USA Flashcards
US Government
The Executive Branch
The President, the Vice President, and his cabinet exercise the EXECUTIVE function of government
The President and his staff are empowered to carry out the laws which are made by Congress.
For example, Donald Trump pulled the USA out of an international nuclear weapons deal with Iran in 2018.
The Legislative Branch
The LEGISLATIVE Branch contains the people who make the vast majority of laws at the Federal level in America.
These are the Senate (Senators) and the House of Representatives (Congressmen/women), collectively known as the Congress.
The majority of representatives in the USA will belong to either the Democratic Party (such as Nancy Pelosi) or the Republican Party (such as Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky).
judicial branch
The JUDICIAL branch of government (The Supreme Court) determines whether a law passed is allowed by the Constitution, i.e. if it is constitutional.
The Supreme Court consists of 9 judges (commonly known as Supreme Court Justices) who are appointed by a President when a previous judge dies or retires.
President Obama appointed Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court in 2009. She is the first Hispanic to sit on the Supreme Court. He also appointed Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court in 2010.
Political Rights in America
To Vote in elections - In the 2020 Presidential elections, 158.4 million citizens voted in total
Join a political party- Americans can join the republicans or democrats
Stand as a candidate for election- Hillary Clinton stood for the position of president
To Protest- Many Americans protested against the appointment of Brett Kavanagh to the Supreme Court in 2018
Join an Interest Group - Joining the National Rifle Association (NRA) which campaigns for gun ownership rights
Freedom of Speech- Americans citizens can freely criticize the government
representation
Why are minorities under-represented?
Many citizens from ethnic minority backgrounds find it difficult to participate as English is not their first language; the voter registration process is notoriously difficult in the USA.
many minority voters felt the system was white, middle class, and middle-aged and would deliver nothing for them. Many simply felt their vote would make no difference. There has only ever been 1 black President – Barack Obama and the first female Vice President was only elected in 2020.
Why are women under-represented?
Women simply do not run for office as often as men. Many women are reluctant to stand for election and do not put themselves forward as candidates as they lack the confidence to do so.
One other reason may be that women are still responsible for most childcare and household tasks so have little/no time to participate.
Women also tend to view political activities more negatively than men. About two-thirds of potential female candidates believe that Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin were subjected to sexist media coverage in the 2008 presidential campaigns e.g. covering their appearance instead of policies.
US INFLUANCE
Economic Influence of USA
One way that the US has an influence over other countries is through trade. The USA imports goods from other countries and also exports many products. For example, some of the US’s biggest trading partners are Canada and China and it exports goods including machinery, oil and vehicles.
US exports to the UK
America’s exports to the UK in 2014 amounted to $53.9 billion or 3.3% of its overall exports.
-Aircraft, spacecraft: $9.1 billion
-Machines, engines, pumps: $6.3 billion
-Gems, precious metals, coins: $5.7 billion
-Electronic equipment: $3.8 billion
-Collector items, art, antiques: $3 billion
Economic Migration
The US also influences other countries because people want to move to the USA. This could be because of better economic opportunities such as jobs. For example, millions of Mexicans have entered the US over the last several decades in search of jobs and better lifestyles.
Military Influence
The US also has a huge influence over other countries because of its military strength.
The US has the most advanced military in the world and spends more money on its defence than the UK, Russia and China combined.
It also has military bases in many countries around the world including the UK and Germany which adds to its influence.
cultural influence
The US also has a huge cultural influence internationally. In the UK and other Western countries, the cultural influence of the US is visible in many aspects of life including music, food and film. For example, fast food restaurants like McDonalds exist all over the planet and US musicians tour the world.
international organizations
The US is an influential member of many international organizations. For example, the US is a member of the United Nations Security Council. This gives the US huge influence as they have a key part to play in decisions affecting other countries, including whether to impose economic sanctions or take military action against a country.
