Global Challenges for the US
Europe
Relations with Russia
Canada
One of the most developed countries in the world; has publicly funded healthcare; follows conservative financial policies, has most fresh water in the world, in line with European social democracies
US Economy
World’s largest economy, driven by natural resources, infrastructure, high productivity, and mixed economy
Environment
Water and climate change – main issues: forests and grasslands to croplands, urbanization, water pollution, carbon dioxide and greenhouse effect
Globalization and USMCA
Connects north america and allows for influence of food and culture, replaced NAFTA
Middle East
Syrian civil war and the rise of IS, refugees, continuing concern in Israel/Palestine
Canada's foreign born population
22%
Too big to fail
US bank corporations/economy’s failure would have greater fiscal consequences than the economy could absorb
Changing Population
Immigration and diversity – increasingly diverse, immigrants previously from Europe and Africa, now from Latin America and Asia
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Mexico, Peru, Chile
Africa
Concerns in Somalia, Mali, Nigeria, Kenya (Rise of extremist Islamic terrorist groups)
The American Dream
Importance of the individual, all people should have equal opportunities, merit should be rewarded with material prosperity
USA's foreign born population
13%
US export partners
Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, UK, and the EU
Latin America
Failed Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, TPP, US less focused on Latin America (Trans-Pacific Partnership included Mexico, Peru, and Chile, ended by Trump)
Meritocracy
System in which success is achieved through one’s skills, rather than certain social distinctions
Asia
Forestalled pivot to Asia due to the turmoil in the Middle East, Ally with Japan, cooperation/competition with India and China, denuclearizing Korean peninsula (Pivot to redirect resources and priorities to the world’s most populous region)