Political Dynamics, Economic Challenges, Immigration, and Foreign PolicyPolitical Dynamics, Economic Challenges, Immigration, and Foreign PolicyIn the last section discussing the Dominican Republic; I covered the topics of gender, class, and religion and how diversity is brought within these three things amongst the Dominican population. This section is basically going more in depth inside the Dominican Republic. By more in depth I am going over the dynamics of the political realm, the challenges the D.R. faces within the economy, and really how globalization is affecting the Dominican Republic.
The political dynamics of the Dominican Republic consist of three branches just like the ones we have here in the United States: an Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branch.
The Executive has long been the dominant branch in the Dominican governmental system. The president of the Dominican Republic is both the Head of State and the Head of Government, and is Commander in Chief of the armed forces. The Dominican Constitution takes twenty-seven paragraphs to spell out the presidents extensive powers (Warf/pg. 15). Among the most important are those that grant him authority over virtually all appointments and removals of public officials, and even popular elected ones; empower him to announce the laws passed by Congress; direct him to engage in diplomatic relations; and empower him to command, to deploy, and to make appointments in, the armed forces. Along with the Executive Branch comes the control of the military (Warf/pg. 17). The military consists of about 44,000 active duty personnel. Its principal mission is to defend the nation, but it serves more as an internal security force. The army, twice as large as the other services combined, consists of four infantry brigades and a combat support brigade; the air force operates three flying squadrons; and the navy maintains 30 aging vessels. The Dominican Republics military is second in size to Cubas in the Caribbean. The armed forces participate fully in counter-narcotics efforts. They also are active in efforts to control contraband and illegal immigration from Haiti to the Dominican Republic and from the Dominican Republic to the United States and Puerto Rico.
The Judicial Power is in charge of administering justice in order to ensure the respect, protection and supervision of rights recognized under the Constitution and its laws (Warf/pg.18) . Its higher organ is the Supreme Court of Justice, which is composed of 16 judges appointed by the National Council of Magistrates, an entity created by the constitutional reform of 1994 to ensure the independence of the Judicial Branch. The Supreme Court hears appeals from lower courts and chooses members of lower courts. It has sole jurisdiction over actions against the President, designated members of his cabinet, and members of Congress. It has administrative and financial freedom. Apart from working as an appeals court for all judgments
, the judicial branch of the judiciary has special powers for public and private action. The judicial system is not only composed of lower courts and appellate courts, but also of administrative and judicial staff, appointees of the Judicial Branch, officers of the judiciary Board, members of the judiciary board, chief executive officers, and officers of the Judicial Board—including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Justice as well as the Chief Clerk. Judicial branches of the judiciary are composed of a number of bodies, some of which are designated by the NSC or other members of the Cabinet, so that their functions under the Constitution and the laws continue in a similar manner, while still being managed by a single person. These bodies are generally independent, but one has, like the executive branch, been appointed by the Supreme Court of Justice. These bodies are normally independent, but one has, like the executive branch, been appointed by the Supreme Court of Justice. The Judicial Board consists of three members: a former member of the Supreme Court, a deputy Supreme Court judge, and a member of a committee created to handle the appointment of the Judicial Branch, which is comprised of its members and approved by the President, his representative, his appointee, and a third member, usually appointed by a vote of the Supreme Courts, to the Supreme Court by decree. The Judicial Board has one member of the Judicial Board who is appointed by the President, each of whom is chosen by one of the Senate Rules, with whom he meets under oath in public, without the fear or favor of election. The Judicial Branch is composed of three separate courts of appeals that issue petitions for writs or writ of habeas corpus, cases brought by the President, and the President’s decisions. The President’s decisions are usually binding on the judicial branch, which in turn is subject to the decision which is final. The Supreme Court may not issue a writ of habeas corpus or a writ of habeas corpus, but is not required to do so. The Judicial Board appoints a member of the Judicial Board, who is nominated by the President, to hear and approve the merits of any action brought by the President on the merits of his or her actions at a later date. In the case of a case brought pursuant to a final declaration of the case, the Judicial Board presides over legal counsel and is responsible either as to the date of the decision or until the case is finally decided by the appeal court. If the appeal is decided before the President, the Judicial Board acts on an affidavit from the President that the facts justifying the decision are supported by credible evidence, whether or not the President has written a final statement of the arguments and the cases in the appeal. Judicial Board procedures in cases of habeas corpus or the habeas corpus writ are governed by Article XX.4. The Attorney General of the Republic is a civilian appointed by the President or by a competent person who is appointed by him. The Attorney General is also an elected