Foreign and Military Policy Brooke D, Wynne L, Reshma G, Katherine M, and Emily Z
Kinds of Foreign Policy
Policies affected by nature of policy President: Majoritarian Congress: Client politics –Gov. provides aid to American businesses abroad Congress: interest groups –Tariffs by business, unions
President President is Commander in Chief President essentially controls defense –Executive agreements do not need Senate approval People see president as head Powerful, but not by international standard
Congress Congress puts in the funding, officially declare war Treaties ratified by Senate War powers act Congress oversees CIA Power is expanding
Supreme Court Supreme court supports federal control over foreign policy
Power over policy Until the 20 th century, the secretary of state carried out foreign policy Now, goes to president & agencies –CIA –NSC: National Security council Ongoing conflict with Secr. Of State These make up the DETAILS of policy
Public v Elite Outlines for policy WWII Care more about what directly benefits them They follow the news, so opinion changes often More liberal
Worldview: 1.Isolationism –After WWI, didn’t want to get involved 2.Containment –After WWII, defense alliances in Europe 3.Disengagement –After Vietnam, things went wrong, so they tried to ignore foreign policy 4.Human rights –Helping the Albanians, Holocaust victims, Kosovo massacre
Military Force 1.Majoritarian view: Military should defend people and we split the bill 2.Military-Industrial view: bloc of defense leaders and manufacturers
Defense Budget
Personnel No draft until WWII After Vietnam, they had a volunteer force (AVF) –Eventually allowed women –Very recently permitted open homosexuals
Big Ticket Items COST OVERRUNS: When things end up costing a lot more than expected 1.GOLD PLATING: they want the best of everything for their weaponry Small Ticket Items –Ex. The coffee maker
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE
Don’t ask don’t tell 1993 by President Bill Clinton 77 percent of Americans approve »Washington post ABC News poll November 2010 Pub.L Service personnel may be discharged for homosexual conduct but not simply for being gay 77% support
Support R40782.pdfhttp:// R40782.pdf ers/2010/12/broad-support-for- military-service-by-gays.htmlhttp://blogs.abcnews.com/thenumb ers/2010/12/broad-support-for- military-service-by-gays.html