Foreign Policy

US Government AP Chapter 20

Policy

Majori-tarian

Interest

Group

Client Entrepreneurial

Who Pays?

All Few All Few

Who Benefits?

All Few Few All

Majoritarian

Going to war Alliances (NATO, Warsaw Pact) Weapons treaties Recognition of governments

Policy with the President

Interest Group

Tariffs Embargo’s Quota’s

Policy with Congress

Client

Favorable legislation to companies doing business abroad

Aid to “favorable” countries

Policy with Congress

Declaring War

Officially only Congress can declare war

13 “official” wars 6 formal declarations

Presidents have sent troops about 125 x’s

Alliances

Treaties from Congress (Senate)

Executive Agreements from the President (usually pre-approved by Congress)

States

No power in foreign affairs

The Courts and Foreign Policy

As a sovereign nation—the courts acknowledge Executive and Legislative power to conduct foreign policy beyond the Constitution

“Let those 2 work it out” (hands off)

Checks and Balances

Congress over the President Approve money for military Approve money for aid President has to inform Oversight

Committees on troop deployment

Public opinion checks both

War Powers Act

After Vietnam to control troop deployments

1. 48 hour notice to Congress by Pres.2. 60 day approval by Congress to fund

the deployment (or they come back)3. End it with a Concurrent Resolution(never been used—legality by S. Court)

Foreign Policy and Public Opinion

The public tends to support the president in a crises

Casualties often lead the public to support escalation, so fighting will end more quickly

Since World War II, the public has generally felt the U.S. should play an important international role

4 Worldviews

1. Isolationism

2. Containment

3. Disengagement

4. Human Rights

Alliances or Go it Alone?

Valence Issue Need someone to keep world

peace NATO, UN—heavily subsidized by

USA Have used a mix of both

Paying for it all…

Top 3 expense in the budget each year

1. Entitlements

2. Interest on deficit

3. Defense—about $400 billion/year

4. Bailout for economy

What do we get for our $...

Personnel Planes, helicopters, tanks, bullets,

etc…(big ticket items--hardware) Economic impact on industry Bases around the world

(Interest groups)

Over runs on budgets

1. Improvements in technology as the machine is being built

2. Custom parts (coffee maker example)3. Underestimated by Congress to get it

passed4. Single contractor problems5. Stretch-outs6. Always building the “Best”