The Effect of American Government on US Citizens
Political systems and government structures in the US control all operations of the nation. Political leaders interested in governing the people of the US have manifestos that outline how they will help their people to live dignified lives. The political structures work collaboratively to run the affairs of the nation while promoting good relations with its people. Federal governments are mandated by the US citizens, through the judiciary, legislature, and executive structures, to control matters relating to the welfare of their citizens in their respective states. Citizens of the US enjoy privileges offered by their national and federal government through improved economies, protection of Human Rights, and enhanced medical attention. Citizens pay taxes to enable governments to implement its policies effectively and efficiently. The governments can only achieve these services through the implementation of policies that relate to the economy, rights of individuals, religious freedom, and environmental protection since they affect the lives of US citizens.
Politics and trade policies effected by the government have far-reaching consequences on the lives of citizens. For instance, policies that affect tariffs and discourage free trade, contribute to increased cost and reduction of goods and services for use by US citizens (York par. 2). These policies affect enterprises and consumers. Besides, people whose businesses rely on imported goods are adversely affected, and it may lead to job loss. Consequently, when such firms are affected negatively, the economic output is also reduced. Therefore, poor financial decisions implemented by the government of the US may affect people’s lives adversely.
Conversely, increased tariffs also benefit local producers. The enterprises that process local products are disadvantaged in the sense that their products are less competitive and are marketed easily (Randle par. 3). Their products are locally consumed in the USA. This case implies that there are less imported products to serve similar customer needs. The imposition of tariffs encourages self-dependence, as it allows self-regulatory of economics.
The imposition of tariffs affects taxation systems of US citizens. The tax burden is shared between producers and consumers (York par. 2). The country has substantial budgetary expenditure requirements that can only be met by sufficient funds. The government’s decision on tariffs discourage importation of goods and services, implying that import taxes are reduced, and the USA citizens will fulfill the
compensatory demands.
The US government protects the rights of all individuals in the USA. The legislative arm of the government passes bills and laws that protect the rights of minority groups residing in the USA, according to the Universal Declaration of 1948 (Feyter et al. 260). In democratic states, all races are required to enjoy similar privileges such as education, medical services, and political participation. If the government does not offer legislative means to allow these services, the minority groups feel neglected. Consequently, problems may erupt as such groups may protest to fight for their rights.
The USA government plays a crucial role in ensuring gender equality. The suffrage movement of women in the 20th century across the globe has awakened the USA government on the need to implement laws to support women (ShareAmerica par. 2). As part of the mission to achieve gender equality, the government has passed several bills in support of women’s right against gender-based violence and voting rights. This move implies that the government recognizes the rights of women, and it strives to protect them.
The government regulates the rights and privileges enjoyed by LGBT members. The US government has legalized the rights of LGBT through the Equality Act (Feyter et al. 260). However, these rights are not enjoyed in all federal states because some federal governments do not support these provisions. Consequently, many LGBT members have been experiencing discrimination based on their societal status in the US. At the workplaces, they are not offered equal job opportunities as other people. However, if Congress outlaws discriminatory and biased regulations based on gender, the group will enjoy similar rights as those of the rest of the citizens.
The Bill of rights in the USA guarantees freedom of religion. According to the First Amendment, the government is prohibited from interfering with the faith and hence guarantees freedom of religious exercises (Feyter et al. 630). This provision allows Americans to have full control over their spiritual decisions. The citizens have adopted diverse religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, in which they enjoy similar privileges offered at the societal and government level regardless of their faith.
The government is mandated to protect citizens from the effects of pollution. The prevention legislation is, therefore, necessary to protect the US environment and beyond. The establishment of pollution prevention policies helps in making homes habitable (Feyter et al. 393). Pollution has been a significant challenge in the US. Industrial emissions that cause the greenhouse effect has increased to levels so high such that global warming is imminent. Besides, pollution has been witnessed with the increased demand for transportations, as many vehicles emit greenhouse gases.
Emissions of hazardous substances on the environment affect biodiversity and human life. According to the reports by World Health Organization(WHO), climate change has contributed to thousands of death each year, a number that is predicted to increase by twofold by 2030 (Kasotia par. 4). Global warming has caused severe health problems among them malaria outbreaks. The increased temperatures play a significant role in these infectious ailments. Therefore, besides the policies being implemented in the US, the government is expected to scale up its efforts to reduce pollution to minimum possible limits, to prevent climate-related deaths in US families.
In conclusion, the politics and government decisions in the USA play an essential role in promoting dignified lives of the citizens. The economic policies targeting tariffs are implemented at both the national and federal level to protect the interests of citizens. Additionally, the government ensures the protection of the rights of all individuals through various legislative decisions. Furthermore, the promotion of religious freedom is vital for the well-being of US citizens. The politics and government decisions should also focus on environmental protection to help in preventing diseases associated with climate variations. Therefore, the prosperity and growth of individuals in families rely heavily on decisions implemented by government bodies of the US, such as the legislature, judiciary, and executive.
Works Cited
Feyter, Koen De., and Isa Felipe Gómez. International Protection of Human Rights: Achievements and Challenges. University of Deusto, 2006.
Kasotia, Paritosh. “The Health Effects Of Global Warming: Developing Countries Are The Most Vulnerable.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/health-effects-global-warming-developing-countries-are-most-vulnerable. Accessed 1 May 2020
Randle, Jim. “Tariffs Help Domestic Producers but Can Hurt Consumers.” Voice of America, www.voanews.com/usa/tariffs-help-domestic-producers-can-hurt-consumers. Accessed 1 May 2020
ShareAmerica. “The Role of Government in Women’s Equality.” ShareAmerica, 23 Apr. 2015, share.america.gov/role-of-government-womens-equality/. Accessed 1 May 2020
York, Erica. “Tracking the Economic Impact of Tariffs.” Tax Foundation, 21 Feb. 2020, www.taxfoundation.org/tariffs-trump-trade-war/. Accessed 1 May 2020.