POLS 8/25/26
8/25/26
SO WHAT: have profound impact in Athens, U.S.
1. Feb 28th, 2026: Israel launched operation against Iran
straight of hormuz blocked=oil prices go up
tried bombed nuclear weapons, poses threat to israel and threat to military in middle east
Cut funding: we don’t have universal healthcare, but enough to fund israel, stay educated, stop wasting resources
2. April 2, 2025: Trump signed tariffs on US trading patterns; exec order 1427
food prices increase
other countries impose tariffs on us
3. August 2nd, 2022: Nanci Pelosi made Taiwan visit: 1st speaker visit in 25 years
Taiwan producer
rubs china the wrong way; recognizes Taiwan is apart of the republic of china
does the US want to abide by that
conflict most likely over taiwan
taiwan is a deocracy, deserves own state/nation
weigh against potentially conflict with china, balance perspectives
china can cut ties with US, lose influence in the east (pragmatic pov)
4. Jan 9, 2020: COVID 19 in Wuhan
start of covid
effected millions of jobs and health
no school, online school
essential workers
5.Jan 2019: Destruction of Amazon Rainforest, smaller and smaller
breathe oxygen from rainforest
impacts other environments
2007:AIG financial division in London enters into default swaps
financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, faster than great depression
8/27/26: US EXCEPTIONALISM
illustrates how the U.S. is very different from other countries
LIPSET US EXCEPTIONALISM
- big question: “why is the us the only country without a socialist/labor movement or party
why so liberal from founding to present?
definition: the american ideology meaning: anti-statism (1890s def)
not contemporary definition
US IS CLASSICAL LIBERAL, that’s why unique
social democratic, classical liberal: part of western enlightenment tradition, but very different
freedom
equality