Foreign Influence On U.s Elections

By Author: Anthony W Bills
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Foreign influence on U.S elections
Introduction
Political elections are very paramount in the leadership selection of leaders to the various ranks of leadership in a country. The elected members to represent the people’s views and need in the house of representation occupy a niche which is crucial in determination of services delivery to the public. Due to the privileges as well prestigious needs of political leadership flair, political leaderships have taken the precedent of other kinds of leaderships as well as all other activities allover the world. The political leaderships are hence attached high degree of concern. This perhaps arises as result of the powers which are bestowed to elected leaders. In many countries and states, it is claimed that that elected members operates on the democratic grounds. This implies that such leadership style will put into consideration the views of the publics more seriously than their personal thinking and interest. If this is true that most countries in the worlds are led through the democratic pathway, it means peace and cooperative working would prevail in many countries. ...
... However, it is certain today that numerous countries and states are experiencing political environment full of immeasurable chaos. Normally, this emanates from the facts that either the seniors or the juniors in authority are exercising their tasks in quite susceptible manner which is questionable to democratic code. Furthermore, the moment the public expectations are foiled, the scratches within their hearts yield to hate and becomes full of furry of their leaders. (Rosati, 1993)

Free and fair election is the only way citizens can enjoy and exercise their right of voting in a country. Right of citizens to vote and elect their preferred leaders begins right from the moment leaders declare their willing to contest for a specific seat. It means the leaders and the entire citizens are supposed to interact free to creates the best environment which enhances an understanding of each others. During such a period, many activities do happen in which the two parties need to make clear and learn from each other. For instance, citizen wants to learn more of the visions of their leaders so as to determine whether he/she is fit to serve them and take them to next step of development ahead of them. On the other hand, leaders would very much need to known the needs and expectations of the people he /she will be representing. Since the beginning of leadership by our fore grandfather, many factors have played part in the determination of this amicable environment. Sometime certain factors are very supportive to bring democratic rights into live existence. On other times there are detrimental factors which contravenes to the exercising of free elections. (Divine, 1974)

From the global point of view, Elections have been an activity prone to frauds in many countries. This is commonly found in countries /states in the developing continents where they have yielded into war. Such un-peaceful ending have been seen live in countries rooted in the African continent and Asia. Although there is none of the African countries now surviving under the tyranny leaderships of the colonial powers, there are score of states languishing in the sea of war as result of political power and leadership scandal. Such extends are associated with the influence from either powerful men or women of those countries or indulgent by foreigners. This interruption of election rights of the voters by the powerful prominent men in a country is direct. The nobles men may also used indirect ways to derail and also halt the voters’ rights of voting in several ways. Whether the voters’ rights are interrupted directly or indirectly, the result of the elections remains to be skewed in the wrong direction of voter’s preferred candidate. Such practices are not of least importance to poor services and eruption of future problem in the leadership level. This is because, the represented group fails to met and receives their due demands from their representatives. As long the citizen discover the fraud ways were followed to establish their ineffective leaders, grudge and incorporation in the work task with the community develops. This acts as a tumbling block and a barring point between the two groups. Consequences may become a complication of the leader’s work and the leaders may joeperdice the services to the citizen through the relaxation of accountability and responsibility ground. Further sophistications are those which lead to uprisings of one group of supporters against the other. This forms the most grievous surge of all the activities. When such destructive activity begins, it is succumbs the economic and national productivity of the country. Generally, this is the highest level of results of the political mistrust and dishonesty that can be induced by foreign influence. (Rosati, 1993)
Statement
The politics of the United States have undergone a long way. Since the last two or so centuries, politics in the United States have dynamical and revolutionary changed. Commencing with the before period and through the colonial era to the present world, things in the United States have changed through political change and leaderships. The beginning of the political task in the United States is traced back in the colonial dates. During this time, there was little or nothing that existence for the citizen of the states as political right to vote. The people persevered to the harsh rule and tyranny of the western British and other European colonialists. However, after the liberation from the yokes of the colonialists, new face begun with the people having the opportunity to rule themselves through a democratic way. (Barber, 2003)
Although the new era of leadership was perceived to be much of advantageous to the citizens, the selection of the leaders in the states was not so amicable to all the citizens who remain and lived in states. Although most of the people of the early time believed that it was a period that each and every citizen was enjoying the liberty and freedom, this was not the case with some of the citizen remaining in an array of puzzles of live. The main explanation of this could easily be misinterpreted by most of the citizens. However, the most determining factors of such were conceived from the foreign point, basically founded in the foreign constitution which was in used.
From the far beginning of the political election of the United States, it is the constitution which is at forefront of determining the level at which the election are or are not influenced by the foreigners. Similar to any other constitution of other states or country, the constitution of the United States has provision of rule and regulations guiding the electoral procedures to be followed. The rules and regulations of elections contained in constitutions of most countries do not provide the legal opportunity to influences the elections of the country with United States included.
With the vivid declaration on the standing grounds of the election procedures and protocol in U.S, the constitution does not provide the opportunity for foreigners to interfere with the election process by influencing one party or candidate vying for any representative seat and even that decision of the voters. However, like in many other countries in the American continent and those outside united states, the implementation of constitutional laws by the bodies empower to undertakes the task seem to be either reluctant or lenient on taking action to those people or groups of individuals offending the laws. In the practical sense, there are wide and expanded results which provide authentic conducts of people which in away is off the set lines of the elections procedures.
Although, the United States is among the super power states, and thus its conducts are expected to remain independent of other countries’ influences, election campaigns of the United States for many years have not gone without the blemish from internal and external compliant. In the recent past decades, the election influences in the United States has been attributed to several factors. Some of these factors are intentionally planned and hence controllable by the states authorities, while others are beyond their control. However, it is the aim of this paper to expound on the various ways in which the elections of United States are influenced by foreigners. First and fore most the examination of the protection of the election influences from the forefingers would bring a better understanding of the levels of protection and the purporting ways which have been loopholes of influencing the voting. Furthermore, the work would encompass the stands of the United States when it comes to selection of political leaders in relation to other countries.
Foreign policy in United States
Election s are mostly influenced in country through supports accorded to a leader inform of service of speech or through financial supports. The United States has developed rules which govern the two ways of influences. First of all foreign influence regulation, the United States does not permit foreigner within the country to vote in the elections. another significant fact from the constitution of the united state concerning the foreign policy as far as election are regarded is that there federal statutory ban prohibiting the participation financial support to candidates from none residents of the U.S . The federal statute bar people who are neither U.S citizen nor are they permanent residents through green cards possession from extending their soft money support to vying candidates for state federal seat. This enactment of 1970 was bleached in 1990 when it was reviewed that Democratic Party was receiving funding from people’s republican of china and other foreign sources. Besides this, the law would further prohibit the use such soft money support on independent expenditures on campaign speeches. These parts of the interpreted form of the statement, independent expenditures are those materials supporting candidates through advertisings. (Rosati, 1993)

Sources and ways of foreign influences
As the above statements reveals, the foreign influences of the united state would emerge in two major forms. One of the most commonly used methods is the financial supports. From the financial support, there are high probability of having independent speech factors creeping in. this does not mean that are the major barriers to free and fair elections in the states. As it may be seen that other internal challenges comes into play, sincere observation lists some of the often problem and challenge to undisputable result as obstacles to votes registration, improper purging of voters lists, deliberate voter suppression, practical impediments to voting such as excessively long queues as well as accuracy and reliability of voting machines which are challenged by their potentials for undetected interference in their operation. Contrary to the demands of the law, donation towards American campaigns has been a common phenomenon. According to the law, foreign donations either directly or indirectly contributed towards elections at national, state and local level are all invalidated. The federal election campaign act further defines the penalties of which the perpetuators are subjected. It indicates that the violators of the law should face numerous fines or be jailed for certain period as deem by the jury. Despite the above well done laws and consequences of the violators, the violation of the law seem to be escalating in every campaign and election period. (Divine, 1974)

Exceptions do exist to this law which creates better position for the soft money from foreigners. While the law prohibits the individual residents in the foreign countries from contributing towards the election activities, it allows foreign companies to do so as long as they have American subsidiaries. This may be are the major loopholes. Based on the pervious campaigns and elections, enormous amounts of donation were made through the political action committee. Although this is a legal body accountable and responsible for the monetary disbursement to the candidates at all campaign levels, the contribution are not equally distributed to all participating parties. But the finances are directed to party as per the intended supporter’s contributions. This means that some of the parties will be better placed in the campaign work than others. From the past experiences, subsidiaries companies with connection to the European countries have been shown to produce the loins share. Some of the companies exercise equitable donations to the different political parties. Contrary to the equitable disbursements, some of the companies would unequally give their donations. This unequal aid to political parties is criticized by many as a wrongful idea of influencing the political decision makers. (Rosati, 1993)
The fundraising that involves individuals is highly debated. This has for along time initiated the legislatures of the land to think of reformation through amendments. The proponents for the prohibition of financial assistance by individuals has profound base rooted on corruption. The view of the proponents is that financing political election is a method with likelihood of potential of corruption. It is observed that beyond unreasonable doubts that the leaders are bound to act according to the will of their financial supporters rather than acting from their discrete reasoning. Simply, when politicians receive individual funds, there are high chances of being beheld to their donors rather than to be servers of their constituencies. On the other hand, it is aired that money is equally a speech. Therefore, contravening on the right to money expenditures regarding a political matter is a straight forward violation of the law on right to freedom of speech. At this point, funding which are accepted from the foreign company due to their subsidiaries being established in united can be seen have an impact on the election. One of the idea being a form of speech and secondly as
a power to draw the voice of others. With the American laws being held authentic, there is clear principle about the election that foreign authorities, corporations, political parties and individuals are not directly and indirectly supposed to influence the American elections. (Divine, 1974)

There are numerous examples citated from the past electoral practices in which the funding from foreigner have been used illegally. This has resulted from certain opportunity offered by globalization process. Although the law has legally provided the chance for domestic subsidiaries to contribute towards the campaign support, it has limits which are not normally met. This is because the only allowance for this chip is when the subsidiary has made domestic profits and is willing to support the campaigns. Illegitimacy was established in the 1996 elections that led to public outcry after a Chinese trader offered a support contribution to Clinton in the secret docket of nuns at the Buddhist temple. (Branston, 2003)
A part from the influence on speech of the political candidates to the political decision makers, funding of election through corporation has impacts even in post election period. This is because donations have even influence on the decision of the elected politician. This was well exemplified by the Enron’s campaign contribution. It was secretly aimed at influencing those decisions making of the politicians on the energy matters. The funding of the election in the states and in any other country or state can therefore is perceived as a way of future investment process. The investors are likely that they would influence the employees and those other people closely related to their company investments for the favor of the preferred candidate. As long as there are the usual exceptions on the laws implementation as we already know, influence would continued in the political arena unless a change is initiated. (Rosati, 1993)
Foreign matters being so much diversified, they require candid examinations as in everything which is undertaken count on the influence and results that it would bring forth. The united state has delegated its roles and duties of foreign matters to different executives. This includes such executives groups like the congress, the senate foreign relation committee and the house international relations committee. Each of the role and decision made by one of these groups has an impact to the neighboring world. This means that at the first level, the United States will influence the world next to it directly and indirectly. This means that each individual representing the American in the international matters like treaties and policies is of great influence on the U.S foreign policies. As there is no an island in the world demarcation of interactive boundaries, the united states has to involve itself in the world trades and transaction. These decisions are arrived at by the above mention coordination groups. The most important factors are that the amicable interaction on trades are closely associated and coordinated with political events. From such point of view, the world neighboring the United States has proved to have much interaction; that affects the decision makers on election. For instance, it’s a political issue on the stands of certain events concerning peace keeping and war declaration to the neighbor countries and states. There have been several factors of considerable importance, some concerning the congress and the president role as well the international bodies. Negations of the procedures and protocol to curtail certain vices in a [particulars state /country has affects the politics of the United States. The war power acts and the president’s constitutional role in the united states provides a major ground of controversies which still extends to the international bodies rules and regulations. (Divine, 1974)
Peace and war factors are two factors that determiners the growth of a country’s and world economy. For many years, this has been a key concern not only in the United States but also to any other state which focuses on world peace and economic developments. While the United States has been in the forefront to the establishing and mitigating peace in many countries, there are a number of activities which have torn the states into parts. In the determination of the direction towards the rightful candidates’ election, score of election decision makers have indicated that the middle path for foreign policy has been bleached. This is because many people are now surprised and worried over the peace situation in the United States. The last few decades have been years of fear due to lack of unanimous cooperation between the leaders of the united states and the world organization on the peace talks in the various war field states. Furthermore, terror attacks which have become rampant in many parts in the Middle East as well as in African countries and even in the states itself have been of major concern to the election of states. Iraq war, Israel and the palestains war, the Somalia war as well as war in the republic democrat of Congo are some of the major world war that have got influence on the election in the state. (Rosati, 1993)

The election decisions are arrived at by the voters after acquisition and familiarization of the political aspirant and the voter. The voter wants to know more about the strength of the political candidate so as to make his /her mind of the right choice. The information received from the various parts of the world may play crucial part in the determination of the decision made. World organizations like the united nation organization may therefore still magnify or diminish the reputation of a candidate influencing the election decision makers. In the year of 2004, there was a squabble that arose due certain information leak from one of the United Nations official which was viewed as a way blemishing the reputation of the presidential contester. The false allegation of the loss of several metric explosives materials in al qaqaaa was aimed at Indicating the incompetence of the bush leadership while at the same spoiling his reputation. Furthermore, other information released from the united nation secretary could also influences the opportunities of the president being either elected for the next term or dismissed to go and rest. The secretary’s description of the war of Iraq as an illegal violation of the organization charter could possible portrays the incorporation of the president with the outside world. With the fear that war creates in a country, there was every possibel chance of the election decision makers to have their mind set on the opponent contester. The contradictory stand of the secretary of United Nations to that of the president in the states could also make change of voters’ decision. In his words, he showed to the voters that the presidents’ strategy of dealing with the challenges in Iraq were not effective and safe by striking a war against the Iraq’s president. Pointing out that terror threat was like to continue even after the post Iraq war was a key of convincing the voters of the unsolved problems of Iraq. (Divine, 1974)
Although there are many factors which have been viewed to influents to change in the politics of the united state, recent studies have reviewed that the voters’ decision are also based on history of the population. The population growth in the united is predicted to have been tremendous Increasing. The population of the United States has been a composed of different population from all part of the worlds. The mixing of the various people groups in the united state was influence by the culture of the various ethnic groups and their cultures. In close examination of the status of the united population, it can be seen that there are the white, the blacks and the Asian. All these people have got different origins where by the have developed diverse culture practices. For instances, some of the ethnic groups and races have traditions that prohibits the leaderships of certain gender. Now that the united states have developed the culture of admitting numerous numbers of people from allover the globe a through a process attractive many individuals, this might determine elected leader
Due to the limited job opportunities mostly in the developing countries, many people have shifted as permanent immigrants through the application of green card. The world has therefore affected elections of the United States through this particular process. The origins of the political candidate
And the relative population is depicted as influential consideration for the chance of an U.S political candidate to be elected. This is partial affected by the migration of the people from other parts to U.S. the minority are unlikely have the opportunity of producing a political leaders under such influences. However, this is not a major world’s influential factor as long as the strengths of the political leadership outstands those of the candidates from the major group.
Besides the influences which are governmentally conducted, other form of influences does arise from the non- governmental groups. The non-governmental groups are largely composed of the lobby groups, who are activists oriented. The role plated by activists is as important as the role performed by decision makers in the executive seat. These non-governmental organizations which are of important in the U.S election are those lobby groups which have international links. The discussions of the groups are likely to plan a change in the operation of election as an issue of international concern. Groups such as service providers, activists and educators are the main ones which impacts the election decision makers. The international operations are not unbound to get a turn around activity in the decision making process in the elections. They educate the decision makers; and as well known, information is power. This makes the voters to perceive the truth of the politicians. It is through such an informed state that the voters make the wise decision. Such groups will attacks the government through diplomatic approaches on issues which suppress and acts against free demands on fair elections. They can mobiles the voters to react on matters which are forming part of electoral frauds. (Rosati, 1993)
The campaign styles have taken different ways in modern world. This has emerged with the coming of new technologies. New technology is particularly of pronounced influence and importance when it comes to communication methods that are now in use. Communication has its impacts in all forms of organizational institutions. Political institutions are not exceptional to this factor but it forms the core area in all the political process. Without clear and authentic communication means, political institutions would suffer a huge loss. This automatically yields to less justifiable outcomes of the election results. (Divine, 1974)
Many a times, the media has been used in the dissemination of information of new events that are taking place allover the world. Different television channels are frequently used in the advertisement of business products. In the recent periods, televisions channels have now been used as instruments of campaigns. While there are those channels which are locally based, there are those which are nationally and international operated. The political candidates of the United States have used abundantly locally, national and international channels to create a popularity of the campaigns. Due to this international usage of the media, the media has eminently been useful for the voters both in United States as well as to those who are currently residing in foreign lands. Through these channels, citizen of America are informed about the current political events. It is also through similar media channels that the voters in abroad are prompted to contribute their views towards the political status of their preferred candidate. The contribution of the views does not involve those American citizens in abroad, but they also include the opinions and views of people from other states. Sometimes, political candidates have held live talks in these international media channels, a strategy which may be used to upgrade and promote the candidate or else the vice versa results. (Branston, 2003)
In general sense, many media channel would be criticized on the coverage of the political candidates. Criticism arises because of the unequal coverage of the aspirants of political seats. This implies that the media coverage has a skewed result on the coverage of candidates. When there skewed media coverage in favor of a particular candidates, there are high chances the candidates is going to receive the lion share of votes. Furthermore, live chatting and interrogation of candidates on international television and radio broadcasting can inappropriately result into harassments. More so, the technology information dissemination and research through the internet has widely received a wide acclaim. This widely used internet services bears both effects of advantages and disadvantages. For instance, it can be used in a fraud way by certain individual from allover the globe to deceive the voters’ decision on the elections process matters. Some of the information disseminated may end up into a situation of voters’ suppression. (Barber, 2003)
Conclusion
Foreign influence in the United States has taken diverse ways. Thus has chip in the era of proliferation of political institutions. This has seen the American democracy in the recent decade in the 21st century to be standing in shaking grounds. After many years of liberalization from the colonial rule of the European nation, and the embarking on development of democratically Free states, the 21st century has been an era of drastic changes in the maintenance of democratic rights in the states. With the struggle for the legislature to maintain the democratic environment, the laws have been amended several so as to perpetually have self democratic right held in the correct status. Despite all these efforts, the freedom and democratic rights of the American have been jeopardized. The right of choice in the election of political leaders can serves as the best examples of jeopardy of the American rights. (Branston, 2003)
American state being part of the super power states, there is influent which can be impacted on its internal matters like those of election process. Although, this is the expectations of many elite, this has not been case. Despite this fact, foreign influences have been cropping in slowly by slowly. This gradual influence effort of foreign nations has developed with the development and revolutions in technological sectors and the media. The force of media of the foreign nations and the change in technology in the global world has affected the rights of the American citizens. Through electronic monetary transfers, numerous firms and individuals participation have financially supported the American campaigns. Through the foreign media which comprises of the radio and the television , numerous information have been leaked to the united state enhancing or depressing the campaigning powers in one side of the campaigns. The cyber technology commonly coordinated through computer systems has disseminated impacting information in form of text, pictorial and others forms influential to voters decision from all corners of the globe. This means that technology and foreign media which are inseparable have definitely played vital part in the processes of campaigns and thus impacting the American election choice of the voters. To end this phenomenon, it appears there is a long ways to go which requires the cooperate participation of all the nations. This is a dream hard to attain as still pieces of enemies from some of the nations are quite noticeable. (Pavlik, 1996)

References
Branston, G. (2003): The media student’s book: Routledge.
Pavlik, J. (1996): New media and the information superhighway: Allyn and Bacon.
Barber, B. (2003): Which technology and which democracy? : MIT Press.
Divine, R. (1974): Foreign Policy and U.S. Presidential Elections: New York
Rosati, J. (1993): The Politics of United States Foreign Policy: New York

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