Question 1
The United State government has over the years pushing for policies to influence the flows between the government institution and the larger society. Among these policies, the main policies include nuclear power policy, education policy and national security and defense policy (Thomas, 2010).
The central state government policy is focused on safety and environmental rules, and formulating national energy goal. Since 1990s the US government has been encouraging the advancement of nuclear capacity in the country. Obama administration has continued committing to nuclear power as a part of the country’s long-term energy plan. In support of nuclear advancement, energy Policy Act 2005 provides enticements for the nuclear power industry.
The education policy is aiming to improve the public values in the United States. These values include efficiency, liberty and equality. Education is the key instrument through which American people tend to enhance implementation of these three values. Therefore, the policy aims to expand education facilities and offering substantial training to the teachers. To enhance equality and access to education, the government is aiming to eliminate racial desegregation and finance education.
The State government through CNAS has laid down efforts to help the American policymakers to build up national security strategy. CNAS also support strategies for fundamental issues such as violent extremism and energy security. Recently, the Obama government is conducting aggressive campaign against the American enemies such as Iranian regime and al Qaeda. President Obama government has also endorsed 2010 national security strategy which aims to enhance engagement with china, India and Russia.
Question 2
Among the top of United States government’s policy agenda are the domestic economic issues, foreign policy and education. These are among the problems that limit the development of United States and need to be considered to ensure the stability of the country
Foreign policy involves debate on the America’s role in the world, mounting terrorism in Middle East and the war in Afghanistan. Factors that are considered to enhance the terror are as rising Muslim brotherhood and revival of al-Qaida. Muslim brotherhood across the Middle East and beyond is empowered particular groups such as Arab Spring (Eugene, 2008). This has resulted to more strong and dangerous terrorism groups that pose major threats to the world in general. The foreign policy is also shaped by the revival of the al-Qaeda terrorists. Although al-Qaeda leaders have been eliminated by the US government, the group is still striving and rebranding under new names such as Ansar al-Sharia.
Domestic economic issues are also put into consideration to enhance the stability of America and of the world as well. Factors that have been contributed to the rise of domestic economic issues are the rate of unemployment and the developing involvement of China in global economy (James, 2007). The rate of unemployment is high enough to be considered as a national threat in the country.
Education is also a vital issue that has been rising in America over the past decades. Factors that have been influencing this debate are the intellectual decline and inadequate proper funding to education sector (Thomas, 2010). Over the past few years the level of literacy in the country is noticeably going down due to factors such as education quality and facilities among others. There has been a decline in the financing education leading to inadequate trained teaching staffs and poor learning facilities. The State government should therefore increase funding and train more teachers as well as enhancing modern learning facilities.
References
Birkland, Thomas A. (2010) An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts, and Models of Public Policy Making, 3rd Edition (M.E. Sharpe).
Bardach, Eugene. (2008). A Practical Guide to Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving. 3rd Edition. New York/London: Chatham House Publishers.
Becky Spaulding, (2012). Domestic Economic Issues rule third and final presidential debate. Grand Valley Lanthorn
Top 10 foreign policy issues facing a new president. World news. Nbcnews.com, retrieved on 22 October, 2012.
McCormick, James M. (2007). The Domestic Sources of American Foreign Policy: Insights and Evidence
