If the rest of the world joined the USA... what would change?
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  If the rest of the world joined the USA... what would change?
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Author Topic: If the rest of the world joined the USA... what would change?  (Read 3003 times)
Blue3
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« on: February 14, 2013, 11:10:06 PM »

Let's say every other country on Earth decided to voluntarily and permanently join the United States of America... and all their territory (and existing US territory) was organized into 200 new states in time for the 2016 elections... for a grand total of 250 states in the United States (so 500 Senators, and say the number of Represenatives in the House was expanded to 5000).

How would all of these new American citizens vote? How would the parties change? How would the U.S. government change? Which national policies would be different and how? What new issues would the government be focused on, and which ones would be forgotten? What would be some other general consequences?

I think it's an interesting thought experiment, will post more of my thoughts later. But I think there would be a lot more focus on healthcare and food/water and infrastructure and education... the issues of immigration and trade would definitely be obsolete... and it would be interesting to see how the parties changed and other policies changed and how the role of the military would change.
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Mehmentum
Icefire9
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« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2013, 11:25:37 PM »

Infrastructure: Members of third world regions would strongly support infrastructure building projects in less developed areas.  Members of first world countries would strongly oppose such a measure.  The most distinct party divide would almost certainly be around this issue.  With an almost entirely first world v. third world divide in voting behavior.

Social Issues: Multiply what we have in the USA by about a million.  Consider that as a part of this new United States of the World there would be both the most liberal European countries and the most extreme islamic states, where gays are still stoned to death.

Third Parties: I wouldbe surprised if a two party system could succesfully satisfy the entire diversity of the world.

I find it more interesting to think about how a world government would be set up.  I think the U.S. is actually a good model.  All of the states thought of themselves as seperate entities when the constitution was written, which is why we have a federal system.  Any world government would need to start out like the U.S. did, with a lot of power delegated to individual nations, but with not making the central government useless like the Articles of Confederation. 


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tik 🪀✨
ComradeCarter
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« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2013, 06:59:45 AM »

A good thought experiment, eh? Just the logistics of language barriers, disarmament, minimum wages, and standards for industry (safety regulations, measurements, etc) gives me a headache.
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Middle-aged Europe
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« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2013, 07:37:41 AM »

Francois Hollande would probably become U.S. president.

Or would he be ineligable because he's not a "natural-born citizen"? Tongue
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Mr. Morden
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« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2013, 08:26:54 AM »

Civil war would break out immediately.
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DC Al Fine
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« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2013, 08:56:39 AM »

Ethnic politics, ethnic politics everywhere.
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Blue3
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« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2014, 01:50:48 PM »

So far, it seems we have...

1. Security issues and extending U.S. rule of law
(to protect against terrorists/separatists/revolutionaries, and enforce federal laws which Americans are used to onto new states that will probably be unfamiliar with them)

2. Economic issues and extending U.S. standards of living
(such as making sure everyone is being paid minimum wage, workplace safety, labor standards, environmental & consumer protection standards, entirely new/upgraded infrastructure)

3. Language issues and extending U.S. culture of social tolerance
(overcoming any communication problems, and the people getting used to our more permissive laws/culture, especially on race/gender/religion/class)



But we wouldn't have to worry about state-to-state conflicts anymore, and nobody could seriously say "it's not America's responsibility to look after them" anymore. Trade and immigration policies would be obsolete. The military would have to be transformed. But what would new majorities of voters want to change about the way U.S. government operated and what its responsibilities should and shouldn't be?

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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2014, 02:15:22 PM »

But we wouldn't have to worry about state-to-state conflicts anymore, and nobody could seriously say "it's not America's responsibility to look after them" anymore. Trade and immigration policies would be obsolete. The military would have to be transformed. But what would new majorities of voters want to change about the way U.S. government operated and what its responsibilities should and shouldn't be?
There would probably be a Constitutional amendment to get rid of Article I, Section 9, after which immigration and trade-related issues would cease to be obsolete. No way people would accept global free trade and immigration.
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Atlas Has Shrugged
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« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2014, 03:27:13 PM »

Everything.
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afleitch
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« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2014, 03:57:22 PM »

I'd revolt.
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Franzl
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« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2014, 04:00:35 PM »

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GaussLaw
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« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2014, 06:16:29 PM »

A 2 party system would be impossible.  For instance, Alabama and Iran may agree on some social issues(though not as much as some forumites think), but the religious difference in and of itself is more than enough to create a chasm.  2 parties wouldn't be close to cutting it.
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°Leprechaun
tmcusa2
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« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2014, 06:27:53 PM »

This is a very interesting topic. One thing that would probably change. The issue of state's rights would become much more important. Individual states would object to the world laws. Moreover, has the right of a state to secede every really been determined. That was an issue in the American Civil War. In fact, it was an underlying issue, although in many minds it was about the question of slavery.
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The Free North
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« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2014, 07:57:06 PM »

There would be no way to effectively govern the world without an incredibly decentralized federalist system or something of the like.
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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2014, 07:57:52 PM »

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Blue3
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« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2014, 11:35:34 AM »

There would be no way to effectively govern the world without an incredibly decentralized federalist system or something of the like.
Why?
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Simfan34
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« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2014, 01:14:58 PM »

What if we were forced to stick with the Democrats and Republicans?
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Vega
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« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2014, 05:36:12 PM »

Civil war would break out immediately.

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Badger
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« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2014, 06:48:43 PM »

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Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck
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« Reply #19 on: August 24, 2014, 12:23:34 AM »

I can not honestly say whether things would be better or worse.
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PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald
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« Reply #20 on: August 24, 2014, 12:36:24 AM »

What if we were forced to stick with the Democrats and Republicans?
Fitzgerald up 5
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Indy Texas
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« Reply #21 on: August 24, 2014, 01:15:58 AM »

What if we were forced to stick with the Democrats and Republicans?

Democrats would win in a landslide.

Assuming every other country in the world joined as new states, the Republicans would only win the US states they do now, the very wealthy reactionary Arab kingdoms, and maybe a couple of sub-Saharan African countries by getting the anti-gay crowd all riled up. And possibly Poland.
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jfern
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« Reply #22 on: August 24, 2014, 01:58:59 AM »

What if we were forced to stick with the Democrats and Republicans?

Democrats would win in a landslide.

Assuming every other country in the world joined as new states, the Republicans would only win the US states they do now, the very wealthy reactionary Arab kingdoms, and maybe a couple of sub-Saharan African countries by getting the anti-gay crowd all riled up. And possibly Poland.

"You forgot Poland" isn't going to win elections for the GOP over a decade later.
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Never
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« Reply #23 on: August 24, 2014, 02:08:16 AM »

What if we were forced to stick with the Democrats and Republicans?

Democrats would win in a landslide.

Assuming every other country in the world joined as new states, the Republicans would only win the US states they do now, the very wealthy reactionary Arab kingdoms, and maybe a couple of sub-Saharan African countries by getting the anti-gay crowd all riled up. And possibly Poland.

I don't know about that, Canada and Australia at the very least would be competitive. Their conservative parties are currently in control of the parliaments, and the people who support those parties would probably identify more easily with the Republican party than the Democratic party.
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Mr. Morden
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« Reply #24 on: August 24, 2014, 02:54:54 AM »

What if we were forced to stick with the Democrats and Republicans?

The platforms of both parties would change radically to accomodate the new electorate, such that they'd both be unrecognizable.
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