America Flashcards
Influence
Military
E: The us is niggest military in the world. The most popular weapon dealer in thr world are all in the USA - with lochheed martain at the top with sales over £47bn making it the biggest supplier in the world.
40% of US exports are to the middle east, this realationship has been very important to America. The US has openly backed Isreal, there’s a massive American base their and is the biggest recipient of recipient of American military aid in history.
R: However, USA isn’t the only country with military influence. US armed ISIS in Syria even though Russia had claimed to defeat ISIS, Putin claimed this in 2018. There are now many abandoned US military bases with Russian flags flying over them. Futhermore, America spent Billions of dollers trying to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan. America failed and left in 2021.
L: Overall it is clear that America has a huge military impact mainly weapon exports and its sheer size. However there’s still a few military who can be just as powerful as the US.
Influence
Economics
E: America has the biggest GDP-$24 trillion and in turn the buggest economy. The US often takes adavntage of this through sanctions. Sanctions are the removal of trade and financial realaions for foreign security policy punishmnet, targeted usually at bussinesses, countries and individuals.
E: For example the US imposed a sanction upon Iran to stop Iran’s Nuclear weapon programme Targetting Iranian oil trade. Causing Irans GDP to drop by 13%, Iran’s currency has halved it’s value since this sanction was imposed.
R: However, Russia continued to trade with Iran, massivly under,inding the US Influence - Russia Iran trade reachee an all time high in 2020. The sanction still has an extremly big imoact dispite Russia support with Iran experieneced its fourth recesion in four years.
L: Overall America hasa huge exonomic impact and removal of economic support can be detrimental.
Influence
NATO
E: The North Atlantic Treaty orginisation was founded in 1949. The main principle pf NATO is collectove defence - if one NATO ally gets attacked then all NATO allies get attcked. All members must makw membership payments. Countries may also pay in resources such as jets and ships. Trump made getting US NATO allies to spend 2% of ther GDP on defense a main theme of his forgien policy.
R: However, some countires are not obiding to trump. Big economiessuch as Germany, Spain canada and Turkey are not spending enough proportionally to their to defence GDP. F
E: Germany only spent 1.26% of their GDP on military in 2019.
L: America is extremly influencial within NATO. Being the biggest financail member the US holds a lot of power and in turn can be hugly influencial on other countries decisions
Influence
The UN (United Nations)
E: The UN deals issues confronting humanity in the 21st centuary includinh; peace and security, climate change, human rights and terrorism. Their are 196 members states, the US contributes the most and the head quarters are in New York. President Trump made it clear that he diesn’t want to continue funding a UN agency provides aid to Palastinian refugees.
F: Furthermore there are five more scurity council members including countries like USA, Russia, China, France and the UK. These member are pernamnet and have the power to VETO resulutions.
E: THere was a proposed resulotion into the investigation into the origins of the Syrian war, Russia constantly interveened by VETOing the resulotion.
L: Overall, the US has a massive ibfulence on the UN, bening a security member and being the largest donor.
Influence of branches
Executive branch - power of appoinmnet
E: Presdient has to employ thousands of people to run the country.
E:state secretery Marco Rubio
he presudent also has power of appointment for supreme court judges if they die or retire.
E: For example in jan 2020 shortly before the end of Trumps presidency, supreme court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies. Resulting in Amey coney being appointed - a major right wind shit in the courts.
R: Executive branch doesnt have complete comtrol on appoitnment. **Cabinet members reuqire senate approval and must attend hearings where they can be questioned on theur beliefs and knowledge of the US constitution.
E: Trump nominated sean Duffy for cabinet, who has the chance to be nominated by the senate.
L: Overall, the executive branch can clearly dominate throught power of appointment, however due to legislative involvement power of appointment can be limited
Influence of branches
Execultive branch - Vetos & Executive Orders
E: EOs allow the president to bypass congrssional approval on certain laws. Vetos mean thar the president can block or reject laws put foward by congress.
E: Trump signed 100 on the day of his inauguration.
Biden veoted the judges act of 2024 allowing judicial expansion.
R: However, there are checks on this executive power to ensure the president never becomes too power.
congress has the power to pass and overturn an executive order by passing legislation which invalidates it.
Further more, the judicary are able to overide executive order if thru believe they are unconstitutional.
E: In, 2017 in supreme court reject Trump’s executive order banning travel from certain countires.
L: The ability to use executive ordere and Vetos gives the executive branch a lot if power. Howver it is limited by the supreme court and congress making it hugky impactful with part majorty if the other bracnhes.
Legislative branch - impeachment
E: This means congress can vote to remove president from office by putting them in trial for acting against the constitution. There needs to be a two-thirds majority of congress to be successful.
E: For example, in 2019 the impeachment process began against Trump because he withheld foreign aid from Ukraine and refused to invite Ukrainian leader to the whitehouse unless they investigated Joe Bidens campaign spending.
R: There are limitation of impeached. The process is extremely difficult and requires a super majority of the senate.
If impeachment was an easy process parties could abuse this power to remove opposition president.
E: Impeachment has only been attempted 3 times in the past 50 years; Nixon Clinton and trump.
For example, in feb 2021 the conclusion of the trail, senate votes 10 votes short of impeachment.
L: Clearly impeachment is not and effective way of a branch of government dominating. The executive branch can influence the process and the legislative branch find it very difficult to reach a supermajority
Legislative - War power act
E: Meaning that only congress can declare war, existing to check the power of the executive branch and ensure that the US isn’t in constant conflict.
E: Congress votes against entering war with Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
R: The president has the role of chief in commander of the US army and has the responsibility to defend the US. The president must manage the fight and declared by congress.
E: For example, the congressional partisan measure limiting president Trump military operation against Iran. However Trump vetoed this legislation and continued to launch an operation against Iran without congressional approval.
L: Overall, there’s a mostly even domination of power with the power of war act, allowing the congress to check the executive.
