Questions tagged [united-states]
Questions relating to the government or the politics of the United States of America
6,144
questions
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112 views
Conflict of interest for Merrick Garland, former Chief Judge of US Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit, to be Attorney General?
I'm very progressive, even more than US Democratic Party. But isn't Merrick Garland too conflicted to be Attorney General, because he was former Chief Judge of US Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit. I ...
4
votes
2answers
159 views
Why was Osama Bin Laden never criminally charged for the 9/11 attacks?
I was surprised to hear today that Osama bin Laden was never criminally charged with attacking the WTC on 9/11/2001. So I went and checked his wikipedia page to verify, and indeed, there seems to be ...
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votes
0answers
68 views
A question regarding involvement of USA, France, UK in Indian elections and influences in decision making in India [closed]
India is the second most populous country and is an open economy, a huge exporter of arms and technology. Recently, I have been reading articles and insights of journalists which write and/or have ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
Why are German local authorities taxing DoD employees, despite the protests of the US and of the German federal government?
There's a pretty long military.com (Stars and Stripes) article on the matter of taxes on some DoD employees in Germany:
The U.S. contends the situation amounts to a treaty violation, but so far ...
-4
votes
3answers
158 views
Why are there more American soldiers and bases in the UK and Germany than in Iraq? [closed]
I've just learned from this article that the US has soldiers and bases in the UK and Germany. This is somehow the violation of the sovereignty of those countries.
The US attacked Iraq, so it's not ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Was there another time where a Western country recalled its diplomats from the U.S.?
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-17/france-recalls-u-s-australian-ambassadors-over-submarine-row
France recalled its ambassadors to the U.S. and Australia in a
diplomatic slap intended ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Continuing Resolution majority necessary?
I have a fair understanding of the appropriations process but what I have trouble with is finding information about what kind of consensus is needed for a CR to pass Congress. Is it by simple majority,...
6
votes
6answers
2k views
Why would the U.S. exclude Europe from the new Indo-Pacific security alliance?
According to the South China Morning Post
The new Aukus security alliance formed by the United States, Britain
and Australia has left France frustrated at being left out, prompting
concerns over the ...
3
votes
1answer
178 views
Why aren't all US nationals also US citizens?
This article on Stilt explains some reasons why someone might be a US national without having US citizenship:
That is because there are individuals that are born in the Commonwealth of the Northern ...
36
votes
6answers
7k views
How did the mail become such a sacred right in the US?
Larry Lawton is a favourite YouTuber of mine. He tells the story of while he was in prison he asked his father why he stopped writing him letters. His father told him that he never stopped sending him ...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
How Will the California Recall Work Exactly?
If the current Governor doesn't get more than 50% of the vote, does that mean the next highest voted candidate wins?
If the recall does get voted through, how long will the new Governor serve for?
7
votes
3answers
2k views
Has President Joe Biden made any public statements on wanting to run for a second term?
Joe Biden, being older than any other serving US president in history, arguably has a more realistic option of simply retiring after a single term than his younger predecessors did
Has President Joe ...
4
votes
1answer
254 views
Does the POTUS have priority for organ transplants?
If the POTUS needed an organ transplant, then does the POTUS have priority and would end up as number 1 in the organ wait lists? Or would he be treated like any other person in this matter?
29
votes
6answers
5k views
Why is avoidance of judicial review of the Texas abortion law and other future US state laws so concerning to the US department of justice?
From CNN's video coverage of US Attorney General Merrick Garland announcement of its lawsuit against the state of Texas:
Q: ...several GOP lawmakers who said that they will follow Texas’ lead, and I ...
3
votes
1answer
230 views
Are there constitutional arguments for preventing/avoiding judicial review of state law in some scenarios? Are there any historical examples of this?
From CNN's video coverage of US Attorney General Merrick Garland announcement of its lawsuit against the state of Texas:
Q: ...several GOP lawmakers who said that they will follow Texas’ lead, and I ...
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votes
1answer
168 views
Has the J & J vaccine disappeared in the U.S?
I can't find a local pharmacy offering the single-dose covid-19 vaccine. They say it is back-ordered.
Have there been any reports of recent government action (CDC, FDA, etc.) related to the Johnson &...
2
votes
1answer
178 views
Has the average voter for the Democratic party begun to shift towards higher income individuals?
In the 2020 House elections, as well as the 2018 midterm elections to a greater extent, the Democratic Party performed well in the wealthiest districts.
Democrats as well as many left wing parties ...
-2
votes
1answer
188 views
Last American soldier leaving Afghanistan, was there a deal from American govt with Taliban to hold fire [duplicate]
Per the news the last American soldier boarded the flight showing his back to the Talibans, they could have fired shots since the last flight of American soldiers out numbered the Taliban forces. Also ...
-7
votes
1answer
203 views
What is the proper term to describe the unsettling event on Jan. 6 [closed]
It has been 9 months after the unsettling event that rattled the country and resulted in more than 600 people been arrested and charged, but merely 45 people have pleaded guilty, and the FBI is yet to ...
21
votes
3answers
4k views
Why wasn't Point Roberts given an exception to the Canada-US border closure?
Point Roberts is a small community in Washington off the tip of the Tsawwassen peninsula south of Vancouver, with a population of around a thousand. The only roads connecting Point Roberts to the rest ...
20
votes
3answers
4k views
Does the U.S. Cabinet take direct orders from the President?
Cabinet members often state that they serve at the pleasure of the President, and the President can fire any Cabinet member at any time, but can the Cabinet members legally and constitutionally ignore ...
-3
votes
2answers
440 views
Are late-night network talk show hosts and comedy shows mostly if not uniformly strongly anti-Trump and generally anti-Republican Party these days? [closed]
Note: I'm looking for fact-based answers based on sources, not opinions here.
In the recent Stephen Colbert YouTube clip Prominent Republicans Speak Up About Vaccines As Delta Infections Soar the talk-...
5
votes
2answers
587 views
Are there any benefits to owning a Trump Card?
Trump-branded cards were given out to those who donated $45 to Trump’s PAC as part of a fundraising campaign.
Other than physically having the card, and being able to show it to others, are there any ...
4
votes
3answers
463 views
Why are Democrats more geographically clustered?
One way I can demonstrate this to you is to go to this map. Try to find an area where Trump got less than 20% of the vote and then try to find one where Biden got less than 20%.
We can also see this ...
27
votes
2answers
1k views
What arguments have been made to support the Texas abortion law's private enforcement provisions, beyond evading review?
Texas Senate Bill 8, which practically bars abortions in the state, has an unusual* provision whereby civil claims against abortion providers can be asserted by private plaintiffs not involved in or ...
3
votes
1answer
168 views
Did Mayor Bowser declare a state of emergency over a health insurance issue?
Radio station WTOP is reporting that Washington, DC mayor Muriel Bowser has declared an "emergency" over a health insurance contracting issue. WTOP calls the order a "public emergency&...
4
votes
0answers
147 views
US: Is there any subject that it is unlawful to teach in schools? [migrated]
In the US, are there any laws that restrict certain subjects or topics, or parts thereof, from being taught in schools?
7
votes
2answers
502 views
"$300 Million a day on Afghanistan" - so what happens to that money now?
President Biden, in his speech regarding the conclusion of the withdrawal from Afghanistan yesterday, mentioned that it is estimated that 300 million USD per day was spent on the war in Afghanistan ...
-4
votes
1answer
234 views
Why are the mistaken civilian deaths in the Afghanistan war by the US army considered by some to be war crimes? [closed]
Isn't a war crime deliberate with malicious intent?
Shouldn't it be considered instead as blunders and bad decisions?
Specifically, I watched the leaked video of the helicopter /drone gunner shooting ...
3
votes
0answers
65 views
Is the predictive "historical analysis" on the 2021 Taliban strategy (provided to the US Congress) a public document?
An article in The New York Times from August 18 says:
A historical analysis provided to Congress concluded that the Taliban had learned lessons from their takeover of the country in the 1990s. This ...
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votes
2answers
255 views
Was President Biden been Misled by the Generals in Afghanistan or Was the Fall-out His Own Misjudgment? [closed]
Prior to and during the troop withdrawal, President Biden has said repeatedly that he was adequately informed on the situations, has received daily briefings, and constantly discussed and listened to ...
6
votes
1answer
757 views
Why was Bagram Air Base abandoned so early in the withdrawal?
Inspired by the comments on this question, why was Bagram Air Base abandoned so early in the withdrawal? It seems like the stampede of people trying to get out of Afghanistan would have been less ...
0
votes
2answers
361 views
Help understanding Justice Breyer's “If A can do it, B can do it."
The New York Times just published an interview with US Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer titled Justice Breyer on Retirement and the Role of Politics at the Supreme Court in which there is a ...
0
votes
2answers
240 views
Is there anything the United States can do to stop the Taliban from selling American made military equipment to Iran?
Today I have been wondering about the possibility of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan selling some American made military equipment to Iran as a way of raising much needed cash for the new Taliban ...
-4
votes
1answer
74 views
Afghan refugee vetting in addition to security concerns
The Biden administration has promised that Afghan refugees being lifted out will be vetted and backgrounds checked against biometric data.
Though this is not necessary isolated to only Afghan refugees,...
2
votes
1answer
210 views
Why did the US completely depart the Bagram Air Base?
After reading this question and the associated comments, I was left wondering: For what reasons did the US choose to completely hand over Bagram Air Base to the Afghan Security Forces? Was it ...
7
votes
1answer
456 views
What happens if Gavin Newsom resigns or dies before the recall vote?
The U.S. state of California is holding a recall election to determine if Governor Gavin Newsom should be removed from office and who should replace him if removed. It is unclear to me what happens ...
16
votes
4answers
783 views
Military Equipment left in Afghanistan - US or ANA property?
Lots of the media (news sites and social) is talking about all of the equipment left in Afghanistan. Lots of the discussion (and confusion) is about generally how "The USA just left billions of ...
52
votes
5answers
13k views
Why did the US military leave Afghanistan in such a rush that they left so much equipment behind?
One would think that if the US military were to leave Afghanistan, they would surely take any equipment that might fall into the wrong hands, especially since there were reports that the "wrong ...
1
vote
0answers
72 views
Besides hospital prices, what data-transparency bills have been passed in the last two adminstrations?
I remember the Trump-era law that required hospitals to publish their prices.
In the Trump or Biden administration, were there any other similar bills that required other agencies or businesses to ...
-2
votes
1answer
274 views
How is second past the post voting democratic? [closed]
A recall election has been triggered in California. If Governor Gavin Newsom doesn't win the Keep/Remove part of the vote, it will go to a vote between the replacement candidates. Newsom has 48.8% ...
7
votes
2answers
202 views
Why isn't recycling counted as part of infrastructure
I hear a lot of rhetoric around "infrastructure" lately. The US Congress is debating bills that will cost trillions of USD. The elements that we usually think of are there: roads, schools, ...
5
votes
2answers
118 views
When the US government activates a Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), can it activate the civilian crew as well, or are they always volunteers?
CNN's Pentagon activates US airlines to assist with evacuation efforts from Afghanistan
says:
The Pentagon announced Sunday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the commander of US ...
4
votes
1answer
266 views
Could Republicans keep the Senate split 50-50 indefinitely by refusing to confirm a Vice President?
The United States Senate is currently (August 2021) split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. As such the Vice President gets the deciding vote:
The Vice President of the United States shall be ...
0
votes
0answers
25 views
How are amendments to the nomination process of the DNC made?
Democrats on Saturday voted to chip away at the role party insiders
play in choosing the party’s presidential nominee in one of the
biggest changes to the process in decades.
The move to limit the ...
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votes
2answers
510 views
Why did al-Qaeda attack the US during 9/11?
So I'm sitting here watching the news trying to figure out / remind myself why we were in Afghanistan. I figured we were there so that we could prevent further attacks from al-Qaeda.
That makes sense ...
4
votes
1answer
115 views
Is there really an embargo on Cuba?
I have read about a few economists last weeks who defended that "The embargo doesn't really exist de facto.", "Cuba can negotiate with any country." or "The embargo is not ...
-1
votes
1answer
190 views
Why would a mask mandate be needed if masks are extremely popular
Massachusetts Governor Baker says that he doesn't want to institute a state-wide mandate for masks in schools, he's leaving the decision up to individual municipalities.
A recent MassINC poll found ...
0
votes
1answer
101 views
Which works of Hegel and Bismarck is Paul Ryan referring to?
In this video, Paul Ryan says that early progressives believe that "...we're all rubes and doobs(?) and we don't know enough so we have to delegate our power to these smart people..."
Can ...
-5
votes
3answers
413 views
Why is the rest of NATO blaming the US for the situation in Afghanistan?
Example headline: 'Greatest debacle that NATO has seen': Biden stuns allies with Afghanistan mistakes expected of Trump
"You know, it is not the European Union who decided to leave Afghanistan,&...
