Archive for category: Politics

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The Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act Passes House

Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality ActThe House of Representatives passed the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act on October 3, 2017. Authored by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the bill was first introduced last year and passed the House then; however, its progress was impeded by the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. With a new session underway, it was reintroduced and will now go on to the Senate for further deliberation.

The legislation opposes loans made by U.S. international financial institutions for the government of Nicaragua. This measure is in response to the alleged fraud and irregularities associated with the recent reelection of Daniel Ortega as president of Nicaragua. Former United States Ambassador to Nicaragua Robert Callahan testified that “Daniel Ortega’s candidacy was illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional.” Callahan also went on to claim that the period leading up to the election as well as the elections themselves were “marred by serious fraud.”

After a brutal civil war that decimated the Nicaraguan economy in the 1970s, Daniel Ortega and his quasi-communist Sandinista party first took power in 1979. He was voted out in 1990, however, and lost later elections in 1996 and 2001. Having lost three prior elections, his victory in 2006 surprised the world and was reasonably met with skepticism. Ortega has since seized control over all four branches of the Nicaraguan government: the presidency, the judiciary, the National Assembly as well as the Supreme Electoral Council.

Since the 1990s, when Ortega was first ousted from office, the U.S. has sought to assist Nicaragua in establishing a fair democracy, a free-market economy as well as improving respect for basic human rights.

Consequently, until Nicaragua is prepared to make progress towards increased political transparency and fair elections, the U.S. Congress proposes to not allow any new loans to be given to Nicaragua unless they are proven to help improve democracy and address human rights. The Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act will put pressure on Ortega to insist upon free and fair elections by cutting off vital financing. Through this legislation, the U.S. will be prevented from encouraging the behavior of a budding dictator and hopefully pave the way for a liberated Nicaragua.

– Micaela Fischer

Photo: Flickr

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Elimination U.S. Special Envoys Impacts Diplomacy

How the Elimination of U.S. Special Envoys Impacts Foreign Relations

Recently, U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, outlined his elimination of U.S. special envoys to reorganize and expand upon other positions. Many of these special envoy positions that are being eliminated are integral to global health initiatives. They include the U.S. Special Representative for International Labor Affairs and the U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change. Further, senior representative and special coordinator positions for impoverished areas including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Burma and Syria are being eliminated.

Tillerson’s plan prioritizes other special envoy positions that reflect the current administration’s focus on topics including business and the War on Terror, and the reorganization plans to place a heavier emphasis on positions within the commercial and business affairs and anti-Islamic State military coalition.

In his statement, Tillerson noted that his choice of elimination of U.S. special envoys was based on whether or not the positions have “accomplished or outlived their original purpose.” In response, Column Lynch, diplomatic reporter to Foreign Policy, stated that Tillerson’s plan, “downplay[s] African peacemaking and outreach to the Muslim world.”

Special envoys are important positions to fill for the U.S. government to reach out and help global communities because the presence of U.S. representatives in underdeveloped countries contributes to development and growth. Lynch fears that many of the positions being eliminated by Tillerson are considered unimportant to the current administration.

However, special envoys exist to represent the U.S. government on issues like climate change, food insecurity and water resources around the world, which are issues that are critical and impact global health. The removal of special envoys in positions that aid such issues in underdeveloped countries impacts U.S. foreign relations in several different ways.

Namely, according to Ngaire Woods, Global Economic Governance professor at the University of Oxford, the health of a country is directly correlated to the functioning of its government. Thus,  a lack of special envoys and foreign assistance in underdeveloped countries, which may ultimately have negative impacts on health outcomes, has the potential to intensify political instability in such countries. Political instability is a large predictor as to whether or not a country poses a national security threat to the U.S.

On the other hand, many additional positions will remain intact by the current administration, and some will be expanded upon. The special envoy for the Office of Global Food Security will be moved to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Tillerson stated, “I believe that the department will be able to better execute its mission by integrating certain envoys and special representative offices within the regional and functional bureaus,” and so, many positions will receive better funding and direction under specific entities that are reflective of each position’s respective values.

– Emily Santora

Photo: Flickr

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The Political Promise of Young Cambodians

The Political Promise of Young CambodiansUSAID sponsors Next Generation, a televised youth debate in Cambodia. The debate is intended to encourage peaceful political discussion among young Cambodians in a country that values “saving face” and non-confrontation.

These practices are extremely harmful to productive political discussion. Next Generation aims to mitigate the consequences of these social constructs by inspiring young people in Cambodia to engage in debates.

The weekly TV show hosts 24 young adults for a 30-minute debate on issues such as poverty, the electoral system, Facebook censorship and gender quotas. The program hopes to foster a culture of constructive political discussion among the future leaders of Cambodia.

24-year-old Linda Eang won the debate in 2014. She had been a shy child, and her family tried to discourage her from pursuing politics, since being a politician can be dangerous in Cambodia. After learning in school about the state of poverty and healthcare in Cambodia, Eang decided that she wanted to be part of the solution, despite the vast challenges of the field.

After graduating from university, Eang decided she wanted to focus on coaching other young Cambodians. She expressed that “the greatest barriers for young people in Cambodia are the lack of trust and motivation from the environment around us” and that Cambodians “are taught to be followers”.

Eang believes that young people can become more empowered and bring positive change to their country by getting an education. She aims to coach young people to eloquently express themselves and to have self-confidence.

Another forum for the empowerment of young people in Cambodia is Politikoffee, a community that meets weekly to discuss politics and drink coffee. The meetings started with Channy Chheng and three friends who enjoyed drinking coffee and discussing topics like policy, economics, education and agriculture.

The group decided that their conversations would benefit from more people bringing additional knowledge to their discussions, so they started Politikoffee as a platform for Cambodians to engage in political debates, free from restrictive cultural norms. Productive political argumentation is counter to traditional Khmer culture, which encourages respect for elders and the status quo.

For member Chea Veasner, these open and honest conversations are something she cannot have at her university. Veasner notes that many of her Cambodian friends do not like to argue and will not voice their opinions when given the chance.

Politikoffee provides a safe environment for Cambodia’s young, ambitious people to discuss ideas rarely discussed elsewhere. Despite assumptions that young Cambodians are not interested in politics, many actually are passionate about politics because social injustice is blatant.

Opportunities like Next Generation and Politikoffee allow Cambodia’s youths to overcome restrictive cultural norms and are fueling future political change. According to a Politikoffee’s social media representative, “Youth, from my experience, all have a vision of what their Cambodia should be, and for the vast majority of them, it’s a Cambodia that is very different from their parents.”

– Kristen Nixon
Photo: Flickr

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How to Become a Politician

How to Become a PoliticianPoliticians are vital to a successful country, state or municipality. Their main task is to represent the beliefs and needs of their constituents at the various levels. They create laws and carry their people through good times and bad times, and they often hold large amounts of power.

Politicians must represent the political, financial, administrative, economic, educational and other interests of their constituents. Most politicians strive to get elected to office in order to participate in creating legislation that supports those interests and eventually move their way up tot the state or national level.

But how does one actually become a politician? The following are important steps to answer the question of how to become a politician:

 

Step 1: Learn the Essentials

There are a few critical characteristics and steps to achieve before even considering the logistics of how to become a politician. First, one must understand politics. As simple as it sounds, the political landscape is vast and ever-changing, and it requires a certain finesse to navigate. Developing strong communication skills is another important necessity.

In order to convince constituents of one’s trustworthiness and effectively communicate their interests, one must be an exemplary and effective communicator. Finally, politics is not for the faint-hearted. There are significant risks involved with running for office, including risks to financial security and permanent reputation. Also, politicians often receive harsh criticism, so potential politicians have to have thick skin.

Step 2: Raise Money

Assuming that an individual possesses the aforementioned qualities, he or she needs to secure finances as quickly as possible. Money is arguably the best predictor for the outcome of an election. In fact, even the very best candidate will fail miserably without proper funding.

Running for office is a job in itself and often requires that the candidate take time off his or her work, which may cost his or her a year or more’s worth of salary. Money is especially critical for those seeking to serve at the state or national level.

Step 3: Gain Experience

When considering how to become a politician, a good way for complete beginners to enter into the political world is to volunteer or work at another politician’s office who is in their chosen party. This experience will expose the future politician to the job and allow him or her to build connections and work experience. As time goes on, he or she may even be promoted and considered by the party for a nomination. After that, the most important task is to connect with and advocate for one’s constituents.

These are important steps, but certainly not the only ones one must consider when wondering how to become a politician. The profession is complex, demanding, and requires a great deal of responsibility, yet can be incredibly rewarding.

– Lauren Mcbride

Photo: Flickr

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How Do US Ambassadors Fight Global Poverty?

US Ambassadors Fight Global Poverty
On August 19, 2017, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. wrote to President Donald Trump urging him to appoint a U.S. ambassador to India.

As of August 4, President Trump has only nominated 36 of the 77 ambassador posts he is authorized to fill. In an unprecedented move, Trump has not allowed any appointed officials from the Obama administration to reapply for their positions, opting instead to fill all the positions himself. Despite this decision, Trump is nominating ambassadors slowly compared to past administrations.

Rep. Pallone was motivated to write to President Trump after the president announced that the U.S. would increase troops in Afghanistan and put pressure on India and Pakistan to do the same. Pointing out that India is one of the U.S.’s strongest allies in south Asia, Rep. Pallone claimed that the appointment of an ambassador to India is “long overdue.”

U.S. ambassadors are the president’s highest-ranking representatives assigned to a foreign nation or organization. They reside and keep offices at embassies, which are centers for U.S. diplomatic affairs located in the capital of a given country. Ambassadors are strong leaders adept at negotiation. Most importantly, they promote peace and prosperity while helping to support U.S. interests abroad.

Even when U.S. ambassadors aren’t working on issues concerning global poverty, their efforts can help reduce global poverty indirectly. The more stable the political and social climate of a given country is, the more opportunity there is for local growth in the economy, agriculture, education, health and other sectors. In turn, stable countries with a diminishing poverty rate benefit the U.S. as they become more viable markets.

When Trump appoints ambassadors to India and the other 76 posts he has yet to fill, the ambassadors will surely reinforce the U.S.’s relationship with individual countries. However, the appointment of ambassadors is important on a global scale because it will demonstrate that the U.S. takes the well-being of diverse peoples seriously and means to thoroughly address political, economic and social disparity in different countries.

– Caroline Meyers

Photo: Flickr

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Step-By-Step: How Are Presidents Impeached?

How Are Presidents Impeached

Impeaching a president is one of the ultimate forms of checks and balances within the United States government. Article two, section four of the U.S. Constitution states the president can be impeached on conviction of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” This raises an important question: how are presidents impeached?

Impeachment can remove an unfit president from the highest office in the nation, with no chance for an appeal. The serious, multi-step process of impeachment  involves specific roles for each party involved.

How are presidents impeached?

  1. The House of Representatives brings impeachment charges. This process begins when representatives introduce impeachment resolutions just like they would with regular bills.
  2. The Committee on the Judiciary decides whether to pursue the impeachment. A special committee investigates if impeachment charges are needed based on the president’s actions. If a majority of the committee finds grounds with the impeachment, it reports back to the House.
  3. The House then votes to impeach. The House technically impeaches the president if an impeachment article gets a majority vote. If that happens, the House then appoints a team to oversee the following trial on its behalf. These so-called managers are usually members of the Judiciary Committee.
  4. The House gets the Senate involved. After the House decides to impeach, it adopts a resolution to tell the Senate of its decision. The Senate then adopts an order saying it is ready to hear from the managers.
    The managers will appear before the Senate bar to explain the impeachment articles against the president. The managers present back to the House afterward.
  5. The president is summoned. The constitution gives the Senate the sole power to try all impeachments. The Senate begins this by calling the president to appear in court on a chosen date to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. If the president or the president’s consul does not show up, the Senate assumes a not guilty plea. It then sets a trial date.
  6. The Senate holds trial. An impeachment trial is similar to a criminal trial. The House managers act as prosecutors, and the president has defense lawyers. Witnesses are subpoenaed to give testimony and answer questions, and evidence is presented.
  7. The senators take over the role of jurors, and the Chief Justice of the United States presides over the trial, sometimes ruling on procedural questions. If at least two-thirds of senators find the president guilty, he or she is formally convicted.
  8. The president is removed, and the vice president becomes president. When the Senate finds a president guilty, it can also vote on whether the president should be disqualified from holding office again. A majority vote decides this.

How are presidents impeached? The House of Representatives brings impeachment charges based on a president’s misconduct, and the Senate determines his or her fate.

Two presidents have been formally impeached, but neither of them were convicted or removed from office. President Andrew Johnson was impeached, but his conviction failed by one vote in the Senate. Bill Clinton was impeached, but the Senate found him not guilty. President Richard Nixon came close to being impeached. He had pending impeachment charges against him in the House, but he resigned before the process could start.

– Kristen Reesor

Photo: Google

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What Does It Take to Become a Senator in the United States?

Become a SenatorOver the last few election cycles, an increasing number of stories have emerged about young people running for elected office. Millennials, it seems, are ready to be a part of the national legislative conversation.

What has been interesting about this phenomenon is the average age of these hopeful politicians. Erin Schrode, for example, ran for California’s District 2 seat in 2016 at the age of 24. Patrick Murphy, meanwhile, challenged Marco Rubio for one of Florida’s Senate seats in 2016 at the age of 33. When you keep in mind that the average age of the U.S. Senate is about 61 years old, these challenges are somewhat surprising.

This, therefore, begs the question, what does it take to become a Senator in the United States? What are the prerequisites, and how easy are they to achieve? The answer, it turns out, is quite simple. Below is the list of requirements:

  1. Be at least 30 years of age: One can run for office while they are 29 years old, but he or she must turn 30 before their first term would begin.
  2. Be a U.S. citizen for at least nine years: If an immigrant would like to run for office, they can, but they need to have been a U.S. citizen for nine years before doing so.
  3. Be an “inhabitant” of the state represented. This rule means that Senators must live at least some of their lives in the states they represent. This doesn’t have to be the majority of one’s life, though, as many Senators travel back-and-forth from Washington, D.C. to their respective states.

It should be noted that the intangible requirements to being an effective Senator are vital. Knowledge of local, regional and global issues are incredibly important components of governing that take years of study and experience to fully comprehend.

The official prerequisites, however, are a lot simpler than most would expect. As millennials and young people in general continue to be more interested and active in politics, it is important for them to know that the official roadblocks standing in their way are easily surmountable.

Truly, anyone can run and become a Senator if they set their mind to it. With the current political turmoil and the public’s interest in civic affairs, it will be interesting to watch the continued rise of millennial participation in our country’s governance.

– John Mirandette

Photo: Flickr

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Agencies of the State Department Fighting Poverty Abroad

Fighting Poverty AbroadThe vast apparatus of the U.S. State Department can make it an overwhelming organization to understand. However, by assessing its individual offices, it becomes clear how vital these agencies are to the State Department fighting poverty abroad. These are some of the most prominent branches of the State Department and what they do to alleviate global poverty.

The Bureau of African Affairs (BAA) has operated for decades, promoting democracy, human rights and economic ties beneficial to both the U.S. and its African partners. Democratic transitions in unstable nations have been assisted and coordinated in conjunction with the BAA. The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, coordinated by the agency, contributes to the economic development that has seen millions lifted out of poverty in Africa.

The diplomacy conducted through the BAA highlights the importance of strong relations in allowing poverty alleviation programs to be deployed. By ensuring the cooperation of host nations, the State Department has been able to implement the Power Africa and Feed the Future programs. This is supported by the Global Health Initiative, aimed at eradicating debilitating diseases on the continent, with around 63 billion now invested in the project.

The Office of Global Food Security is another branch of the State Department that contributes to poverty alleviation. As with the BAA, it utilizes its diplomatic toolbox to put in place development programs aimed at eradicating poverty.

The office is particularly focused on agricultural development and promotes employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in agricultural sectors to end famines and establish more secure rural economies.

Aside from boots-on-the-ground agencies, the Bureau of International Organization Affairs is vital for developing and sustaining relationships with important organizations in the fight against global poverty. This office uses diplomacy to strengthen ties with the U.N. and its auxiliaries (such as UNICEF) in concert with promoting U.S. leadership in democracy promotion and poverty reduction. Despite receiving scant media attention, U.S. cooperation with Amnesty International and the Red Cross depends on the IO Bureau.

These agencies of the State Department fighting poverty abroad emphasize how important diplomatic skills are for furthering poverty alleviation efforts. In order for the State Department to continue to promote American leadership in this area, its budget must be preserved.

– Jonathan Riddick

Photo: Flickr

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What Do Most Developing Countries Have in Common?

What do most developing countries have in common that most developed countries do not? Global poverty is a complex issue that involves many historical, regional and social factors. One important factor that most developing countries have in common is a history of agricultural dependence.

Some regions, like Latin America, are in prime geographical positions for growing important foods such as produce, sugar and cacao. Countries in these farming-friendly areas have historically been colonized and exploited by industrialized nations who are unable to grow these crops in their own countries. As a result of this historical process, many agricultural countries have been devastated by foreign influences in their countries and overzealous farming practices on their lands.

Agricultural countries are also challenged by their dependence on many factors beyond their control. Uncontrollable issues such as the environment disproportionately affect those whose livelihoods come from the natural world. The emphasis on producing certain crops for the rest of the world also limits these countries’ agency in the global market. When the international demand for a product such as sugar decreases, countries that focus on sugar production are helpless to find other sources to bolster their economies.

A focus on farming can also limit these nations’ abilities to develop infrastructure and diversify their economies. Agricultural work requires a lot of manpower but little education. In agricultural countries, the educational levels and human capital are not always sufficient to advance beyond the production of a few crops.

Understanding the answer to the question of what do most developing countries have in common can help these countries escape global poverty. Industrialized nations can help their agricultural counterparts through strategy and technology. For example, researchers in the United States can help farmers in Bangladesh by equipping them with the best irrigation practices, most cost-effective tools and highest yield crops.

Climate change is another important area that those in developed countries should focus on in order to help their developing counterparts. Addressing the impact of climate change is a priority for all, but farmers in poor countries feel its effects most strongly.

Foreign aid from wealthy nations is also an important way for developing countries to diversify beyond agriculture. With start-up funding from rich countries, more agricultural nations can follow in the footsteps of rapidly developing countries such as India and China.

Agricultural countries feed the world, yet many of them cannot meet their own people’s needs. Understanding the link between agriculture and poverty is important for dispelling myths about why certain countries prosper while others struggle. Realizing what most developing countries have in common is crucial to truly helping these populations emerge beyond the developing world.

– Bret Anne Serbin

Photo: Flickr

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How to Become a Politician: 4 Crucial Steps to Success

How to Become a PoliticianAre you looking into how to become a politician? Living the life of a politician can be a very stressful and demanding job. However, the profession can also be very rewarding and eye opening.

To anyone who is interested in becoming a politician- whether local or federal government- be ready for some tough days and long nights in the office. Before you are guaranteed the coveted seat of a politician, though, it takes a bit of preparation. Here are a few tips on how to become a politician.

 

Becoming a Politician

 

1. Become Educated: Although it is not required that certain politicians hold a college degree – one in 20 members of Congress doesn’t – it is a good idea to get as much schooling as possible.

Not only will constituents like to see a degree on a candidate’s resume, but the things learned in school can actually be helpful for planning a legislative and governmental future. The other aspect of “becoming educated” is studying up on legislature, government policies and voter patterns.

Politics takes a dedicated person willing to devote their whole being to their campaign. Learning the ropes of government is a bit more involved than merely knowing how to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

2. Acquire Funding: Running for a position in politics is also a money game. Printing campaign posters, hosting charitable events, paying your campaign staff and a laundry list of other costs add up to a hefty bill just to run for a position, let alone hold one.

It is also important to have a steady job before running for office. This allows you to then have some money in the bank and establish resources or even potential voters. U.S. news stated that, “Running for office is a job in itself that no one will pay you for.”

Having friends and business connections is another important part of running for office. Connections with prominent people will allow your campaign to rise in popularity.

Be cautious of how much you spend on your campaign – you want to be able to survive afterward if you don’t end up winning.

 

3. Be Friendly: When they step in the polling booth, most voters do not actually know exactly which candidate stands for what issues. However, they will remember a candidate’s behavior and whether or not he or she was rude during an interview.

Cordiality and humbleness are a couple of key characteristics that attract voters. Making connections with voters so that they remember you and what you stand for could be the deciding factor between you and a competent running mate.

 

4. Don’t Let Your Feelings Get Hurt: Politics can be a harsh field that few thrive in. There will be hard times throughout your campaign, but knowing that you could help the lives of thousands of people is a great reward to the hardships you endure as a hopeful politician.

These may sound like some harsh pieces of advice on how to become a politician, but it is only because the politician’s role is a very important one in the United States. These people make, enforce and interpret the laws.

No matter the obstacles, if becoming a politician is your life’s goal then do not let these words, or others, deter you from becoming the next President of the United States (or a Superintendent of Schools, if that is what you so desire). Instead, use them as warnings to avoid road blocks on your journey to political change.

– Sydney Missigman

Photo: Flickr