* World Power (USA) Full PEEs Flashcards
Ways the USA has military influence on other countries:
One way the USA has military influence on other countries is by being involved in many conflicts and wars in other countries. The USA sells weapons and invades other countries for security reasons. For example, in recent years the US military has participated in military action in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Another way the USA has military influence on other countries is by being a key member of organisations such as the G8, NATO and the UN Security Council. There are US bases in many of these countries, and the USA also encourages members to increase their military spending to 2% of GDP. For example, there is a US military base in Poland to be able to respond to threats from Russia.
Another way the USA has military action on other countries is by being by far the world’s most armed nation. This might influence other countries, such as China and Russia, to also spend more money on their military to compete with the USA. For example, in 2020/21, the USA spent over $700 billion on defence.
Ways the USA has political influence on other countries:
One way the USA has political influence on other countries is by getting involved in political affairs of other countries. The US President or a senior US politician will meet with other leaders to influence policy change. For example, the USA has played a role in peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
Another way the USA has political influence in other countries is by influencing political decisions made with international organisations. The USA have a permanent seat at the UN Security Council and play a key role within the G8. For example, the USA played a role in getting China and India to sign up to the ‘Glasgow Agreement’.
Ways the USA has economic influence on other countries:
One way the USA has economic influence on other countries is by being the world’s largest trading partner. If the USA economy performs poorly, it can have a negative impact on other countries’ economies. For example, the USA is the largest trading partner for Canada and Mexico.
Another way the USA has economic influence on other countries is because many of the world’s largest multinational companies are from the USA. This means that decisions taken by those companies in the USA have an impact on jobs and services in many countries around the world. For example, Amazon is an American company and has had company layoffs over the world.
Another way the USA has economic influence on other countries is because many developing countries rely on the USA for financial aid. This might be in the form of ongoing financial aid or assistance following a humanitarian aid. For example, the USA has been one of the largest providers of financial aid to Haiti following the earthquake there in 2010.
Reasons why the USA want to influence other countries:
One reason why the USA want military influence across the globe is because they can distract from domestic issues such as inequality and poverty. The USA sells weapons and invades other countries for security reasons. Therefore the USA want military influence because they want to make other countries pay attention to their military rather than domestic issues there. For example, in recent years the US military has participated in military action in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
One reason why the USA was economic influence across the globe is because they can increase the US’ company profits through exporting goods. The USA is the world’s largest trading partner and if their economy performs poorly, it can have a negative impact on other countries’ economies. Therefore the USA want economic influence because the more goods they sell, the more profits USA companies will make which will benefit their economy. For example, the USA is the largest trading partner for Canada and Mexico.
One reason why the USA want political influence across the globe is because they want to promote the USA’s political ideology of liberalism which can increase their number of allies. As the American political system is based on ‘liberalism’, if the USA influence other countries through funding or endorsement of politicians, they will increase the number of allies they have which can benefit them strategically. For example, the USA invested in Latin American elections in countries like Chile, influencing who should run their country.
Roles/powers of the President:
One role of the president of the USA is the power of appointment as he is the head of the Executive. This means he can appoint members to the secretaries of state in the executive branch, Supreme Court justices and other top US officials. However, these appointments need to be backed up through the senate. For example, Barack Obama selected Sonia Sofomayor for the position of Supreme Court Judge, the first Hispanic to hold such a post.
Another power of the US President is the power of veto. This means when bills have been passed through both Houses, they are sent to him. If he agrees to it, the bill is signed by him, becoming law. If he does not agree to the bill he can use his ‘veto’ and return the bill to Congress with a list of reasons why he didn’t agree with it. For example, Biden signed a bill into law in 2021 establishing June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day- a US federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the US.
Role/power of the executive:
One role of the US executive is the running of the government. Secretaries of state are appointed by the President to each department in which they carry out specific roles to make sure each department is functioning for the use of US citizens. The Vice President also has a role as if the current president were to give up office, they would become the President. For example, the Executive was able to recall Congress during holidays, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in order to pass an emergency spending plan.
Role/Power of Congress:
One role/power of the US Congress is to make federal laws. The Congress is made up of 2 Houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Bills need the backing of both houses in order to proceed to the next stage of Presidential signature. Congress can overturn a Presidential veto with a 2/3 majority. For example, the US Congress passed the Stolen Valor act of 2005, punishing those misrepresent that they have high military honours.
Role/power of the Supreme Court:
One power of the Supreme Court is to interpret laws and determine whether a bill or law is constitutional or not. They will use past cases to help them make their decisions, and will also set precedence in new cases, which can then be used to help them make future decisions. For example, the Supreme Court repealed the Roe v Wade law in 2022.
Ways people can participate in politics in the USA:
One way people can participate in politics in the USA is by supporting an election campaign. People can help to support a party or candidate in a variety of ways during an election campaign. The simplest way of helping in by donating money to a campaign. For example, in the 2020 presidential election campaign, $1.7 billion was donated to Joe Biden’s campaign, while nearly $2 billion was donated to Donald Trump’s campaign.
Another way people can participate in politics in the USA is by joining an interest group. Interest groups are made up of ordinary citizens who come together because they share a common cause or interest. Unlike a political party, they are not trying to get elected to government, but rather they wish to promote their interest or cause, and use a variety of methods to put pressure on the government. For example, the largest interest group in the USA is the National Rifle Association which campaigns against restrictions on gun ownership.
Political rights of USA citizens:
One political right that USA citizens have is the right to vote in elections. In order to vote in US elections you must have US citizenship and be 18 years old or over. At federal level, people have the chance to vote for the US President every 4 years. For example, the American people elected Joe Biden as President in 2020.
Another political right of USA a citizens is the right to join a political party. Joining a political party allows citizens to help make important decisions such as selecting their party’s candidates for election. There are many political parties in the USA, however 2 main parties dominate US politics: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. For example, USA citizens can join the Democratic Party.
Groups that are less likely to participate/are underrepresented in politics in the USA:
One group which is less likely to participate in politics in the USA is younger people (aged between 18-29). Younger people are less likely to participate in political matters such as voting, joining a pressure group, etc. This is because they are less likely to be interested in politics or believe that their vote will make a difference. Many young people are also unfamiliar with the voter registration process. For example, in the 2016 Presidential Election, 46% of 18-29 year olds turned out to vote compared to 71% of 65+ year olds.
Another group which is less likely to participate in politics in the USA is women. Women are less likely to participate in politics than men because Congress is in Washington D.C. which may not be convenient for women with children who would need to move to the capital. For example, there has never been a female President in the USA.
Another group which is less likely to participate in politics in the USA is ethnic minorities. Ethnic minorities are much less likely to participate in US politics compared to Whites because the language of politics is English, but many Hispanics do not speak this as their main language and may find it more difficult to register to vote and access political debates and campaigns. For example, there has never been a Hispanic President or Vice-President in the USA.
Reasons why people experience economic inequalities:
One reason why people experience economic inequalities within the USA is due to immigration. The people who immigrate to the USA are usually first or second generation immigrants (mainly from Mexico) and will work in lower paid jobs as they will be paid more than their homeland. This will result in economic inequality because the capitalist system often results in families becoming trapped in a cycle of poverty, and therefore many ethnic minorities struggle to make economic progress. For example, 17% of Hispanics live in poverty compared to only 8% of whites.
Another reason for economic inequalities in the USA is due to poverty rates. Blacks have higher poverty rates because they experienced significant discrimination and were denied many civil rights prior to the 1960s, the effects of which are still being felt today. For example, ethnic groups have a higher poverty rate than others: 25% of Native Americans live in poverty compared to only 8% of whites.
Another reason for economic inequalities in the USA is capitalism. The USA has a capitalist system in which the economy is largely owned and run by private companies, with low tax rates. Therefore, capitalism results in huge income inequalities between those who are highly skilled/own companies, and those who are low skilled. For example, whites are paid on average 30% more than blacks.
Reasons why people experience social inequalities:
One group which are likely to experience social inequalities is ethnic minorities such as Native Americans and Black Americans. One social inequality that they can face is through housing in the USA. As ethnic minorities have higher poverty rates, they are more likely than whites to live in deprived housing such as in an inner city ’housing project.’ These deprived housing schemes have worse conditions which can lead to long-term impacts on health, crime rate and education. This will lead them to experience inequalities because they will not have the same level of social participation due to these issues. For example, in Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, 54% of residents live below the poverty level.
One group which are likely to experience social inequalities is ethnic minorities such as Native Americans and Black Americans. One social inequality that they can face is through crime in the USA. Black Americans are more likely to go to prison. This will lead them to being more likely to being unemployed and live in poverty after coming out of prison. This is because Black Americans are likely to experience systematic racism within laws in the USA. This means that they are more likely to be stopped and searched which leads to higher interactions with the criminal justice system. For example, black Americans are 3x more likely to be ‘killed by police’ than white men.
Another reason for social inequalities in the USA is due to education. People who live in affluent areas are more likely to get a better education than someone living in a poorer area. This is an issue because funding is based on property tax revenues which means more is spent per student in richer areas than poorer areas. For example, in Oklahoma and Tennessee, spending per pupil is less than $8,000 whilst in Washington D.C. and New York it is over $17,000 per pupil.
US Government policies to tackle economic inequalities:
One way in which the US government has tried to reduce economic inequality is through the Tax Cuts and Jobs’ Act (2017). This policy allowed the US government to cut tax brackets, meaning more people would have more disposable income therefore people from poorer backgrounds were able to keep more money. For example, the top tax bracket changed from 39.6% to 37%.
Another way in which the US government has tried to reduce economic inequality is through the Student Loan Cancellation Policy (2022). This policy will cancel out $20,000 worth of student loans to those who were eligible for ‘Pell Grant recipients’ and will cancel out $10,000 worth of student loans to people who’s household earnings are less than $125,000. For example, student debts reached $1.6 trillion in America and this policy helped reduce this.
US Government policies to tackle social inequalities:
One way in which the US government has tried to reduce social inequality is through the Inflation Reduction Act (2022). This policy allowed the US government to help reduce cost of 10 prescription drugs per year (up until 2026 where it will be 20 prescription drugs). This would allow people from poorer backgrounds to be less impacted by a rise in drug prices. For example, people who are on Medicare will only pay $35 per month for insulin.
Another way in which the US government has tried to reduce social inequality is through the Every Student Succeeds Act - EESA (2015). This policy provides ‘equity’ for America’s disadvantaged and high-need students. All schools which are ‘low-performing’ would be provided with assistance to improve attainment. For example, EESA allowed states to ensure schools were providing ‘equity’ to include fair access to resources and opportunities for students.
