents in 2002, imposing illegal taxes, and controlling the security, water and electricity in slums (ibid, p. 1). Although the residents of Kibera are all exposed to the issues that face the shantytown, women are particularly affected by this negative environment. They are not given the same access to education, they are expected to care for their families, and they are not protected by the police force. Although women are given access to an education, they are often so burdened with home responsibilities that they drop out of school. They feel this burden because they not only take care of their own siblings and children, but they often end up caring for orphans whose parents passed away from HIV. As a teacher in the area notes, [Girls] are not given time to learn and study at home. So that means they will eventually fail (Amnesty International, 2009). These women are not only underprivileged but they are also invisible to the systems that should be meant to protect them. The corridors of these slums are unsafe, especially at night. Should a woman be raped, her report to the police would be use less unless she herself can find the perpetrator herself (ibid). As a result, fewer reports are filed and the vicious cycle that allows these acts to occur continues on. Nairobi residents, especially those of slums like Kibera, are often uneducated, without the knowledge to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and the growing rates of youth crime. Women and girls are often the greatest impacted due to the social inequality towards women, without the opportunity to receive a proper education and subject to the apathy of the police force. Environmental Issues and Infrastructure As mentioned previously, Nairobi is home to Kibera, one of the largest shantytowns in the world (Amnesty International, 2009). These areas of informal housing are exposed to the environmental issues. Residents are plagued by issues in air pollution, solid waste management, and potable water supply and sanitation. Like many cities in North America, increased use of personal vehicles has caused an increase in air pollution in Nairobi. The pollution is also created from industries, charcoal fire, and the incineration of waste in open pits (City of Nairobi, 2007, p. 8). This air pollution has already led to a loss of biodiversity, an increase in acid rain and climate change (ibid, p. 8). Nairobi only has one solid waste disposal dump at Dandora, which is believed to have already reached full capacity (City of Nairobi, 2007, p. 9). With nowhere to dispose of their waste, residents of Nairobi slums have resorted to illegal dump yards, residential backyards and commercial property (ibid, p. 9). Over 50% of the wastes are organic (ibid, p. 9), and when these materials decompose, residents are exposed to high levels of bacteria and vector borne diseases such as malaria and Rift Valley fever (CIA, 2010). The most evident environmental issue in Nairobi is related to its water supply and sanitation. Water is crucial to the survival of all living things, and yet, only 42% of Nairobi households have access to clean water (City Council of Nairobi, 2007, p. 11). Further exacerbating this issue of lack of clean water is the fact that contaminated water is not always treated. In fact, only two-thirds of Nairobi residents have access to sanitation, with many slum residents using a pit latrine that is shared by many people (ibid, p. 12). Forced to fetch potentially unclean water from other sources, residents are exposed to dangerous water-borne diseases which are responsible for 30% of deaths in the global south (Benton-Short Short, 2008, p. 163). Residents are at a high degree of risk for waterborne diseases such as bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and schistosomiasis (CIA, 2010). Part 3 Conclusions Africa is one of the regions experiencing the greatest rate of urbanization in the world (UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 10). Although this urbanization provides new opportunities for economic and social growth, it also poses unique challenges and issues for the development of cities such as Nairobi. Planners need to consider trends that are true of most urbanizing cities (the emergence of predominant age groups, variations in the size and distribution of cities, changes due to poor economic conditions, and an increasing susceptibility to disasters), but also focus on the issues that are specific to Nairobi. Nairobi has a growing population of young people. With the lowest literacy rate in the country, Nairobi youth are not empowered to solve their own problems and problems of the community (City Council of Nairobi, 2009, p. 7). These youth are also at a high risk for HIV/AIDS and are susceptible to being influenced by organized crime groups. If planners manage to develop systems that will educate and protect these young residents, they may reduce the risk of contracting such a deadly disease and the crime rate. Like other urbanizing cities, Nairobi is growing in size as its population increases. However, unlike North America where this growth has been characterized by the emergence of suburbs, Nairobi has been over-urbanized. Since Africa is dominated by a few key cities, planners must be prepared to deal with the sprawl, congestion and environmental effects that are often associated with urban primacy (UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 12). While the entire world is experiencing more natural disasters, Africa is at the peak of this, experiencing a three-fold increase in the past 10 years alone (UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 14). Since lower-income countries are more susceptible to both capital and human loss due to the lack of disaster recovery programs, Nairobi will be faced with the challenge of building infrastructures and implementing programs that will help in the mitigation of loss during these disasters. Finally, these trends and issues faced by Nairobi are occurring in the worst economic recession since 1945 (UN-Habitat, 2009, p. 12). Planners will be faced with the task of building new infrastructures and implementing new programs with less financial support, and in an environment where unemployment and poverty levels are rising. Nairobi will encounter a long journey before it can become an ideal model of a global urbanizing city. Its greatest weakness is its lack of an official plan. The latest approved city plan was developed in 1948, with a revised version submitted in 1973 that was never approved (City of Nairobi, 2007, p. 3). Without a plan, leaders and citizens can never expect to develop a city that is successful and sustainable. Figure 1 Map of Kenya (CIA, 2010) Figure 2 Kibera, a slum in Nairobi (Amnesty International, 2010) Figure 3 Comparison of formal and informal sectors (Mitullah, 2003, p. 4)

Retirement plans

Abstract A good retirement plan should be one that would provide retirees with the most benefits. These benefits should ideally provide tax advantages. Tax savings can be realized in the short run or in the long run depending on the type of scheme selected. It should also provide a secure investment that offers attractive returns. This paper looks into the retirement programs highlighting the advantages of these schemes to different players. This paper opines that despite the few disadvantages of these schemes, They provide an great avenue through which employees can plan their futur. Definition These are a programs established by employer or employee or both aimed at providing the retirees with a source of income when they are no longer in employment. Retirement plans basically are set up as a form of savings plan to cater for the future i.e. by providing some form of income when a person has retired. Types of retirement plans There are several retirement plans available in the market today. The employees should therefore select a plan that meets their expectation and suits their needs. Below is a list and explanation of some of the available retirement plans. i) Individual Retirement Accounts plans It is one of the simplest retirement programs that can be set by an individual. It is also worthwhile to note that IRAs be established by employers. Therefore IRAs can be established with little employers’ involvement to those that they establish and contribute to the scheme. The retirement benefits depend on the contributions and subsequently the income earned by these funds. There are four IRA plans Payroll Deduction IRA- formed by the employee either under traditional or Roth IRA in conjunction with a financial institution. The financial institution (banks, insurance companies) then deducts the contributions towards the plan under the authority of the employee. Traditional IRA contributions are partly or wholly tax deductible and therefore present tax savings to the employee. The other advantage is that the earnings on the plan are not taxed unless distributed. The same applies to the contributions to the plan. Roth IRA deductions are not tax deductible and also distributions are not part of the income (Internal Revenue Service 2008) Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SARSEP) – It is a simple plan that involves salary reduction agreement which enables the employers to contribute to the IRAs set by them and also to the employees IRAs. There contributions are subject to a limit. Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP)-Employers contribute towards the plan Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE IRA) – employers make contributions towards their own retirement plan and also that of the employees. The employees reduce their salaries with the employers making similar contributions. ii) IRC 401 (K) Plans. Can involve employees delaying their salaries and these money is taken to 401(k) plan supported by their employers. The deferred salary is not taxed unless distributed. The benefit of having a 401(k) plan is that one can have other plans as well The employee/employer contribution is subject to a limit with withdrawals being permitted but subject to taxes. iii) TRC 403(b)-Tax sheltered Annuity Plans This plan are operated by public schools and certain tax exempt organizations. This plan is same as 401(k) in the sense that contributions are in form of salary delays with the employers sponsoring the plan. The potential benefits of this plan are that the contributions and earnings on retirement are tax deferred with annuities being carried by the employee on retirement or change of employers (IRS: 2008) iv) IRC 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans Established by state or local government or tax exempt organization under IRA (501(c). Employees or employers contribute to the plan through salary reductions up to a certain set limit under IRC 402(g) These plans can be eligible under IRC 457 (b) or illegible under IRC 457(f). Eligible plan allows tax deferral on contributions and earnings on the retirement funds (Ryterband &Alpem: 2005) v) Designated Roth Accounts in 401(k) or 403(b) plans 401(k) and 403(b) can be designated as Roth plans since 2006. These plans are allowed under Code section 402 A added by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act 2001. Designated Roth contributions are included in the gross income and are also elective. A designated Roth account is where with contributions is made with separate accounting of contributions, gains and losses being maintained (IRS 2008) Designated Roth contributions are subject to limit with employee and employers contributing up to certain determinable limit. Advantages and Disadvantages of good retirement plan As discussed above, there are different types of retirement plans that employees and employers can chose from. The plan to be selected should provide the most benefits to both the employer and employee and most importantly suit the needs of both the employee and employers (Scotto, D., J et al: 2008) Therefore, in discussing the advantages and disadvantages of retirement plans, it important to approach it from the employees and employers point view. Advantages-Employees Tax saving-A good retirement plan should be able to provide the most tax savings and advantages. Tax advantages can be in the form of tax-exempt and tax deferrals. A good number of retirement plans offer these tax advantages and therefore employees and employers can select a plan that meets their needs (Maddock J, 2007) The tax savings can be realized in the short run or in the long run depending on the type of scheme selected. Many investment options and opportunities-The contributions (funding) to the retirement plan are invested in various investment options. A good retirement plan should therefore put the money in investments that offer attractive returns while at the same time safeguarding the investor’s money. Retirement plans are long term in nature and therefore the contributions should be invested in the long term also (Perlinger Financial Services: 2008) Provides a ‘nest egg’-Retirement plans provide employees with an opportunity to slowly but constantly contribute towards their retirement. The benefit of this arrangement is that it does not strain the employees financially and thus they are able to make contribution which they are comfortable with. All these contributions are invested in stocks, bonds and other investment opportunities which earn interest and appreciate in value and therefore the retirement benefits will accumulate and become substantial upon retirement. Employer contributions-Contribution to the retirement benefits plan can be by an individual or by the company or both depending on the type of plan. A good retirement benefit plan should allow both contribution of employee and employer. The employer contributions are usually elective in nature. Contributions by both employer and employee ensure that the fund accumulates faster and thus on retirement the fund will be huge. Performance of the fund-The contributors to the retirement scheme should be able to monitor the performance of the fund. A good retirement benefits plan should provide regular updates on the performance of the fund so that any surplus or deficit can be appropriately dealt with. Advantages- Employer Employee retention-A good retirement plan can act as an incentive to the employees and also attract better employees. The company can retain its top employees by offering them a good retirement scheme and since it is for the long term, the company is able to retain them. The company is also able to attract employees who are better qualified in terms of experience and skills and thus the company will benefit (Business Owners Toolkit: 2008) Financial security of employees-Employees is able to perform optimally if they know that their financial future is guaranteed.   A retirement benefit plan that provides this perceived financial security is good Employee morale-Since most pension schemes are based on the salary earned by the employee, a good retirement plan therefore, serves to motivate and encourage all employees to work hard and hence earn more wages. Higher salaries subsequently means ‘handsome’ retirement package and this enhances staff morale. Tax savings-The contributions to the retirement scheme in most plans is tax allowable and this provides the company with the most tax efficient way of rewarding its employees. The contributions are deducted when calculating the taxable income. Reduced recruitment costs-As seen above, a good retirement plan helps the company retain most of its employees and therefore the costs associated with recruitment and replacing the employees who left the company is minimized (Perlinger Financial Services:2008) Disadvantages of retirement plans Despite all the numerous advantages of setting up a retirement plan, there are several disadvantages associated with it. Some of these are discussed below. Some of the retirement plans are time consuming, expensive and complex to set up. The result of this is that the company incurs extra expenses and thereby squeezing the profit margins. The complexities in establishing the plan will also present more costs apart from being time consuming (Business Owners Toolkit: 2008) The operations of the retirement plan needs professional expertise e.g. that of actuaries and accountant. These professionals offer their services at a fee which is usually expensive. The administrative costs of running a retirement plan may pose a challenge to the company in terms of extra costs. Early retirement by the employee could reduce the amount received. This in essence means that the employee has to work his full employment term in order to receive all his retirement benefits. This could mean being trapped in employment even if one is not comfortable. Joining a retirement plan late on in one’s employment i.e. when there are a few years till retirement may not accumulate a large amount enough to sustain the retiree. Therefore the retirement plan will not improve the financial security of the employee (Scotto, D., J et al: 2008) In some of the retirement plans, the contributor has no role in deciding where to invest the fund’s money. This means that the money could be invested in assets that are not in line with one’s investment strategies. This essentially means that the contributor has no control of his money. Employees are responsible for ensuring that they have enough savings for their retirement in some of the plans. This means that the employee is the one in charge of all the investment assets and therefore bears the responsibility of any losses incurred by these investments. Reference: Maddock, J (2007) Advantages of Offering a Pension Plan to Your Employees: Retrieved On 29/1/2009 Perlinger Financial Services Ltd (2008) Pension Plans: Retrieved on 29/1/2008 Internal Revenue Service (2008) Types of Retirement Plans: Retrieved On 29/1/2008 Business Owners Toolkit (2008) Pros and Cons of Retirement Plans: Retrieved On 29/1/2008 From http://www.toolkit.com/small_business_guide/sbg.aspx?nid=P05_4640 Scotto, D., J.   Maglio, V., T. & Maglio, M. (2008) Choosing a retirement plan that meets the needs of employees and employer: Retrieved on 29/1/2008 from Retrieved On From http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=2333 Chang RuthenBerg and Long Pc (2003) Types of Retirement Plans retrieved on 29/1/2008 from  Ã‚   http://www.seethebenefits.com/CRLframeset800x600.asp?targetPage=http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:AO6rPS-WpS4J:www.seethebenefits.com/content/CWHY/typesretireplans.htm%20types%20of%20retirement%20plans Ryterand, D., J. & L. Alpem, R., L. (2005). The Hand Book of Employee Benefits: Design Funding and Administration, section 457, Deferred compensation plans 6th Edition (NY) Mc Graw-Hill Professional.         

Summary Of The Spotted Fallow Doe - 985 Words

The spotted fallow doe was only one hundred paces from him, a shot so easy even Merlin would have no problems. So when he missed it, the confused, yet critical eye he gave the crossbow was laughable because it couldn t possibly have been his fault. He had perfect form, had it full in his sights, and he shouldn t have missed unless the crossbow was faulty. Had he damaged it in some way on this hunt? Arthur almost didn t hear Mithian s cheeky remark about his poor marksmanship when her aim was true and her bolt hit the doe in its hindquarter. Her shot didn t fell it, though, and there was very little blood to track. The king joined in the search, combing the forest floor for a trail of blood they knew would be close by. A less perceptive hunter would have missed the glint that caught his attention. Arthur knelt in a comfortable squat and picked up a silver ring tied to a leather cord. When he recognized the object, Guinevere s matching wedding band, the world closed in around him, all the times he kissed her, held her, vexed her, laughed with her, and every other moment in between spontaneously flash within his mind. The trail lost all meaning. What fickle chance had he of finding that ring, now discarded and forgotten on the forest floor in the middle of nowhere? What was Fate trying to tell him? Stricken, he looked to Merlin for answers he knew the servant wouldn t have. Merlin kept the king s gaze only briefly, the guilt of constantly altering the destiny of

The Presidency, The Judiciary, And The Bureaucracy

There exist four institutions of government, these institutions consist of The Congress, The Presidency, The Judiciary, and The Bureaucracy. Each and every institution remains essential to the laws. Nonetheless, without one of the system the government would not work, and chaos would arise in the United States. Moving on, let’s analyze the four institutions in detail. First, Congress consists of two bicameral chambers, which contains the House of Representatives, and the Senate. The tasks that these two chambers play in the legislative process subsist unlike. However, they do work together to pass bills by the majority vote, and they can also proclaim war. Furthermore, the populations are represented in the House, therefore the House proceeds much larger, and diverse than the Senate. However, the Senate remains more elite. Additionally, an appropriation bill must originate in the House. The House has the power to declare impeachment of whichever manner of misconduct within an elected official. Moreover, the Senate decides on what the punishment would be for the individual. Another power the Senate holds contains to approve appointed officials, and judges by the President. In conclusion, these two chambers remain essential for our government, and without one Congress will fall apart. Second, The Executive Office coexists of the President, the Cabinet, and a diversity of appointing advisors that remain specialized in a certain field, for example, economics, roads, land, etc.Show MoreRelatedThe Legal Approach Of The American Constitution889 Words   |  4 Pagesany tyrannical regime because it is all about laws and legislatures. In here, the American constitution is very important and leads the way. It shows that how the constitution plays a role in presidency. 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The Founders wanted a President that had limited powers and was above outside influences such as political parties. Over time, the presidency has grown in its abilities far beyond what the Constitution intended. Presidents such as Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt expanded the executive branch’s powe r through their political appeal and personalities. For instanceRead MoreThe Main Problems With The Constitution1261 Words   |  6 Pagesthought of and linked to the constitution, therefore jeopardizing the nation to a dysfunctional and dangerous presidency. Throughout the history of American government, there have been a couple presidencies which have managed to gain high power and disregard the wellbeing of the nation, behave inappropriately and even unconstitutional. A good example of what some argue to have been a bad presidency, would be the case of George W. Bush, which on different occasions, he thought it would be suitable to disapproveRead MoreTaking a Look at the Watergate Scandal1050 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom the public’s backlash as a response to the troops’ advancement into Cambodia. Additionally, the secret bombings of Cambodia were a preview of the dishonesty, public disapproval, and illegality which would characterize the majority of Nixon’s presidency. H. R. Haldeman once stated, â€Å"I firmly believe that without the Vietnam War there would have been no Watergate.† Nixon’s handlings with the Vietnam War set a precedent for the way he was received by the public and many of his officials. FiguresRead MoreIs There a Philippine Public Administration1548 Words   |  7 Pagesterms of structure. I would like to quote Alex Brillantes, Jr. and Maricel Fernandez on their statement. Yes we have basic public administration structures and processes. We have an executive branch with the bureaucracy at its core. We have a Philippine legislature. We have a Philippine judiciary. We have Philippine electoral processes and procedures. We have Philippine sub-national institutions and local governments, together with decentralization processes and procedures. It is within this contextRead MoreChecks and Balances Essay1080 Words   |  5 Pagesthey feel he is not in the best interests of the nation. These are fundamental of government under which different branches are empowered to prevent actions by other branches and are formed to share power. The execu tive, the legislature, and the judiciary are the backbone of the government to carry out his duty and to fulfill the obligation of the nation interest. The process of the appointment power that fall under the president, are nomination politics. The nomination politics takeRead MoreWhat Is The Power Of The Constitution1178 Words   |  5 PagesThe constitution, which was established in 1993, gives too many and strong powers to the Russian President. Sometimes, people compare Russias presidency with Charles de Gaulle in the French Fifth Republic Everyone knows about the authority and rights which Russian President has. He can issue decrees and directives that have the force of law without legislative review, but they should not contradict that document or other previous laws. The President has a power to make so many appointments of keyRead MoreWhy The Congress Is Responsible With The Representative Responsibility As Well As Having Legislative Functions1967 Words   |  8 PagesThe relationship between the president and the Congress is described as a â€Å"perpetual tag of war†, which can be attributed to system o f checks and balances at the heart of America’s governmental structure. However many argue that the power of the presidency has expanded over the past decade, with the rope being pulled mostly towards the side of executive but not exclusively in the area of foreign policy and national security, which can be attributed to various factors. These factors include allocation