Questions tagged [united-states]

Questions relating to the government or the politics of the United States of America

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Has the US government ever managed to cut 30% of its budget?

If I'm not mistaken, the Republican proposals (of this year) go that deep. I'm curious if there's any historical shade of plausibility for cuts this substantial. As I suspect the answer is "no&...
-3 votes
2 answers
118 views

What are the issues and solution, regarding the looming U.S. Government shutdown at 12:01 am Sunday Oct 1st?

Question: What are the issues and solution, regarding the looming U.S. Government shutdown (expected for 12:01 am Sun, Oct 1st 2023)? Background In the United States, both branches of the bicameral ...
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Secret Service Safeguards for Incarcerated Ex-U.S. Presidents

Under the provisions of the Former Presidents Act (FPA), what legal precedents or existing laws determine Secret Service protection for former U.S. presidents during incarceration periods? How do the ...
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1 answer
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Can the US House function without a speaker?

For reasons that are off-topic to this question, McCarthy might lose a motion to vacate (some news are calling it a vote of no confidence, which is the wrong term); but it's clear that no other ...
2 votes
1 answer
238 views

Are states required to divide into congressional districts?

It seems as though there are myriad other voting schemes that do not require representatives to run for a "district". For example, representatives for the state could all be on the ballot ...
58 votes
8 answers
25k views

What is the Alt-Left?

What is the Alt-Left and how different are they from the Far-Left or Ultra-Left? Are they similar to the Alt-Right in any way?
2 votes
2 answers
237 views

What has been the impact on US military manufacturers vis-a-vis the war in Ukraine

Read with interest the following Ukraine War and US "funding" but the one question that was not addressed was who is manufacturing this military equipment. (Presumably the US Dept of Defense ...
16 votes
5 answers
4k views

Downsides to, or pitfalls of legislation that produces a permanent end to government shutdown threats in the US?

Politico's September 22, 2023 Senators seek to stop shutdowns forever, after McCarthy’s spending stumbles describes several early discussions, but doesn't address the implications. For example, one ...
15 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why did Richardson and Ruckelshaus resign during the Watergate "Saturday Night Massacre", rather than simply refuse?

On October 20, 1973, President Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, who was investigating the Watergate scandal. Richardson refused and handed in ...
22 votes
10 answers
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What divisive issues are least correlated with political alignment (e.g. whether you're on the left/right)?

Inspired by this reddit post that shows that ones opinion on AI-generated art/text is basically independent of whether one is a Democrat, Independent, or Republican. My question is: what big issues ...
14 votes
3 answers
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Is there any accountability for the money the US provides for the war in Ukraine?

While Zelensky is in the US asking for more funds to support the war in Ukraine I read on the media that there was some debate whether it is worth or not to keep funding them. I got the feeling that ...
6 votes
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95 views

Is fiscal responsibility more difficult to practice in China since most of the spending is done by local governments? [closed]

Local government debt reached 92 trillion yuan ($12.8 trillion), or 76% of economic output in 2022, up from 62.2% in 2019. Part of it is debt issued by local government finance vehicles (LGFVs), which ...
13 votes
4 answers
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Was the U.S. surprised about the Huawei breakthrough, how much time did the government or think-tanks expect China to take to produce a 7nm chip?

With its export controls last year, the US administration tried to draw a line at preventing China from getting access to 14nm chips, or about eight years behind the most advanced technology. The US ...
4 votes
1 answer
207 views

What country has the most favorable status of forces agreement with the United States? [closed]

In many host nations, especially those with a large foreign military presence such as South Korea and Japan, the SOFA can become a major political issue following crimes allegedly committed by ...
-2 votes
1 answer
141 views

Why does the US CBP require airlines to have some US Customs Visa Waiver Agreement to be allowed to transporting passengers to the US who rely on it?

I read on https://simpleflying.com/philippine-airlines-us-visa-waiver-carrier-agreement-expires/: Philippine Airlines' US Customs Visa Waiver Agreement has expired, preventing them from transporting ...
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2 answers
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Who are all of the "Democrats in Menendez’s chamber" and for that matter, what exactly is a "chamber" in this context?

CNN's September 23, 2023 Rep. Andy Kim announces he’ll run against NJ Sen. Bob Menendez in wake of his indictment includes the following passage: Many New Jersey Democrats swiftly called for the ...
11 votes
3 answers
672 views

How does the US justify its relationship with Saudi Arabia?

How does the US justify its relationship with Saudi Arabia when half its population are in essence property i.e. slaves (women). Besides the oil, and if that is all how do we in the US reconcile our ...
14 votes
6 answers
3k views

What is the 'alt-right'?

Recently Clinton gave a speech that the majority of Trump supporters were young tech-savvy enthusiastic radically right-wing individuals who have taken over the Republican party from mainstream ...
3 votes
3 answers
382 views

How has the current ideology of the Democrats and Republicans contributed to the increased political polarization in the US? [closed]

Why has the U.S. become so much more polarized? Shapiro said it may be partly because, since the 1970s, major political parties have become increasingly aligned with certain ideologies, races and ...
-8 votes
2 answers
497 views

Are there Western double standards for international relations? [closed]

Russian diplomats often bring attention to the "West" often using double standards in the political evaluation of conflict. As an example Crimea: The 1974 Comorian independence referendum ...
2 votes
1 answer
168 views

Which 2024 Republican candidates oppose a 6-week state-level abortion ban?

Former President Donald Trump said this on Meet the Press today: I mean, DeSanctus was willing to sign a 5 week and 6 week ban…. I think what he did was a terrible thing and a terrible mistake. ...
1 vote
2 answers
311 views

What is the meaning of “qualified connection” in Federalist No. 51 by James Madison?

In the sixth paragraph of Federalist No.51, James Madison wrote, But it is not possible to give to each department an equal power of self-defense. In republican government, the legislative authority ...
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2 answers
333 views

What are the politics of Steven Pinker? [closed]

What are the politics of Steven Pinker? I have not heard or read a statement from him in which he describes the political theory to which he adheres.
1 vote
0 answers
225 views

Authoritative sources for the Chinese balloon's sensors "had never been activated while over the Continental United States?" Activated beforehand? [closed]

CBS News' September 17, 2023 almost clickbait title The bizarre secret behind China's spy balloon left me disappointed (but not surprised. See also CBS video including bits of interview with Milley: ...
5 votes
1 answer
881 views

What are possible sanctions the U.S. could put against North Korea if they were to provide arms to Russia?

Foreign governments and experts have speculated that Kim will likely supply ammunition to Russia in exchange for receiving advanced weapons or technology from Russia. Milley and the other defense ...
3 votes
1 answer
237 views

Has California considered reimbursement for reclaimable water runoff?

California could likely save a lot of water by subsidizing desired water products instead of the water itself. However, this is difficult to implement because transferring water diverts reclaimable ...
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Do any 2024 Republican Presidential candidates oppose a pathway to legalization of illegal immigrants?

During the 2016 US Presidential campaign, Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz said this: My position is very simple. I oppose amnesty. I oppose citizenship. I oppose legalization … Today, ...
4 votes
1 answer
523 views

What's going on with the effort to disqualify Trump in 2023 under the Constitution, Article 14, Clause 3

Question: What's going on with the effort to disqualify Trump for 2024 under the Constitution. To recap: Two legal scholars from the very influential right wing Federalist Society came out with a 128 ...
23 votes
9 answers
8k views

What is the argument for preventing tyranny that avoids gun violence?

I'm aware of the examples and debates of whether this works practically, but the theory as I understand it for the second amendment as a last defense against tyranny works as follows. Elect leaders ...
20 votes
7 answers
6k views

What exactly are the "fake elector" allegations that are being made in the US media re. the 2020 POTUS elections?

Even Fox manages to talk about them. Who is Cathy Latham? Former Coffee County (Georgia) GOP chair accused of being a 'fake elector' ATLANTA - Cathy Latham, former GOP chair for Coffee County and a ...
2 votes
3 answers
307 views

Can the US government sanction a US citizen?

Imagine John Doe, a US citizen permanently residing in the United States. John Doe engages in questionable but otherwise legal conduct that goes against the current policy of the Department of State. ...
2 votes
1 answer
86 views

Can the special members of Congress for Puerto Rico, DC, and other territories be subject to recall by statute or term limited?

Representatives and senators cannot be, but what about the other members of Congress?
23 votes
1 answer
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When does the US president have to be 35 year old?

The Constitution only says that one needs to have "attained to the Age of thirty five Years" to be "eligible to the Office of President". So, do you need to have your 35th birthday: On or before the ...
-9 votes
2 answers
275 views

Why there is little report about Huawei's launch of Mate 60 Pro phone? [closed]

Last week Chinese social media went viral about Huawei's launch of Mate 60 Pro phone (Aug 29). To the Chinese people, this is just another example of what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But I ...
5 votes
6 answers
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Does America have political factions like those in China

There are political factions in China, I am wondering if there are also factions within the U.S. government. I am not talking about the Democrats and the Republicans, although maybe those could be ...
26 votes
6 answers
6k views

Why do some US senators, like Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Dianne Feinstein, etc., last for so long in the Senate?

Is it because they are so good, there is no one better than them and therefore people keep voting for them for decades? Or is it because their respective party deliberately does not put forward anyone ...
21 votes
7 answers
5k views

What is the rationale for foreign interference in a democratic election being intrinsically bad?

In Sanders on Trump and the challenge for the left – full transcript (published in the Guardian, which was behind Operation Clark County), Sanders describe Russian interference in the US presidential ...
55 votes
3 answers
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Why is Fox News the most viewed news channel in the US?

Are there any empirical reasons why Fox News receives overwhelmingly high viewership compared to other news organizations? Sources: TVNewser TheWrap
6 votes
3 answers
408 views

How is China's municipal debt problem different from that of the U.S.?

https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/china-can-no-longer-extend-pretend-municipal-debt-2023-08-06/ Most economists expect Beijing to instruct state-owned banks to keep rolling over maturing debt with ...
1 vote
2 answers
137 views

24th (Poll tax prohibition) scope?

When it comes to the 24th Amendment there is view academic, judicial, and on,one resources (at least that I can find). The 24th amendment reads: Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States ...
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

What if no Republican candidate gets a majority of delegates for president?

I saw on Wikipedia when I was looking at the 2024 Republican Party primaries that one of the rules is to receive an outright majority of the votes cast by delegates at the national convention. What ...
0 votes
1 answer
108 views

Apples-to-apples comparison of the public debt structure in the US vs. China

I'm looking for a comparison (i.e. two pie charts) of the public debt structure in the US vs. China. I can easily find data on the [hidden] municipal debt problem in China (as it's been repeatedly in ...
14 votes
2 answers
3k views

Turned away for medical service at private urgent care due to being enrolled in medicare even with private insurance

I just had a very annoying experience. I was turned away from a private urgent care facility (run by a very large chain) because I was enrolled in Medicare A and/or B (but not because of Medicare ...
85 votes
8 answers
11k views

Why is vote counting made so laborious in the US?

At the UK General Election in 2015, the constituency of Houghton & Sunderland South, declared its result in under 49 minutes, from close of polling.   Polling stations at UK parliamentary ...
6 votes
1 answer
608 views

How popular is Vivek Ramaswamy's idea to compromise with Russia on Ukraine in exchange of Russia's dropping alliance with China?

Vivek Ramaswamy, one of Republican presidential candidates, suggests in his article that China is American main rival and that it is wise to get Russia's neutrality in exchange for compromising on ...
2 votes
0 answers
53 views

Is there a correlation between Gov't economic policies/performance & collective action

Based on my reading of polsci and econ literature, I believe there is an extensive literature studying how collective action (e.g., through labor strikes or occupation groups) can influence economic ...
28 votes
8 answers
11k views

Why do the Nordics have a low birth rate despite their government providing all parents with free childcare and parental leave?

Supporters of free childcare, parental leave and other parental perks often claim that the lack of such benefits is the root cause of low fertility rates in the US and other developed nations. And yet,...
6 votes
2 answers
308 views

Has Ramaswamy laid out the constitutional and statutory authority the US president has?

As reported July 20, 2023, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, at a town hall in Manchester, NH, “Next week, I will lay out the constitutional and statutory authority that the US ...
18 votes
4 answers
9k 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 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 American officials ...
9 votes
3 answers
393 views

Why the US does not have strong local parties except in Puerto Rico?

Often as a cause of two-party system in the US cited the first-past-the-post system. (see also Duverger's Law). But theoretically this should not prevent having strong local state-level parties. It ...

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