Question

D. Foreign Policy and You. The Pew Research Center lists the following foreign policy goals as some of
the most important for U.S. citizens. What do you think are the most important goals of the U.S.? Rank the
goals from 1–10 (1 being the most important). Then explain your ranking.
_____ Protecting the jobs of American workers
_____ Reducing the spread of infectious diseases
_____ Protecting the U.S. from terrorist attacks
_____ Preventing the spread of weapons of mass
destruction
_____ Improving relationships with our allies
_____ Maintaining the U.S. military advantage
_____ Dealing with global climate change
_____ Limiting the power and influence of China
_____ Reducing illegal immigration into the U.S.
_____ Sharing costs of maintaining the current
relationships among nations

Answer 1

Here’s my ranking (1 = most important) and a brief explanation for each choice. This is a reasoned opinion that balances immediate safety, long-term risk, and economic wellbeing.

1. Protecting the U.S. from terrorist attacks
- Immediate physical safety of citizens is a core role of government; preventing attacks preserves lives and the functioning of society.

2. Preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction
- WMDs pose catastrophic, potentially civilization-level risks; preventing proliferation is essential to long-term survival and stability.

3. Protecting the jobs of American workers
- Economic security underpins social stability, health, and opportunity; foreign policy that protects fair competition and good export markets directly affects livelihoods.

4. Reducing the spread of infectious diseases
- Pandemics can cause massive loss of life and economic disruption quickly; international cooperation and preparedness are crucial to protect citizens.

5. Maintaining the U.S. military advantage
- A credible deterrent prevents aggression, reassures allies, and buys time for diplomacy; it supports many other foreign-policy goals.

6. Improving relationships with our allies
- Strong alliances multiply U.S. influence, share burdens, and enable coordinated responses to crises (security, health, economic, environmental).

7. Dealing with global climate change
- Climate change is a long-term, systemic threat that exacerbates conflict, migration, and economic stresses; it requires international solutions though its effects are more gradual than immediate threats.

8. Limiting the power and influence of China
- Strategic competition with a major power matters for rules-based order and U.S. interests, but “limiting” should be framed as managing competition and cooperating where possible; overly aggressive approaches can backfire.

9. Reducing illegal immigration into the U.S.
- Important for rule of law and managing public services, but primarily a domestic-policy issue with international dimensions; humane, practical border and labor policies are preferable to punitive isolation.

10. Sharing costs of maintaining the current relationships among nations
- Burden-sharing matters for sustainability of alliances, but it’s a means to an end (supporting alliances and common goals) rather than a top-level objective on its own.

Note: These priorities interact and sometimes compete (e.g., addressing climate change can affect jobs; alliances influence deterrence). Specific ranking could change depending on events (pandemic, major attack, economic crisis) and personal values.