American Politics - Assignment Example

American Politics

• Question One

The presidency plays a significant role in influencing the success and failure of the domestic economy. The president plays an instrumental role in the legislative process as he ascends bills from Congress into law. He also has the responsibility of constituting the cabinet, which is responsible for handling the countries resources. Putting legislators to task on the bills they develop and pass are geared towards economic development and sustainability. With resources quickly depreciating and the population steadily rising, America and indeed, other countries in the world are facing unique and unprecedented challenges every day. The increasing effects and reach of globalization, which increases the level of dependence between states and countries, further complicate these problems. All legislative processes must take into account how they might influence the countries relations in the regional and global arena. The domestic economy depends on foreign investments as much as it depends on local investment. Poor policies and laws result in capital flights as domestic investors look for better offshore markets to invest their monies. They also discourage foreign investors from bringing their monies into the country. Unfavorable laws and policies further cause companies to move their operations and headquarters to jurisdictions with more favorable tax and corporate laws depriving the country of much-needed job opportunities.

The president has the fiscal policy at his disposal to influence the domestic economy. The fiscal policy helps the president, Congress to influence government spending and tax policies effectively allowing the government to contract or expand the economy and rein in inflation or curb fast-rising interest rates. It also helps in strengthening the national currency against other international currencies. Governments contract the economy by increasing taxes and reducing government spending. This mops up the excess money in the economy and regulates inflation. When there is a lot of money in the economy, demand for goods and prices equally goes up resulting in an increase in commodity prices without a corresponding increase in commodity value or utility. The resultant situation is what is known as inflation. When the government wants to stimulate economic growth, it uses expansionary techniques by increasing its spending and reducing taxes. Low taxes and high government spending result in a significant increase domestic and foreign investment as local and international individuals and companies battle for government contracts. Companies also step up operations due to the favorable operating conditions effectively creating more job opportunities, which lead to a reduction in unemployment rates. Leveraging taxation and government spending are the greatest tools at the disposal of the presidency and can work to either strengthen his leadership or break it depending on how well they are handled.

There three main political circumstances that best position the president for success. First, having an immediate problem to solve significantly increases a president’s approval ratings. Unemployment, poor healthcare, poor foreign relations policies, high inflation or poor infrastructure are all problems that can create an opportunity for the president to show his or her understanding of current issues affecting the country. Second, a president who inherits the presidency from a poor performing predecessor usually has a better time with the electorate. When an electorate is hungry for change and visibility, when his or her administration is seen to be making traction in development and projects, the electorate and Congress will back his or her initiatives. Last, good relations with neighboring countries through good foreign policies ensure global and regional integration.

• Question Two

As globalization and its effects increase across the globe, countries are facing an increasing need to fast track their foreign policy development to maintain flexibility and adaptability in a fast-changing environment. Global security and environmental issues are further increasing the need for regional and global integration. The American constitution split the burden of developing foreign policies between the executive and the legislative to create safety checks and enhance security. This system has however made the development of foreign policies long and laborious resulting in policies that have long promoted exclusion and instability. Modern presidents have indeed taken a more emperor stance on foreign policy than their predecessors, and it has greatly improved policy delivery and enhanced America’s position in the global arena. Matters of foreign relations are very volatile and dynamic and time is usually of the essence since a delay might change the political, economic or social landscape. They require expediency to ensure quick resolution and enhance relations with other nations and states. As global populations grow and natural resources continue to diminish at a fast rate due to over-exploitation, there is a need for countries to foster good working relationships with each other. The presidency is more adept at making foreign policies to benefit the country as a whole rather than individual states engagement with foreign leaders. First, the president and his executive interact with foreign leaders more often making them better placed to understand global issues. Second, their decision making is faster due to their leanness. Whereas Congress has to hold numerous deliberations before they pass policies and motions, the executive and the president can make faster policies through the issuing of orders and internal memos.

The Foreign policy further enhances global democracy as it promotes tolerance and acceptance. America has developed their democracy over a long period while other countries have had less than a century to develop theirs. The president has a lot of control over foreign policy strategy and actions abroad as he is the representative of the nation. There are two categories of foreign policies that affect the nation. Military, security, arms sales and decision making during crises are referred to as high politics. Humanitarian aid, foreign economic policies and trade and tariff agreements are referred to as low politics. Although the former was given heavier considerations in previous administrations, the latter is increasingly becoming important as democracy increases across the globe. Foreign policy strategies and actions abroad must be sustainable and practical to enable other countries to develop their democracies without undue influence and interference. Should these strategies and actions fail to involve the foreign nation's leaders and structures actively, there will be chaos and unsustainability afterward. A good example is the US intervention in Iraq. The country faces significant challenges in infrastructure and development because the local authorities were not fully integrated into the intervention. Poor integration leads to longer reconstruction times, cycles, and forces America to continue its operations abroad for longer and at an increased cost since they effectively have to support their initiatives as well as the developments and structures abroad.

The presidency plays an instrumental role in assessing existing policies concerning their sustainability and forging new alliances to enhance the country’s position in the region and globally. There is a lot to be gained from alliances as the world moves forward and people are brought closer by enhanced communication and transport. Changing global economic and political forces also call for the presidency to enhance its flexibility concerning foreign policies and strategies so as not to be left behind in crucial decisions and initiatives.

• Question Three

The presidency has very little power in the judicial system. The extent of this power only goes as far as the appointment of Supreme Court justices. The Senate then confirms appointments. Congress is the body with the greatest power over the shape and structure of the federal justice system. Congress is constitutionally guaranteed the powers to determine the size of the Supreme Court by setting its limits and creating subordinate courts to the Supreme Courts. This is how US District Courts and the Courts of Appeal were established. Federal judges are insulated from political and public whims by their lifetime tenure in office, which ensures that they remain partial and fair in their rulings and practice of the law. Federal judges can only be removed from office by death, retirement, or impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by Congress (Branches of Government). In this way, the judiciary is fully insulated from political and social interference effectively ensuring its effectiveness, objectivity, and support from the electorate. Congress further has powers to determine the jurisdiction of federal courts, although this power does not include cases between two states, which are constitutionally guaranteed to the Supreme Court. Federal courts function to interpret the law, determine its constitutionality as applied to individual cases. The Supreme Court sets precedents for all other subordinate courts to follow.

The president has several tools and authority that help him shape the judicial system and its outcomes. When a new president takes up the office, his new staff, at the White House, begins a rigorous exercise of compiling a thorough list of possible Supreme Court candidates. This profiling process takes into account several factors and includes possible confirmation statistics for each candidate. If a Supreme Court vacancy opens up, the president discusses candidates from this list with his or her advisers. Candidates go through a vetting process similar, but more rigorous than what politicians undergo. Everything from their tax records to their expenditure is carefully scrutinized. Candidates face a face-to-face interview with the president after they have undergone several interviews with his staff before they are officially given a formal invitation to join the highest court in the land. The selection process is filled with lobbying and consultations from both the presidency and the Senate. Presidents endeavor to choose federal judges who closely reflect their ideologies although many times Supreme Court justices have been known to take a very different approach and stance than originally thought of. Through research, evaluation and vetting of candidates before formal appointment go a long way in establishing their trues ideologies as they often hide them very well during the process and subsequent public hearings.

Since Supreme Court justices have lifetime tenures, most presidents do not get the chance to exercise their powers to constitute them. Presidents can, however, appoint justices to the Supreme Court without the consent of the Senate when they are on recess. These appointments are however temporary and usually last until the next recess period of that Senate. Senators play a very crucial role in the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court. Presidents have to consult with senators especially those who come from the same state as the candidate. The reason for this is because senators usually fulfill a collegiate responsibility to each other and is more likely to vote for a candidate whose own senator shows confidence in than in one who lacks this support.

• Question Four

The president controls government expenditure and revenues through the fiscal policy. Government spending has significantly increased after 9/11 as the US moved into Iraq and other countries that are suspected to harbor terrorists or tyranny. The costs of maintaining troops and military interventions abroad have taken a toll on the country’s budgetary allocations. America’s national debt is spiraling out of control coupled with the increasing costs of helping these countries develop sustainable infrastructure and structures to help them govern themselves after the intervention. There are two elements of the national debt; first, there is the debt held by the public through Treasury bonds held by private individuals, corporations and foreign investors. Second, there are debts held in trust by the government for its citizens like social security fund that are not tradable and cannot be leveraged to supplement budgetary deficits. The president plays an instrumental role in increasing the national debt as he or she and his or her administration plan for the delivery of campaign pledges and promises to the electorate. The fixed term of the presidency further disrupts the continuity of projects and project cycles. Different presidents have different priorities depending on their campaign pledges, and this works to increase national debt since new projects will need new budgetary allocations.

To cover budgetary deficits, the government issues both local and international bonds through the Federal Reserve, which acts as the government’s stockbroker, to supplement tax revenues. These bonds attract handsome interest rates that further increase the amount payable at the maturity dates of these securities. The government also runs the risk of investors pulling out before the maturity of their term resulting in additional government spending and necessitating further borrowing. The presidency inherently results in inconsistent development and spending since each new president gets into office with his or her personal agenda. Since some initiatives are long term, the country might have many parallel running projects that require significant sums of monies throughout their long project cycles. In most cases, this leads to some projects taking a back seat for some time, which further increases their total costs. They might also result in possible lawsuits that might further increase government spending and in effect the national debt. Government spending is guided by the annual budget, which is presented to Congress by the president. Budgets are comprehensive documents detailing expected revenues and spending for the following fiscal year developed with the assistance of the Office of Management and Budget and took into account historical data and current legislations that might affect the process.

The president’s presentation of the annual budgetary to Congress between the first Monday of January and the first Monday of February starts the eight-month long deliberations process before it is passed. An authorizing committee enacts legislations to authorize federal expenditures. The House’s Appropriations Committee then assumes the budget authority through subsequent acts by Congress. Authorizing committees make budgetary policies while Appropriations Committees are concerned with setting the funding levels. The House and Senate make their appropriations bills that are debated and ratified by a committee from both houses. This committee functions to reconcile the two documents to come up with one conference bill, which then goes back to both chambers of Congress for deliberations. It is then taken to the President who may sign the bill or veto it. In the case of the latter, Congress must work on another bill to ensure continuity of government processes.

• Question Five

The ratification of the 22nd amendment in 1951 sought to limit the powers of the president to two four-year terms in office and also limit his powers and actions in the last year of his term. This ratification was made to safeguard national and state resources from pilferage from incumbent office holders who have been voted out or served out their constitutional term limits. With nothing to lose, a president can choose to make deals and policies that benefit him or her rather than the nation. The president can also force Senate and Congress to pass laws that have no real value to the nation in return for other considerations and favors from third parties. He could also use this opportunity to get back as his enemies by forcing Impeachments against them. Presidents can also abuse their power to grant pardons to prisoners by pardoning relatives, friends, and colleagues. A president is referred to as a lame duck because other politicians are not too keen on cooperating with him or her for fear of being singled out by the incoming president and his administration. However, most presidents use the last year of their term to end their presidency at a high. They can, therefore, make any decision, however unpopular, without fear of retribution from the electorate and the collegiate.

Although the president operated with a relatively diminished influence during his lame duck period, he is still president and still wields the full powers associated with his office and position. The executive can handle most functions that do not need the approval and oversight of Congress or Senate unilaterally. The power and capabilities of the presidency remain largely unaffected, and most presidents find a new strength and clearer focus on their objectives as they look to leave a good legacy. Many presidents take this time to deliver on projects and initiatives they were unable to pass during their time in office. Issues of foreign policy especially find themselves at the top of president’s agenda because leaving office with many friends is better than having few ones. It also guarantees them access to policy makers and funding to enable them to make meaningful humanitarian contributions to causes after in their retirement. Infrastructure also gets a boost since the president does not fear to be unpopular and to lose the election from increased spending. Others use this time to tour the globe and visit countries and regions they could not either visit or did not find time for during their presidency. Presidents can refrain from visiting areas that would make them lose favor with legislators, the electorate, and allied countries.

The lame duck period can be instrumental in helping a president cement his legacy in the annals of history. With all the power of the office and very little consequence from the electorate, the presidency can make significant headway in policy development and project implementation. While some presidents take, this opportunity to deliver on their election pledges and promises to the electorate, others choose to use this time for reflection and repose. Some have also been known to be mischievous and leave a trail of paperwork or other pranks for their successors and their administration. The funniest prank yet is probably the Clinton’s administration has rumored vandalism of White House keyboards by removing all W’s before Bush’s occupancy of the Oval Office.

• Question Six

President Obama has made significant headway in ensuring his administration’s high performance under very hard times. Taking into account that he inherited a war that put significant strains on the economic, political and social aspects of American society, his performance is nothing short of stellar. The president has taken an active and conscious look at social problems that have bogged down the nation for the longest time. His administration has looked for practical solutions to social, political and economic problems during one of the worst recessions in the history of the world. They have also done their best to include the electorate in the process, and he has the highest jobs creation record and economic growth since the 80s. His administration has further been instrumental in advocating for the improvement of the living standards of all citizens by actively working to raise the minimum wage rate. Other beneficiaries are healthcare and social security that have significantly revamped the economic recovery path of the economy towards more sustainability. Obama has also mended relations with many countries and regions across the globe, which has facilitated America passing several important global resolutions and policies. Global warming and preservation of the environment are among the winners of these improved relations between America and the globe.

Obama’s administration passed a large stimulus bill when he took office that helped the country through an inherited recession that had been made potentially made worse by policies of the policies of the previous regime. The stimulus led to the creation of more than 14 million jobs in the private sector and cut unemployment to 5%. Obama further delivered on his promise to end the war in Iraq and bring troops back home from a catastrophic war initiated by his predecessor. Due to the volatile situation back in Iraq, the US has continued to experience blowback with the most visible being the thriving of ISIS. The US has had to maintain its operations in Iraq to help maintain law and order and help the country develop sustainable structures. Obama also successfully advocated for the enhancement of the American healthcare system resulting in millions more people having coverage and access to quality healthcare regardless of their medical history. Environmental issues and global warming have gotten a major boost from the Obama administration that has fought diligently to encourage innovation and research into alternative fuels and more stringent regulations and oversight on plant and auto efficiencies and emissions.

His administration has also had some failures although it must be stated that these failures are more a matter of perception. On the gun policy, some factions feel that the president overstepped his mandate by issuing stringent regulations while others feel that he did not do enough. There is also a mass belief that the president’s inability to agree to the arming of loyal rebels in Syria and Libya led to the increase of terrorism by allowing ISIS to grow. Since there is no actual indication that these rebels would hold their end of the bargain, it is pure speculation of the outcome of the choice. The president is also faulted for the increase of Russia’s influence in the Middle East and Asia when they formed an alliance with the Czech Republic to set up military bases in a failed attempt to intimidate Russia. Many feel that this is an indication of the administration’s failure in foreign policy.