Americas

The Americas comprised of North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America would not be the culturally diverse region it is today if not for its long history of migration, particularly the immigration of large numbers of Europeans, Africans, and settlers from other parts of the world as far back as the 15th century. Contemporary migration patterns in the Americas are varied and continue to shape demographic, economic, and social realities for the regions governments and citizens, as articles on this page make clear.

Despite use in the United States dating to the 1920s, legalization programs have been met with increasing resistance, such as the DREAM Act, which would legalize unauthorized youth who attend college or join the military.

Related Articles: The Global Struggle with Illegal Migration: No End in Sight Naturalization Trends in the United States Why Countries Continue to Consider Regularization Regularizing Immigrants in Spain: A New Approach

Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States and Europe: The Use of Legalization/Regularization as a Policy Tool
By Donald M. Kerwin, Kate Brick, and Rebecca Kilberg Migration Policy Institute May 2012 The United States has been in a fractious public and political debate for many years over how to address its more than 11 million unauthorized residents. At issue has been whether to

extend legal status to a large share of US unauthorized immigrants or to narrower, more defined groups, or whether to continue to pursue enforcement initiatives without a legalization program or other reforms. The topic of legalization (or "regularization" in Europe) is a polarizing one on both sides of the Atlantic. Opponents view proposed legalization measures, whether broad or narrow in scope, as amnesty for lawbreakers and an enticement to further illegal migration. Supporters, meanwhile, argue that there are significant economic and integration benefits of legalizing certain unauthorized immigrants, particularly long-term residents with established families and strong ties in their country of destination. Although this issue has garnered significant attention in the United States, the use of largescale or focused legalization policies is not new, nor uniquely American. Such policies have been adopted repeatedly in the past in the United States and by various European governments. In recent decades, European Union (EU) Member States have turned to regularization programs again and again as a way to address the rising numbers of unauthorized immigrants within their borders. In the United States, the broad legalization program resulting from the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) is widely known, but there has been less recognition of the fact that Congress has repeatedly legalized more discrete groups of residents since the 1920s. Legalization programs typically seek to balance the goal of bringing unauthorized immigrants into the mainstream of society for economic and humanitarian reasons, with the public and political pressures to stem illegal immigration over the long term. EU Member States often oppose these programs on the grounds that one country's program will negatively impact other countries. The use of this sometimes divisive policy tool differs significantly between Europe and the United States, as well as within Europe itself. This is seen in the pronounced divide in regularization trends between northern and southern European countries. Programs implemented in the north tend to be narrower, covering discrete populations, whereas southern EU Member States have been more likely to implement broader programs. In the United States, far more individuals have been legalized through population-specific programs than generalized programs. This article explores these differences in greater detail. Conclusion The debate over legalization shows no sign of abating on either side of the Atlantic. In both Europe and the United States, opponents of legalization claim that such programs reward illegal immigration and have not been successful in meeting their other aims. Such concerns are reflected in the European Union's shift from large-scale to targeted regularization programs. However, despite general EU support for limiting the use of regularization, the 2009 implementation in Italy and Belgium of large-scale regularization measures demonstrates that EU rhetoric may not reflect the reality on the ground. It seems that at the national level, governments will continue to act in their own best interests. Questions persist as to how regularization measures can be best used to maximize benefits to individual countries, while minimizing costs for the European Union as a whole. In the United States, policymakers continue to debate whether legalization programs should be included as part of broader reform initiatives, including stepped-up enforcement measures. IRCA's legacy and the realities of a large unauthorized population continue to bedevil the immigration debate. In addition, the recent economic crisis that has cost millions of US jobs and the prolonged labor market recovery makes it more difficult to convince the public of the merits of a legalization program.

At the same time, ever since the United States adopted its first categorical restrictions on admission, Congress has regularly found it necessary to legalize discrete groups that have strong equitable and humanitarian claims to remain in the United States. Many argue that the current unauthorized population includes many residents who have similar claims, and that Congress may find it necessary to pursue the legalization option once again. For more information, see two previously published Migration Policy Institute papers: More than IRCA: US Legalization Programs and the Current Policy Debate by Donald M. Kerwin andRegularizations in the European Union: The Contentious Policy Tool by Kate Brick. Sources Baldwin-Edwards, Martin and Albert Kraler. 2009. Regularisations in Europe: Study on Practices in the Area of Regularisation of Illegally Staying Third-Country Nationals in the Member States of the EU. REGINE. Vienna: ICMPD. Batalova, Jeanne and Margie McHugh. 2010. DREAM vs. Reality: An Analysis of Potential DREAM Act Beneficiaries. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. Available Online. Boswell, Richard A. 2010. Crafting an Amnesty with Traditional Tools: Registration and Cancellation. Harvard Journal on Legislation 47: 175-208. Carroll, Susan. 2010. Feds moving to dismiss some deportation cases: Critics assail the plan as a bid to create a kind of backdoor 'amnesty.' Houston Chronicle, August 24, 2010. Available Online. Council of the European Union. 2006. Council Decision 2006/688/EC of 5 October 2006 , article (2)(1)(OJ L 283/40 of 14.10.2006. Available Online. Council of the European Union. 2008. European Pact on Immigration and Asylum. Available Online. European Commission. 2005. Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Common Standards and Procedures in Member States for Returning Illegally Staying Third Country Nationals. COM 391 final. Brussels. International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). 2009. Regularisations in Europe: Study on Practices in the Area of Regularisation of Illegally Staying Third-Country Nationals in the Member States of the European Union . ICMPD Policy Brief. Vienna. Fix, Michael and Jeffrey S. Passel. 1994. Immigration and Immigrants: Setting the Record Straight. Washington, DC: Urban Institute. Available Online. Gonzlez Baker, Susan. 1990. The Cautious Welcome: The Legalization Program of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Santa Monica, CA and Washington, DC: The Rand Corporation and the Urban Institute. Ho, James C. 2006. Defining 'American': Birthright Citizenship and the Original Understanding of the 14th Amendment. The Green Bag 9 (4): 366-378. Kraler, Albert. 2009. Regularisation: A Misguided Option or Part and Parcel of a Comprehensive Policy Response to Irregular Migration? IMISCOE Working Paper no. 24. International Centre for Migration Policy Development. Available Online.

OUR GOVERNMENT Learn how America's federal, state and local governments work to enact the will of the people, and how President Obama and his administration collaborate with the Legislative and Judicial branches to govern the United States.
"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed." Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence
Since the Second Continental Congress declared America's independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776, the United States government has sought to realize the fundamental principle on which our nation was founded: that all people have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This principle was formalized in 1788 with the ratification of the Constitution. That document still the supreme law of the United States became the foundation of a federal government that allowed the several states to act together as one, while protecting the sovereignty of each individual state. To ensure that no person or group would amass too much power, the founders established a government in which the powers to create, implement, and adjudicate laws were separated. Each branch of government is balanced by powers in the other two coequal branches: The President can veto the laws of the Congress; the Congress confirms or rejects the President's appointments and can remove the President from office in exceptional circumstances; and the justices of the Supreme Court, who can overturn unconstitutional laws, are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. In creating this balance, the framers of the Constitution hoped to form what they called "a more perfect union" a government that would not only serve the people but would also be a long-lived exemplar to other nations around the world.

The Executive Branch

Federal Agencies & Commissions

The Legislative Branch

Elections & Voting

The Judicial Branch

State & Local Government

The Constitution

Resources

Introducing Government in America Chapter Summary

I. Introduction (2-6) The single most important message of this book is that politics and government matter. Many Americans, especially young people, are apathetic about politics and government. Young people today pay less attention to politics than their parents did. Because they pay little attention to public affairs, young Americans are less likely to be well informed about government and politics. Young Americans participate less in politics and vote less compared to previous generations. This book will demonstrate that those who participate in politics are more likely to benefit from government policies. II. Government (6-8) The institutions that make authoritative decisions that apply to all of society are collectively known as government. In the United States these institutions include Congress, the president, the courts, and the federal administrative agencies. Two fundamental questions about governing are: how should we govern and what should government do? All modern governments have similar functions. These include: (1) Governments maintain national defense. (2) Governments provide public services. (3) Governments have police powers to provide order. (4) Governments socialize the young into the political culture. (5) Governments collect taxes. III. Politics (8-10) Politics determines whom we select as our governmental leaders and what policies they pursue. Harold Lasswell defined politics as who gets what, when, and how. The media focuses on the who of politics (voters, candidates, groups, and parties). How people play politics includes such actions as bargaining, supporting, compromising, and lobbying. The ways in which people get involved in politics make up their political participation. The what refers to the public policies that come from government, including the benefits and burdens. IV. The Policymaking System (10-13) A. People Shape Policy The policymaking system reveals the way our government responds to the priorities of the people. The policymaking system begins with people who have interests, problems, and concerns. These interests, problems, and concerns are expressed through linkage

institutions, which are the political channels through which peoples concerns become political issues on the policy agenda. Parties, elections, interest groups, and the media are key linkage institutions between the preferences of citizens and the governments policy agenda. The policy agenda consists of the issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in politics at any given point in time. A political issue arises when people disagree about a problem or public policy choice made to combat a problem. Policymakers within the four policymaking institutions (Congress, the presidency, the courts, and the bureaucracy) make policies concerning issues on the agenda. Very few policies are made by a single institution. In policymaking, every political institution gets involved. B. Policies Impact People Public policy is a choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem. There are many types of public policies. Even doing nothing is a policy choice. Policy impacts are the effects a policy has on people and societys problems. Analysts of policy impacts ask how well the policy achieves its goal. V. Democracy (13-19) A. Defining Democracy The writers of the Constitution were not fond of democracy. Most Americans define democracy as government by the people. This definition is misleading. Democracy can be defined as a means of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the peoples preferences. B. Traditional Democratic Theory Traditional democratic theory rests upon several principles on how a democratic government makes its decisions. The five cornerstones of an ideal democracy include: (1) equality in voting, (2) effective participation, (3) enlightened understanding, (4) citizen control of the agenda, and (5) inclusion. Democracies must also practice majority rule and preserve minority rights. In a large society a few will have to carry on the affairs of the many. The relationship between the few leaders and the many followers is one of representation. The closer the correspondence between representatives and their electoral majority, the closer the approximation to democracy. C. Three Contemporary Theories of American Democracy Theories of American democracy are about who has power and influence, who really governs in our nation? Pluralist theory contends that groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts. Pluralists believe that through bargaining and compromise, group competition will reflect the public interest. Multiple access points to government allow groups that lose in one arena

to take their case to another. Robert Putnam argues that many of the problems of American democracy today stem from a decline in group-based participation. The elite and class theory contends that our society is divided along class lines and that an upperclass elite rules. Wealth is the basis of this power and big business is the center of power. Hyperpluralism is a theory that claims that too many influential groups cripple governments ability to govern. Many groups are so strong that government is unable to act. When policymakers try to placate so many single-issue groups the result is muddled and inconsistent policy. D. Challenges to Democracy There are many challenges to democracy in America and elsewhere. These include: (1) increased technical expertise held by only a few, (2) limited participation in government, (3) escalating campaign costs, and (4) diverse political interests that make it difficult for coalitions to form majorities and establish policy, often resulting in policy gridlock. E. Preview Questions about Democracy This text will examine several questions about democracy, voting behavior and elections, linkage institutions, policy choices, and the institutions of government. These questions will include: Are people knowledgeable about matters of public policy? Do they apply what knowledge they have to their voting choices? Are American elections designed to facilitate public participation? Does the interest group system allow for all points of view to be heard? Do political parties provide voters with clear choices? If there are choices, do the media help citizens understand them? Is Congress representative of American society, and is it well organized to react to changing times? Does the president look after the general welfare of the public or focus on political elites? VI. The Scope of Government in America (20-23) A. How Active is American Government? In terms of dollars spent, government in America is vast. Governments spend one out of every three dollars of our gross domestic product. About 18 million Americans work for

one of our governments. National defense and social security are two big areas of government spending. When spending grows, taxes must also grow. B. A Comparative Perspective Compared to most other economically developed nations, the United States devotes a smaller percentage of its resources to government and has a smaller tax burden. C. American Individualism One of the primary reasons for the comparatively small scope of American government is the prominence of individualism in American political thought and practice. Many immigrants came to escape government interference and the bountiful American frontier allowed them to get away from government. The policy consequences of individualism are a strong preference for free markets and limited government. D. Preview Questions About the Scope of Government The scope of government is a key theme in the text. The goal is to explore the implications of the way politics, institutions, and policy in America affect the scope of government. Several key questions are raised regarding the scope of government in terms of the constitutional structure of American politics; those that make demands upon government (public, political parties, interest groups, and the media); elected governmental institutions (presidency and Congress); and the nonelected branches of government (courts and bureaucracy).

CAPITAL:
Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia).

MONETARY UNIT:
United States dollar ($). One U.S. dollar equals 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 cents and 1 dollar. There are notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 dollars.

CHIEF EXPORTS:
Capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, and agricultural products.

CHIEF IMPORTS:
Crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, and food and beverages.

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT:

$9.963 trillion (2000 est.).

BALANCE OF TRADE:
Exports: $776 billion (2000 est.). Imports: $1.223 trillion (2000 est.).

Read more: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/UnitedStates-of-America.html#ixzz2fGgOrvNI

LOCATION AND SIZE.

The 48 states that make up the continental United States are located in North America between Mexico and Canada. The state of Hawaii is located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between North America and Asia, and the state of Alaska is located on the extreme northwest corner of North America. The United States also controls a number of small islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The nation is the third-largest country in the world in area behind Russia and Canada. It has a total area of 9,629,091 square kilometers (3,717,792 square miles). This total includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia, but not the nation's territories and dependencies. Of this territory, 9,158,960 square kilometers (3,536,274 square miles) are land, while there are 470,131 square kilometers (181,517 square miles) of water. The United States is about one-half the size of Russia, and slightly larger than either Brazil or China. It shares long borders with both Canada (8,893 kilometers or 5,526 miles) and Mexico (3,326 kilometers or 2,066 miles). The nation's total borders are 12,248 kilometers (7,610 miles) long. The Eastern United States borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea,

while the West Coast borders the Pacific Ocean. Areas of Alaska border the Arctic Ocean. In all, the country has 19,924 kilometers (12,380 miles) of coastline. The nation's capital is Washington, D.C., which is located on the East Coast, almost midway between Maine and Florida. The capital has a population of 519,000, but America's largest cities are New York, with a population of 7,428,162, followed by Los Angeles with 3,633,591 people, and Chicago with 2,799,050.

Read more: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/UnitedStates-of-America.html#ixzz2fGgV7cWL

The 5 Biggest Industries in the United States

Posted on November 26, 2012 by admin

The United States has many large industries, but some are much larger than others. The top five largest industries in the United States include the oil and gas industry, the retail industry, the healthcare industry, the automotive industry, and the pharmaceutical industry. These industries bring in some of the highest profits of any other industry in the world, and serve millions of people each day. It only takes a quick look at the stats of each industry to prove just how large the industry is. Oil and gas The oil and gas industry is the largest in the United States. This industry is responsible for every industry related to oil or gas, including electricity, gasoline, plastic products, and crude oil products. Currently, the industry brings in over 5 trillion dollars each year, which is much more than most other industries in the United States. Over 4 billion of that money is pure profit for oil and gas companies. The current leaders in United States oil and gas include Royal Shell, BP, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron. These companies bring in the highest profits and overall revenue over all other oil companies in the United States.

Retail It wouldnt be America if the retail industry was not one of the largest in the nation. The retail industry is responsible for bringing in 4.7 trillion dollars worth of business in 2011. This is a shocking amount of money that shows how important the retail industry is to the economy. Current American retail leaders include, Wal-mart, Verizon, CVS, and Kroger. The wide variance between the type of business of each company shows what is important to United States citizens. Healthcare The healthcare industry is also one of the largest in the United States. In 2011, the healthcare industry, including hospitals, medical centers, insurance firms, and doctors offices, brought in 1.7 trillion dollars. This indicates how important health is to Americans. Right now, the four biggest healthcare companies include Amgen Inc., Becton, Dickinson, and Company, Biogen Idec Inc., and the Celgene Corporation. These companies are responsible for operating insurance firms, hospitals, medical research centers, and more. Automotive It is no surprise that the automotive industry is profitable and one of the largest industries in the United States. All you have to do is look around and see how many vehicles are on American streets to prove how big the industry is. In 2011, the automotive industry may over 1.5 trillion dollars in revenue. The largest automotive companies in the United States include Volkswagen, Toyota, Tata, and Honda. Surprisingly enough, none of these biggest vehicle companies were originally based in the United States, although the companies now have United States headquarters and manufacturing plants.

Pharmaceutical The pharmaceutical industry is also one of the largest in the United States. Aside from healthcare, this industry is about researching new medicines and providing them to sick Americans. In 2012, the Pharmaceutical industry made about 700 billion in revenue, mainly from the distribution of medicines and legal drugs. Right now, the largest pharmaceutical companies include Pfizer, Novartis, Merck and Co., and Bayer. Pfizer and Merck and Co. and American-based companies, while Novartis and Bayer originally started in other countries. These five big industries run a huge part of the United States government system due to their high levels of revenue each year. Each of these five industries is able to fund the politicians that they want to boost their industry. When you look at what industries are the most profitable, it is no surprise that the laws we have today exist. This is a guest contribution by Nick L. Nick has a myriad of interests, but he is currently concerned with health and addiction based issues. For more information on this subject, read here. Follow Nick On Twitter @NickLevitan

Ten Largest U.S. Manufacturing Industries, 2010

By: Mark J. Perry
July 13, 2011 11:52 AM

Stocks: ADM, BA, CAT, IBM, LMT, PCAR, PFE, WHR,

Rank 1 2 3

10 Largest U.S. Manufacturing Industries Petroleum and Coal Products Computers and Other Electronic Products Chemicals

2010 Revenue (Millions) $1,027,938 $581,344 $387,326

Examples ExxonMobil, Chevron, Conoco HP, IBM, Microsoft P&G, Dow, Dupont

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Food Pharmaceuticals Aerospace & Defense Electrical Equipment & Appliances Machinery Motor Vehicles Beverages

$284,390 $257,975 $250,446 $245,307 $194,098 $150,721 $133,619

ADM, Kraft, Tyson J&J, Pfizer, Abbot Boeing, United, Lockheed Martin GE, Emerson, Whirlpool Caterpillar, Deere, Xerox Ford, Navistar, PACCAR Pepsi, Coke, Dr. Pepper/Snapple

Source: IndustryWeek The chart above displays the top ten largest manufacturing industries based on 2010 sales revenue. I reported on the IndustryWeek rankings previously in this post back in February.

Stop Saying 'Awesome': Five Best-Practices for Americans Marketing to Europe

by Bob Boehnlein | April 24, 2013 | 3,797 views
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Globalization brings exciting opportunities and enormous challenges for all parts of a business, but nowhere is that more apparent than in the marketing department. On the one hand, digital channels have opened up global markets in new and exciting ways; on the other, appealing to a worldwide audience adds a layer of complexity to marketing campaigns. Today's consumers continue to demand

messaging that's more individualized, compelling, and real-time than ever before, and that's as true overseas as it is in the States. At Aprimo, for instance, we've been growing our European presence, adding capabilities, and bringing integrated marketing management solutions marketers worldwide. That means we've had to refocus on learning to appreciate the preferences of the European consumer. I believe it's imperative for other marketers in the US to do the same. Many American companies fail to recognize the nuances of marketing in Europe, even though those subtleties are vital to building a strong customer experience. If you're marketing to a European audience for the first time, it's easy to make a mistake if you don't examine the differences between American and European consumers.

Here are five common marketing pitfalls we've learned to avoid after talking to our colleagues and clients across the ocean. 1. Broad-Based Marketing Europe is culturally diverse, and culture plays a key role in personal identities and values for Europeans. Accordingly, our European teams recommend that American marketers adopt a country-by-country strategy, complete with localized content and local experts for each culture and market. In reality, you should already be doing so in your American marketing programs: It's no surprise that consumers build better connections with brands that cater to their cultural nuances. If you want to gain competitive advantage in Europe, consider dispersing marketing teams across the continent instead of sitting a team in one country and hoping that team can engage all European consumers.

2. Hyperbole I've heard from our marketing teams in the UK and Germany that American marketers talk far too much about their "great" products, "amazing" offers, "awesome" service, and so forth. Obviously, you need to believe in the brand you represent, and it's only natural to be selfpromotional. However, keep in mind that European consumers tend to appreciate modesty, and what you consider justifiable bragging rights in the US might be construed as embellishment there. If you're marketing to a European audience, comb through your messaging and ease up on the "firsts" and "bests" when describing your product or solution. 3. Being Too American-Centric Europeans are likely to disengage if your messaging is filled with references to American culture, business, etc. A good example is the term "Fortune 500," an accolade that is ubiquitous in the US but doesn't have the same impact with European. Take a close look at the terminology you use in your content and strike references that are overly specific to life in the US. Keep your message fresh and relevant to your European audience. 4. Violations of Online Privacy Sweeping new European Union e-privacy directives (PDF) took effect in 2012, and now marketers operating in any EU country must obtain consent from European users before implementing cookies or other technologies to capture online visitor information. Essentially, that means cookies can be placed only on machines if the user or subscriber has opted in. 5. Spelling According to our UK marketing team, it's vital to use British spelling in UK marketing materials. At first glance, this may seem a trivial issue: Does it really matter if you spell "colour" or "humour" with or without a "u"? But nuances matter when you're creating a relevant customer experience. Using British spelling tells UK consumers you're marketing to themnot someone in Texas or California. *** The tips I've outlined are a good start, but they certainly don't encompass all the differences you need to keep in mind when selling to the European market. As in the US, near-perfect marketing can come only from doing your research and taking the time to get to know your customer.

Read more: http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2013/10614/stop-saying-awesome-fivebest-practices-for-americans-marketing-to-europe#ixzz2fGldwWfb