Questions tagged [united-states]
Questions relating to the government or the politics of the United States of America
3,755
questions
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198 views
Trump is revoking California's Clean Air Act exemption. Does this automatically affect the 13 other states that use California's standards?
President Trump is reported to be revoking California's Clean Air Act exemption. Trump tweeted on September 18, 2019 that he was doing so. Since 1970, California has restricted automobile emissions ...
3
votes
1answer
113 views
How do people come to address the U.S. Congress?
Congresspeople often seem to be addressed by celebrities (and sometimes teenagers who are foreign nationals). It's often unclear in what the person's qualification for commenting on legislative ...
10
votes
0answers
92 views
Why does a state need a waiver to set emission standards?
"President Trump said Wednesday his administration is revoking a waiver that allowed California to set its own standards for automobile emissions." https://www.npr.org/2019/09/18/761815991/white-house-...
3
votes
1answer
157 views
Does Secretary of State's statement mean anything?
Since the United States is probably not going to take any military action and will at the most impose sanctions on Iran, does Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement calling the strike by the ...
12
votes
5answers
5k views
Can the U.S. president make military decisions without consulting anyone?
Looking on Wikipedia, we learn that:
It is generally agreed that the commander-in-chief role gives the
President power to repel attacks against the United States[3][4] and
makes the President ...
3
votes
0answers
90 views
How is the US-China trade war viewed in Australia?
A pretty good question on econ.SE has highlighted the close relationship between the Australian and Chinese economies.
So, I wonder, how is the US-China trade war viewed in Australia, at a political ...
4
votes
1answer
184 views
Can the president of the U.S. fire, or have fired, the Fed Chair for not being 'independent'?
https://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/section10.htm
The Section 10 of the Federal Reserve section 10 states that the President can remove the Fed chair for cause, but what does that mean?
The ...
3
votes
1answer
157 views
Yang's UBI Plan: Does it Differ From Charles Murray's?
Noted social scientist Charles Murray has long advocated for a UBI based upon a much earlier version proposed by noted supply-sider Milton Friedman of the Chicago-based economists.
The noted ...
4
votes
0answers
55 views
Why does the US Federal Election Commision currently not have quorum? [duplicate]
It's been mentioned in many news pieces about Yang's novel use of campaign funds that the US FEC cannot currently rule on it because it doesn't have quorum. So, why doesn't the FEC have quorum? It is ...
0
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0answers
129 views
New York Fire Commissioners call for new 9/11 investigation [on hold]
According to this new ref here, ref here, ref here and ref here:
...History has just been made, as the first legislative body in the
country officially announces their support for reopening the ...
0
votes
1answer
120 views
In the U.S., what is the exact process by which a Citizen proposes an idea for a bill to their Senator or Representative?
Background (unrelated to question, but it is what lead me to ask the question)
My SO and I were talking about an alternative solution to how Senators are elected other than through direct popular ...
4
votes
1answer
171 views
How would the chain of command work if a service member were elected president?
Tulsi Gabbard is currently enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard and running for president. If elected, she would become commander-in-chief, as opposed to Major (O-4), her current rank. Would she ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
What is a “major country” as named in Bernie Sanders' Healthcare debate answers?
During the debate tonight, Bernie Sanders said (from the Washington Post's transcript):
We need...a health-care system that guarantees health care to all people as every other major country does, ...
-6
votes
1answer
175 views
Trade Wars and Blinking First [on hold]
The NYTs is reporting recently that:
China extended a modest olive branch to President Trump on Wednesday, publishing a short list of products that it will exempt from its retaliatory tariffs on ...
2
votes
2answers
225 views
Why does the Federal Government of the United States not have a plural executive, like most of its states?
Background
Many states such as Texas, Massachusetts, and Minnesota all elect members of the executive branch other than just the President. This leaves them accountable to the people and not just to ...
0
votes
0answers
120 views
US-Taliban talks canceled. What US political groups can (potentially) gain bonuses from it? [on hold]
As we know, some times ago, US-Taliban talks were canceled after sudden terrorist attack in Kabul, resulting in many deaths, including US soldier.
Also, we know from sources, that talks might be ...
8
votes
4answers
533 views
Why won't the U.S. government end all fuel subsidies?
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/danielle-droitsch/time-us-end-fossil-fuel-subsidies
A new study, the G7 Fossil Fuel Subsidy Scorecard, measured the US
against other G7 countries on each country’s ...
-2
votes
1answer
105 views
Mandate or Mission Statement of US Space Command
In August of 2019, the re-establishment of the US Space Command. While I understand that this a unified force command under the US Strategic Command at the Pentagon, what is the official mandate or ...
6
votes
1answer
232 views
Federalist 57 suggests voting open to everyone in the early republic?
I recently read The Accessible Federalist by Adam Seagrave (a great resource to avoid archaic English).
In the Federalist 57, I came upon something interesting. James Madison appears to have been ...
2
votes
4answers
474 views
What prevents other nations from participating in and condoning the counterfeiting of the United States dollar?
I don't understand why people in 3rd world countries don't try to counterfeit the US dollar. If you're in Zimbabwe or Syria the government presumably isn't going to stop you and it just needs to be ...
39
votes
4answers
16k views
What officially disallows US presidents from driving?
Why can’t the US president drive, officially? Or is it not official? What steps could be taken to allow this action.
0
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0answers
79 views
The Number of Presidencies in the USA [duplicate]
May a president in the USA who served two periods come back after a waiting period and be reelected for more times in pattern much as in Russia?
-2
votes
1answer
157 views
US trade war with China: what is in total with trade balance for today? [closed]
Trade war between US and China lasts nearly since Trump's election. One of claimed goals was to shorten US trade deficite.
There is a hoard of different news and bright claims about trade war, but ...
3
votes
0answers
65 views
Can a government force another government to force its private companies to transfer technology under the GATT, WTO?
http://cloudfront-files-1.publicintegrity.org/legacy_projects/pdf_reports/BUYINGTHEAMERICANMIND.pdf
It is true that the Japanese government has taken steps to open its
government funded ...
5
votes
2answers
575 views
Is it possible to have no customs union and a soft border?
I know that there have been answers to similar questions in the context of Brexit, and the consensus seems to be that it's not possible. But in the question about why the US-Canada border is soft at ...
-5
votes
1answer
182 views
Why's the B.C.-Washington border mostly unfenced and so poorly monitored? [closed]
This was in the news recently — Lawyer for B.C. man who pleaded guilty to migrant smuggling to challenge mandatory minimum penalty.
But search warrant documents previously obtained by the National ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
What are the likely results from a world court filing from Vietnam against the U.S.?
What are the likely results from a world court filing from Vietnam against the U.S.?
https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/vietnams-latest-demand-agent-orange-compensation-described-last-resort
...
-2
votes
1answer
210 views
Politicians on credibiltiy crisis in America after Epstein's death [closed]
Nowadays even mainstream media in the USA shows doubts about the official version on certain events. eg. Jeffrey Epstein’s death ref here and ref here.
Surveys show that most people in the USA believe ...
3
votes
2answers
159 views
What functional purpose does endorsing a candidate serve?
Background
In the United States, it is common for political officials, or former political officials to endorse Candidates that are running for other offices. For example, there are numerous ...
7
votes
1answer
271 views
Can the U.S. default on its debt held by the Chinese by using Imperial Chinese debt notes as a pretext to do so?
Can the U.S. default on its debt held by the Chinese by using Imperial Chinese debt notes as a pretext to do so? This seems far-fetched and almost absurd to do so, but there has been numerous story ...
8
votes
1answer
770 views
Why is Mitch McConnell blocking nominees to the Federal Election Commission?
As at Sep 2019 - we can see that the Federal Election Commission is down to three members, one short of its required quorum, making it toothless.
Mitch McConnell could allow hearings for the current ...
0
votes
3answers
598 views
Is political correctness applied to science terms something usual in the US?
This Wikipedia article on Master/Slave as defined in technology also include the following:
In 2003, the County of Los Angeles in California asked that
manufacturers, suppliers and contractors ...
8
votes
1answer
312 views
Why is the U.S. the only Presidential Republic that provides for an indirect election of the President?
Background
In Electoral College Reform: Contemporary Issues for Congress, Thomas H. Neale states that the United States takes an unusual approach to Presidential and Vice Presidential elections on ...
38
votes
7answers
7k views
Why do presidential pardons exist in a country having a clear separation of powers?
This answer provides some insight into a way for a President to pardon someone with virtually no consequences:
(..) in reality, presidents often wait until his final days/hours to
grant the most ...
11
votes
4answers
514 views
What was the reason behind Trump's change to citizenship status of foreign service members' children?
From Business Insider:
The Trump administration has said children born to US service members or government employees overseas will no longer automatically be considered US citizens.
First ...
31
votes
4answers
7k views
What checks exist against overuse of presidential pardons in the USA?
In some countries, the head of state can pardon anyone for alleged crimes. For example, in Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler pardoned murderers of communists and Soviet prisoners of war, in those cases in ...
3
votes
2answers
160 views
Easily contact all three U.S. Congress people?
No one in the U.S. Congress is willing to provide an actual email address to contact your 3, elected representative (2 senators, 1 representative). Rather, they have you complete a lengthy, web-based ...
2
votes
1answer
151 views
On what basis can the US push for sanctions of Iran's missile activities at the UN?
On 7 March 2019, Acting U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Jonathan Cohen, in a letter to Secretary-General António Guterres urged the United Nations to put new sanctions on Iran for its new ...
2
votes
4answers
323 views
How does a government agency know if it is compromised?
Background
The U.S. spies on other nations and in turn the U.S. get spied on. I don't think I need a citation to prove this.
Every now and then, there are people who gain access to highly ...
6
votes
2answers
224 views
Can the president be investigated by the SEC for stock manipulation?
Can the president be investigated by the SEC for stock manipulation? This year the SEC investigated Elon Musk for possible stock manipulation through social media posts, and he was ordered to stop ...
3
votes
0answers
46 views
When are signature petitions made available for potential candidate mayors in Perth Amboy, New Jersey?
In Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA, the mayor is elected. A candidate must first collect a certain number of signatures in order to be listed on the ballot. The signatures, I believe, are required to be ...
3
votes
2answers
47 views
Where can I find the authors of the various drafts of a bill?
Background
This answer to this question contained some text from a former state legislative staff person:
As a former (state) legislative staff person myself, my own experience is that the people ...
14
votes
7answers
3k views
Are there any elected officials in the U.S. who are not legislators, judges, or constitutional officers?
This question is as put in the title.
It is general knowledge that legislators, high executive offices, and some judges are elected. But are any other elected government offices?
An example could be ...
3
votes
0answers
87 views
How much will “new-policy detention” facilities for detained families cost?
As I understand it, the newly announced policy for detention of alien families, is intended to provide a place for these families to stay while awaiting adjudication of their immigration status.
What ...
7
votes
1answer
269 views
What's the difference between AOC's Green New Deal and Sanders' Green New Deal?
Both Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders have revealed a sweeping plan to inact environmental policies that would, among other things, attempt to slow the progress of ...
3
votes
1answer
282 views
Would Greenland need the permission of Denmark to make a deal with the United States if they became independent?
Greenland is an "autonomous country of the Kingdom of Denmark" with "home rule" granted since 1979. As part of a self-rule law passed in 2009 (section §21), Greenland can declare independence at any ...
5
votes
0answers
69 views
If a party holds no primary debates, how does a lesser known candidate express his views in a forum specific to the party?
Background
Back in April, Bill Weld expressed his decision to run for President on the Republican Ticket. However, since the announcement on April 15th, he has not had any public moments of import. ...
2
votes
1answer
174 views
How do Town Halls work?
Background
I know some people who will soon be attending a town hall in Massachusetts. I have never been to one or known anyone before this one who is going. Given that this is an event that will be ...
2
votes
0answers
310 views
Did the USA violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty?
America and Russia recently abandoned the INF treaty, with both sides blaming each other.
Since then I've heard that the US has tested short-range missiles. I read headlines and thought: It's ok, as ...
4
votes
2answers
348 views
Why is neither methane nor fracking mentioned in the Green New Deal?
Background
The Green New Deal cites the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 ºC in the first paragraph establishing the issues and effects of the current, and likely future, of global warming. ...
