American Government

Chapter 8 The Chief Executive

Practically all govts in the US, regardless of which level we are referring to (federal,
state, county, local), have a chief executive. In essence, someone is ultimately in charge.
Our national govt is no different. Our single representative for the US rests in the powers
of the chief executive the President (Pres). !he Pres is in charge of the nation as a
whole, as well as the leader of the executive "ranch of govt. In addition, he is
#ommander$In$#hief of the armed forces the military.
So, what do we call him% &elieve it or not, it too' three wee's "eginning on (pril )),
*+,-, to decide how we are to address the Pres. (t one point, it was suggested that the
Pres "e addressed as ./is /ighness President of the United States, and Protector of !heir
0i"erties.. One senator 1uic'ly noted that .2o title of no"ility shall "e granted "y the
United States.. !hus, it was finally settled3 4President of the United States.5 It is not
uncommon for the Pres to "e referred to as .6r. President..
!he President7s seal.
http899www.enchantedlearning.com9history9us9sym"ols9presidentialseal9color.:I;
Presidential Tidbits A Warm-Up
*. !he #onstitution states that the Pres shall "e the #ommander in #hief of the military.
). ( newly elected Pres shall "e sworn into office at noon on <anuary )= in the year
following the election. ;or example, when a person wins the pres election in
2ovem"er, he9she will "e sworn into office ) months later on <anuary )=.
>. !he #onstitution states that the ?xecutive Power shall "e vested in a Pres of the US.
!hus, he is ultimately in charge of one of the "ranches of govt the executive "ranch.
!his executive "ranch is huge, as we shall see later on.
@. Aemem"er that the Pres must "e at least >B years old and a natural$"orn citiCen ("orn
in the US). Some scholars "elieve this applies to a person "orn to US parents outside
of the country. Don7t confuse natural$"orn with naturaliCed. 2aturaliCed is where a
foreigner comes to this country, passes a test and eventually "ecomes a citiCen. 6any
of us have grandparents or great grandparents that are naturaliCed citiCens "ecause
they were immigrants. !hus, naturaliCed citiCens #(22O! "ecome Pres of the US.
(rnold SchwarCenegger (the governor of #alifornia) #(22O! "e elected as the Pres
of the US. /e was "orn in (ustria, not the US.
Eilliam /enry /arrison Shortest term as President.
http!!"""#visitin$dc#com!ima$es!"illiam-henr%-harrison-picture#&p$
Eilliam /enry /arrison (;e"ruary -, *++> (pril @, *,@*) was the ninth President of the
United States, an (merican military officer and politician, and the first president to die in
office. /arrison died on his thirty$second day in office of complications from a cold the
shortest tenure in United States presidential history.
http899en.wi'ipedia.org9wi'i9EilliamF/enryF/arrison
'election and (emoval of the President
Who ma% )ecome President*
*. ( natural "orn citiCen (see a"ove for explanation).
). 6ust "e at least >B years old.
>. 6ust have lived in the US for at least *@ years.
@. &y law, not much else is re1uired to "ecome Pres. Interesting, isn7t it% <ust a few
simple rules and you can "ecome the most powerful person in the free world, or, the
entire world itself. /owever, we 'now that it is much more involved than this.
B. (lthough this isn7t written in the #onstitution (#ons), a person must have pres appeal.
/e must appear and act presidential. !his often includes prior political experience,
have popular appeal, and having the a"ility to navigate the complex we" of getting
elected and the game of politics.
'uccession and +isabilit%
(s in any organiCation that is led "y a single individual, protocols must "e esta"lished to
account for the death or incapacity of the leader. !he #onstitution accounts for this with
regards to our Pres. In case the Pres is removed, dies, resigns, or is una"le to discharge
the duties of his office, the Gice President (GP) shall assume such duties. Initially, there
was great issue at whether the GP would assume an 4acting Pres5 (temporary) role or he
would actually "ecome Pres. Over time and through individual persistence, it was
esta"lished that the GP shall assume the full power of the presidency for the duration of
the original Pres7 term.
(dding more confusion to the issue, additional pro"lems arose when a Pres "ecomes
physically or mentally disa"led. Pres Eoodrow Eilson remained in office and was
disa"led for more than a year due to a stro'e. Ehy% &ecause there was no provision in
the #onstitution (#ons) for declaring a Pres disa"led and deemed una"le to govern. !he
)B
th
(mendment in *-H+ was designed to solve the pro"lem of Pres succession and
disa"ility. It contains detailed provisions for the transfer of power. !he GP shall "ecome
Pres when8
a. !he Pres is removed from office.
". Death of the Pres.
c. Aesignation of the Pres.
!he amendment also provides for the appointment of a GP when the GP office "ecomes
vacant. !he Pres nominates a GP and the appointment must "e confirmed "y a maIority
vote of "oth houses.
!he )B
th
(mendment also provides that if the Pres "ecomes disa"led, he may su"mit to
the Spea'er of the /ouse and the Pres Pro !empore of the Senate a written declaration
that he can no longer fulfill his duties as Pres. !he GP thus "ecomes acting Pres. !his can
even "e for a "rief period of time such as a surgical procedure. !here are two provisions
of the )Bth (mend that have not yet "een employed8
*. If the Pres cannot fulfill the duties of the office ade1uately, "ut is unwilling
and una"le to su"mit such a declaration, the GP and a maIority of the mem"ers of
either the ca"inet or an agency esta"lished "y a #ongress (for example, a
panel of doctors) can su"mit to #ongress a written statement declaring that the Pres
is disa"led. In such as case, the GP immediately "ecomes the acting Pres.
). ?sta"lishes a method "y which the Pres can regain the office over a period of
disa"ility. /e shall resume the powers and duties of the Pres upon transmitting to
#ongress a written statement that the disa"ility no longer exists. /owever, the
Pres claim can "e challenged "y the GP and a maIority of the mem"ers of either of
the ca"inet or a special "ody created "y #ong. #ong must then resolve the
conflict. !he Pres regains the office unless #ong decides "y a )9> vote that he is
una"le to perform the duties of the office. If a )9> vote was o"tained, the GP
remains as acting Pres.
,mpeachment and (emoval
Similar to most organiCations, the #onstitution (#ons) has procedures in place to punish
certain mem"ers of govt for various degrees of wrongdoing. !he process is 'nown as
4impeachment5 and it formally accuses or indicts an official accused of serious
misconduct. Ehat officials are we tal'ing a"out% !he Pres, GP, federal Iudges and other
high$ ran'ing officers of the US.
Ehat are the charges% !reason (crimes against the security of the US), "ri"ery, or other
high crimes (usually felonies) and misdemeanors. ;or the most part, it tends to
encompass most criminal activity. Impeachment is a two$step process8
*. !he /ouse acts as a grand Iury and provides an indictment (an accusatory
instrument) 'nown as the 4articles of impeachment.5
). !he Senate acts as the Iudge and Iury.

;or conviction and removal from office, the Senate needs a )9> vote of those present. If
the trial concerns the Pres, the #hief <ustice of the US Supreme #ourt will preside over
the trial.
(s with any other aspects of govt, politics is prevalent here. 6em"ers of the same party
as the person that is accused, especially the Pres, would "e very reluctant to vote for a
conviction. /owever, those of the opposite party would lean towards conviction. 6uch of
this can "e exemplified "y Pres #linton7s impeachment "ut non$conviction. In the history
of the US, only ) Pres ((ndrew <ohnson in *,H, and &ill #linton in *---) have ever "een
impeached. 2either was convicted.
The President-s (ole and Po"ers
(lthough he is the most powerful person in the US and pro"a"ly the world, the Pres does
have limitations placed upon his power. Aemem"er that as the chief executive and
primary representative of the executive "ranch, he is still affected "y the concept of
separation of powers.
!he Pres roles are many. In addition to #ons mandates (#ommander in #hief), the Pres
has legislative, political and social roles to play. 6any of these roles have "een expanded
over the years from long esta"lished precedents. 0et7s loo' into some of these roles.
Chief of 'tate
(lthough we have a position of Secretary of State, the Pres is loo'ed upon as the primary
representative of our country. /e represents (00 (mericans, not Iust the mem"ers of his
party. In many instances, he must rise a"ove politics and attempt to unify the country.
Jes, compared to other countries, the Pres is similar to a 'ing. /owever, due to #ons
limitations, he can7t rule as a 'ing. !he people rule the US, not a 'ing.
Part of the role of chief of state is to serve as the nation7s ceremonial head. Ehite /ouse
functions, formal and informal ceremonies, and countless other activities are part of his
function. 6any of these functions are often delegated to the GP and other high$ran'ing
govt officials.
!he Pres is the typical sym"ol of our (merican govt. Ehen used properly, the Pres role
as chief of state can "e a source of power and influence.
Up until this point in our studies, can7t you see that little can "e done w9o political
implications% &esides "eing our sym"olic head of the nation, we must remem"er that the
Pres is the country7s O20J nationally elected official that possesses great #ons and
political authority. !here are numerous political titles throughout the US. /owever, there
is only * Pres.
(oles (elated to .orei$n Affairs
!he #ons ma'es the Pres the 6(I2 authority in foreign affairs. ;rom an operational
standpoint, he is certainly not the only player. !he Secretary of State plays a maIor role in
foreign affairs.
Chief +iplomat
!he #ons permits the Pres to choose and appoint all US (m"assadors and diplomats with
the advice and consent of the Senate. !his #ons authority also allows the Pres to receive
am"assadors and diplomats from other countries as well. &y sending and receiving
diplomats, the Pres grants 4diplomatic recognition5 to a particular country. &y doing so, it
means that the ) nations are prepared to deal directly with each other through normal and
accepted channels of diplomacy.
(m"assadorships are very nice pres per's. 6any are often given as political favors. If
you had a large role in getting the Pres elected, there is a possi"ility that an
am"assadorship might "e in order. !hin' a"out it. &eing assigned the am"assador of
?ngland, ;rance, etc. /owever, remem"er that some countries are more exotic than
others. Still, an am"assador carries a great deal of weight. (s a "ottom line, an
am"assador represents the Pres and the interests of the US a"road.
2ewly designed diplomatic license plate for foreign dignitaries in the US.
http899dcist.com9)==,9=)9=*9o"servingFdcFre.php
Treaties and Executive A$reements
(greements "9w the US and other nations can occur different ways8
*. !reaty8
a. 2egotiated "y representatives of the Pres.
". (fter negotiations are complete, the proposed treaty must receive the advice
and consent of )9> of the Senate "efore it can "e signed "y the Pres and go
into effect.
c. !his advice and consent of the Senate does put limitations upon executive
powers.
d. !he Senate can ma'e modifications to the treaty. (t times, it may force the
Pres to renegotiate the treaty.
e. !he Senate can also refuse to ta'e any action on the treaty there"y preventing
it from ta'ing effect.
f. !hus, you can see the give and ta'e "9w the executive and legislative "ranches
continuing the notion of chec's and "alances.
Ee have seen how treaties can "e created, "ut there is no provision in the #ons nor has
the Supreme #ourt resolved the pro"lem of terminating treaties. !hroughout history, Pres
too' it upon themselves to terminate a treaty "ased upon executive authority. !hus, they
felt that their decision did not re1uire )9> vote of the Senate. :enerally, the Senate
allowed this executive privilege to exist.
). ?xecutive (greements8
a. (n executive agreement is an understanding "9w the Pres and the leaders
of other nations that DO?S 2O! re1uire the advice and consent of the
Senate.
". !he Supreme #ourt has decided that executive agreements have the same
authority and legal force as treaties.
c. !reaties and executive agreements are legitimiCed under the 4supremacy
clause5 under (rticle GI of the #ons.
d. !he decision to use an executive agreement or treaty is the Pres choice.
!he choice is usually determined "y the nature and importance of the
agreement.
e. :enerally, agreements involving less important matters will usually ta'e
the form of an executive agreement. e.g. tariff reductions.
f. (s with anything regarding the political arena, executive agreements does
create a sore spot with Senators.
g. !he Senators feel that agreements committing the US to important
international policies should "e su"Iected to the )9> advice and consent of
the Senate.
h. 6ore importantly, these executive agreements prevent the Senate from
ma'ing modifications as compared to treaties.
.ormulation of .orei$n Polic%
!he Pres has many resources availa"le to help formulate foreign policy. Some of them
are8
a. ?m"assies and consulates.
". State Dept.
c. Defense Dept.
d. Ehite /ouse staff agencies (i.e. $ 2ational Security #ouncil).
e. #entral Intelligence (gency (#I().
f. Other agencies concerned with foreign affairs.
!he Secretary of State is the Pres lin' with the State Dept. !his ca"inet position is the
maIor agency for foreign policy. 6any Pres carry on foreign affairs "y directly
negotiating with foreign govts. !his is called 4personal diplomacy.5
World /eader
6any people consider the Pres not only the diplomat for the US, "ut for the entire free
world. !his role may "e considered an extension of the Pres role as the #hief of State,
#ommander$in$#hief and chief diplomat. 2o other nation7s chief executive can claim to
spea' with the same authority as the Pres of the US.
Commander-in-Chief
(s per the #ons, the res shall "e the #ommander$in$#hief of the army, navy and the
militia of the states when called into service of the US. &ottom line the Pres is the
commander of all of the armed services and any state militia (state 2ational :uard) that
is called into service on "ehalf of the US.
!he Pres has the final say when it comes to esta"lishing military policy. /owever,
#ongress does share some of the responsi"ility via the a"ility to declare war and to
appropriate money for military purposes.
!he Pres appoints military officers and plans military strategy with the following8
a. Secretary of State.
". Secretary of Defense.
c. 2ational Security #ouncil.
d. Other foreign and military advisors.
Day to day operations of the military are often left to the Secretary of Defense, higher ups
in the Defense Dept and the <oints #hief of Staff (the appointed heads of all the military
services). Other than the Pres, the head of all armed services is the Secretary of Defense.
!his person 6US! "e a civilian "ecause of the concept of civilian oversight. !he military
still serves the interests of the people and must "e accounta"le to them. !his is similar to
the situation of the 2JPD. !he head of the 2JPD is the Police #ommissioner. /e9she
6US! "e a civilian. !he same rationale of civilian oversight is used. ( current police
officer may "e the Police #ommissioner tomorrow if the mayor so chooses. /owever,
once that cop accepts the position, he gives up his police status. &y law, the 2JPD Police
#ommissioner 6US! "e a civilian. !he same goes for the military. !he highest general
still falls under the responsi"ility of the Secretary of Defense.
Seal of the Department of Defense.
http899www.*B+arw.ang.af.mil9shared9media9ggallery9we"graphic9(;:$=+*=)@$==>.Ipg
!he #ons does give #ongress the authority to declare war. It has done so on B occasions
(Ear of *,*), 6exican Ear, Spanish$(merican Ear, EEI and EEII). /owever, on
more than )== occasions, the Pres has ta'en military action w9o an official declaration of
war "y #ong. In a"out *9> of these situations, #ong authoriCed the Pres actions through
appropriation of funds or passing a resolution supporting the Pres decision.
6ost of these conflicts were of short duration to protect (merican citiCens and interests.
/owever, some military operations were conducted w9o an official declaration of war
((merican #ivil Ear, Korean Ear, Gietnam Ear).
!his is certainly a confusing situation. !he Pres sending troops w9o official declaration "y
#ong. Jes, sometimes there are spontaneous conflicts. In many of the cases, time is
critical. !hus, waiting for #ong declaration of war may ta'e too long. #ases have "een
"rought to the Supreme #ourt on this issue, "ut a clearly decided opinion has never
emerged.
Chief Administrator
!he #ons states that the Pres can ma'e appointments to the executive "ranch with the
advice and consent of the Senate. !he Pres can also remove individuals. (fter all, the
Pres is in charge of the executive "ranch. !o the victor go the spoils. Ehat this means is
that whoever wins office has the right to choose who the top administrators will "e.
!hat7s greatL &ut there are hurdles. 2amely, the Senate. !his is part of the chec's and
"alances. Do you ever wonder why you see and hear so much in the media a"out #ong
and Senate approval of Pres appointments% !his is it. It7s all part of the political game to
avoid stac'ing the dec' "y the Pres of mem"ers of his own party or "elief system. /ey,
whatever happened to the victor go the spoils% It still wor's, "ut it is not a"solute. !his is
why when a new person is elected (pres, governor, mayor, etc,) there are "ig changes at
the top with regards to administrators, secretaries, commissioners, etc. In many ways, it is
a regime change. /ey, that7s the game. (nd yes, more often than not, to the victor go the
spoils.
Ehy the "ig changes% (ctually, there are many. One of the more important reasons is that
it helps govt run more effectively. Ehat "etter way to push agendas through the system
than to have li'e$minded individuals supporting you. !hin' a"out it. If you were in
charge of an organiCation, wouldn7t it "e easier to get things done if more people thought
and agreed on things as you do. If you come across much opposition, it would "e much
more difficult to get things done. !he wor'ings of govt are no different.
?ver loo' at an organiCation chart of all the federal agencies% (lthough each has a chief
administrator, the person at the very top of the chart where all things point to is the Pres.
Jes, the Pres is in charge of the entire federal "ureaucracy. Other than legislative and
Iudicial functions, the "asic operation of the federal govt comes under the Iurisdiction of
the Pres. (ll federal agencies essentially must report to him. (lthough the concept
appears simple, it can "e 1uite complicated. Aemem"er that the "ureaucracy consists of
many career civil servants. 6ost are not replaced when a new regime comes into power.
!hus, carrying out the Pres policy is not always an easy thing to accomplish. ;actor in
#ong. !hese federal agencies must carry out legislation that is passed. (nother thing that
can potentially complicate matters.
It may appear simple on paper, "ut it can and often is 1uite complicated. Don7t get me
wrong. Gery often the Pres gets his wishes. /owever, although federal govt agencies
report to the Pres, he doesn7t have a"solute control over them. !he same goes for all other
levels of govt also. !a'e 2J# for example. !here are numerous commissioners8 police,
fire, par's, health, education, sanitation, etc. (lthough these commissioners are the heads
of their respective organiCations, they still 6US! report to and carry out the mayor7s
agendas.
:etting "ac' to the federal govt and the Pres, that is why it is critical for the Pres to
appoint the right people to "e in charge of govt agencies. It is fundamental to
management control and for a new Pres to get an initial grip on the administration of the
govt.
(lthough many times the Pres chooses people that are philosophically in tune with him,
this is not always the case. #hief executives 1uite often choose mem"ers from opposite
political parties simply "ecause that person is one of the "est at that type of position.
/owever, more often than not, many appointments are given to friends, political
associates, pay"ac' for political favors, and people that have "een staunch supporters (or
helped in getting him elected) of the Pres. It is a game indeedL
Chief /e$islator
Up until now, you wouldn7t thin' of the Pres as the chief legislator. /owever, he is.
Under the #ons, he has the power to sign and veto legislation as well as the authority to
advise #ong on the State of the Union.
Ee must loo' at the Pres as a focal point. Our mem"ers of #ong (all B>B of them) come
from all different parts of the country serving numerous and varied constituents. !heir
representation has geographical "oundaries. !he Pres serves the entire country. Often
times he will use this method of Pres control and representation over the entire country to
try to gain support for his programs. !hat is why you will often see the Pres ta'e his show
on the road to help garner support for his programs.
Eith the use of the media (!G, radio, newspapers, internet, speeches, press conferences,
etc, the Pres can attempt to influence pu"lic opinion and support for his agenda. In so
doing, try to persuade Aeps and Senators to do the same.
!he Pres has access to all information that may "e availa"le throughout the executive
"ranch the federal "ureaucracy. !his 'nowledge can "e used in proposing policies for
the nation. In essence, part of the Pres Io" is to design a legislative program. 6odern Pres
push their legislative agendas through the following means8
a. State of the Union (ddress !his is mandated "y the #ons. !he Pres usually
addresses the full #ong with higher ups in govt also present8 Supreme #ourt,
top military officials, ca"inet mem"ers, and other GIPs.
". 2ational &udget message !he Pres descri"es the status of the economy,
domestic policy goals and the maIor expenditures that will "e re1uired in the
coming year.
c. (nnual ?conomic Aeport !his is re1uired under the ?mployment (ct of *-@H.
!he Pres discusses current economic trends and pro"lems affecting the
(merican economy.
( Pres hopes to have #ong pass his agenda. /owever, we all 'now how difficult that can
"e. !his is one reason the Pres must have 4coalition "uilding.5 !his is where the Pres can
draw form core supporters from his political party. /e must expand this core and reach
out to dou"tful party mem"ers. In addition, the Pres must try to convince party mem"ers
of the other side to see things his way. Sometimes strong$arm tactics can "e employed
personal sit$downs or phone calls from the Pres himself.
4Patronage5 is another method of gaining support. It is often aimed at #ong and may
consist of Iudicial appointments, federal construction proIects, campaign support, favors,
etc. #all it political gift giving if you wish.
Other #ommon ways the Pres uses to garner support is through informal contacts, private
meetings, parties and phone calls.
4Pressure and guilt5 can also "e used. ( Pres that faces stiff opposition from #ong can go
over their heads directly to the (merican people. Eith the use of !G, the Pres can attempt
to persuade individuals and interest groups to put pressure on their legislators to vote in
the Pres favor.
In sum, no Pres can "e a successful legislator unless he is a successful politician. /e must
use his political s'ills to his advantage. It is up to him and his political aides to persuade
and not command the legislators.
The 0eto Po"er
!he #ons gives the Pres the authority of veto power (not having to sign a "ill). Ee have
covered some of the aspects of the veto in an earlier chapter. /owever, we will add a "it
more. So, what can a pres do to a "ill%
a. Sign it It "ecomes law.
". Keeps a "ill and not act on it Ehat a great stall move "y the Pres. !oo "ad
it won7t wor'. If a Pres sits on a "ill and doesn7t sign it, it automatically
"ecomes law after *= days as long as #ong is in session.
c. Geto a "ill ( Pres can send a "ill "ac' w9o signing it. /owever, remem"er
that we are a country of the people and the people rule. ( veto can "e
overridden "y )9> vote of "oth houses of #ong. /owever, due to partisan
politics, an override is often difficult to achieve.
d. UtiliCe the poc'et veto If the Pres does not act on a "ill w9in *= days of the
adIournment of #ong, the "ill dies. &y doing so, the Pres has 4put the "ill in
his poc'et5 "ecause the #ong won7t have the opportunity to override it.
6any state governors can utiliCe a 4line item veto.5 !his is where he can veto specific
items or lines of a "ill. #onse1uently, the Pres DO?S 2O! have a line item veto availa"le
to him. /e must either accept or reIect the "ill in its entirety.
6any pres have as'ed #ong for a line item veto "ut were denied. It was "elieved that it
would expand the power of the Pres while reducing the power of the legislative "ranch.
/owever, in recent history, the 4line item5 veto was approved and utiliCed. #onse1uently,
it was short$lived. !he Sup #t declared the line item veto as unconstitutional in that the
#ons already had a veto power availa"le to the Pres.
The Pardon Po"er
!he #ons gives the Pres the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the
US, except in cases of impeachment. !hese decisions are the Pres O20J. #ong has no
control in this situation. !he authority is derived from a power that was long held "y
&ritish monarchs the right to exercise mercy. (ll state governors as well as the Pres
hold the pardon power. !his also includes the authority to give amnesty to groups (e.g.
!hose that evaded the draft during the Gietnam Ear). Pardons are usually given around
the holiday season at the end of the year. Pres pardons can "e used "efore an individual is
tried and convicted of a crime.
Part% /eader
Ehatever Pres candidate wins his party7s nomination3 he may "e called upon to act as the
party7s main spo'esperson. It is a source of real political power for the Pres. (s party
leader3 you can expect the Pres to engage in the following8
a. Party fund$raisers.
". Party meetings.
c. Aallies.
d. 6aintain party unity.
e. (ppoint party mem"ers to important diplomatic, administrative and Iudicial
positions.
f. #ampaign for party mem"ers at different levels of govt. /owever, most will "e
for /ouse and Senate races. Ehy% !his is where the Pres can strengthen or
create a coalition "y getting more of his party mem"ers into office. &y doing so,
it ma'es the Io" of "eing Pres a lot easier.
It is plain to see the clout the pres has simply "ecause of his title. /is influence upon
#ong is "ased in part of his role as party leader. In this role, he uses persuasion and
patronage to gain #ong support.
1ational 2pinion /eader
!he Pres impact on pu"lic opinion is "ased upon his s'ill in communicating with the
(merican pu"lic. &ecause of his stature, the Pres has almost unlimited access to the
media. !his gives the Pres great political influence.
One of the earlier methods that Pres used to communicate with the pu"lic was the Ehite
/ouse press conference. 2owadays, daily "riefings are conducted "y the Ehite /ouse
spo'esperson. 6any of the ca"le news channels show these daily "riefings. &ottom line
(s the role of national opinion leader, the Pres has the a"ility to reach many millions of
people via radio and !G. ?ffective use of the media is essential to strong leadership.
3ana$er of the Econom%
?ver since the passage of the ?mployment (ct of *-@H, the Pres has "een formally
responsi"le for managing the economy. ?ven "efore that time, the Pres was expected to
'eep the economy running smoothly and prevent economic downturns. !oday, economic
concerns of the Pres deal primarily with the following8
a. ;iscal policy.
". Inflation.
c. Unemployment.
d. Sta"ility of the dollar.
e. ;oreign trade.
6any people Iudge the pres on how well he can cope with these economic matters.
?conomic matters can ma'e or "rea' a Pres. Ehenever the economy slows down, the
Pres is under a great deal of pressure from "usiness, unions, farmers and the general
pu"lic to ta'e action.
/imits on the President-s Po"ers
!he framers of the #ons understood that uncontrolled political power poses a threat to
individual li"erties and to a sta"le political order. !hus, although they created a strong,
independent Pres, the framers never intended that authority to "e unlimited.
4udicial (evie"
!he Iudicial "ranch of the govt is one source of control over the Pres !he US Supreme
#ourt has the right to exercise Iudicial review over all presidential actions.
The War Po"ers (esolution
Over the years, #ong has limited the Pres in the domestic arena while giving him "road
freedom to act in foreign and military matters. !he Ear Powers Aesolution (ct of *-+>
was significant in the use of military force "y the Pres when war has not "een declared.
#ong attempted to cur" the a"ility of the Pres to wage war on the "asis of his power as
#ommander$in$#hief and his authority to conduct foreign affairs. !he Ear Powers
Aesolution re1uires the Pres to consult with #ong "efore (merican troops are utiliCed in
hostile situations and to continue the consultations as long as the troops are engaged.
In the a"sence of an official declaration of war "y #ong, the Pres must send a written
report w9in @, hours after troops have "een sent into a war situation. Eithin H= days after
the report has "een su"mitted, the Pres must end the use of US armed forces unless #ong
declares war or approves the military action. #ong can extend this period of time for an
additional >= days if necessary for the safe withdrawal of the troops. !he law also
provides that #ong can stop the use of the troops "efore the end of the H=$day period "y
adopting a concurrent resolution.
2eedless to say, the act is not w9o its critics. Some say the Ear Powers Aesolution is an
unwise interference with the Pres freedom to act in a crisis and an unconstitutional
limitation on his role as #ommander$in$#hief. During out"rea's of hostility, the Pres
would "e stripped of his constitutional authority as #ommander$in$#hief unless #ong
approved the continued use of military power.
The )ureaucrac%
(ll of the federal agencies fall under the executive "ranch. (lthough this may not have
"een intended "y our founding fathers, the executive "ureaucracy also places limits on
Pres power. (s with any large organiCation, the "uilt$in resistance to change can
fre1uently frustrate a Pres intentions, goals and practices. Often times it is a reality chec'
for the Pres Orders were given and nothing happens.
Some o"stacles encountered when dealing with a "ureaucracy8
a. !he vastness of the "ureaucracy itself. /ence the notion 4"ureaucratic red tape.5
". !here are many career people in the "ureaucracy and they far outnum"er the
select few managers at the top that are appointed. !hey want to preserve their
place in the "ureaucracy as well as the agency7s survival.
c. 6any "ureaucratic Io"s have mem"ership that is unioniCed. (lthough unions do
serve a positive purpose, they can create their own form of o"stacles and red
tape.
( Pres that understands and has the cooperation of the executive "ranch can have some
expectation of getting things done in an efficient manner.
The 3edia
:enerally, the media in its many forms serves as a restraint or chec' on the power of
govt. !hey are a"le to report on and pu"liciCe the operation of our political system. !he
authors of the #ons saw how valua"le a free press can "e. !he *
st
(mendment guarantees
freedom of the press and prevents govt from regulating and controlling its operations.
Public 2pinion
(n unconventional way that Pres power is 'ept in chec' is through pu"lic opinion.
#ontrary to what you may generally "elieve, the pu"lic is 1uite informed. Ehat this
amounts to is that "ased upon prevailing pu"lic opinion, the Pres may have to refrain
from unwise or unpopular policies. (ny Pres that ignores pu"lic opinion is foolish.
Initially, the Pres experiences a 4honeymoon5 period during his first months in office. /e
is new to the Io" and the pu"lic usually lets him settle in. Soon thereafter, the attac's start
from the opposing party. !hey will criticiCe the Pres at every opportunity and offer
alternative solutions. !he pu"lic will also offer their discontent. ?ssentially, the
4honeymoon5 is over.
:enerally, pu"lic approval tends to decline for a Pres as years go "y. Eith this in mind, it
"ecomes increasingly difficult for a Pres to implement his agenda.
The Personal +imension
(s per the #ons, the Pres possesses many powers. Up until now, we realiCe that there is
much more to power than what is procedurally written. Pres must conduct themselves
"ased upon their "eliefs, motivations, political s'ills, character, etc.
)eliefs5 3otivations5 '6ills
One way to analyCe (merican Pres is to divide them into ) groups wea' and strong.
Eea' Pres are those that consciously limit their authority. Strong Pres are those that
extend their power as far as they feel is necessary, limited only "y the system of chec's
and "alances will permit.
(s might "e expected, the difference "9w wea' and strong Pres are expressed in the
political s'ills they "ring to the Pres and in the way they put those s'ills to wor'. !hus,
the relationship "9w the Pres and #ong is very important. !he Pres must "e a"le to
persuade others that his programs are desira"le, his actions are Iustified, and that he
deserves their support. ( Pres with the s'ills and the desire to persuade others to support
his goals can accomplish a lot.
The 0ice President
!he framers of the #ons created the office of the GP as an afterthought. Practically no
discussion of the position was discussed during the #ons #onvention. !he #ons provides
that the GP shall8
a. &e chosen "y the ?lectoral #ollege.
". Shall act as Pres when the Pres is temporarily disa"led.
c. Shall assume the office and duties of the Pres upon his death, resignation or
removal.
d. Shall "e the Pres of the Senate, voting only to "rea' a tie on the rare
occasions when this occurs.
&asically, as long as the Pres remains in office, the GP doesn7t have much to do,
especially in a #ons sense. Aealistically, many of the duties of GP are administrative or
sym"olic in nature8
a. GP have "een traditionally chosen to "alance a tic'et. ;or example, when <ohn
Kerry ran for Pres (although he lost), he was from the northeast. /e chose
<ohn ?dwards, a southerner, to "alance the tic'et. Ehat this means is that it was
"elieved that Kerry would get the northern votes and ?dwards a
su"stantial num"er of votes from the south. ;rom a geographic standpoint,
this was a wise choice. Jou have more of the country 4covered5 from a certain
voting perspective.
". !he GP acts as a su"stitute on "ehalf of the Pres in many ceremonial functions,
there"y relieving the Pres of these time$consuming duties.
c. In more recent times, GP have "een assigned to chair ca"inet committees, Ehite
/ouse conferences or ma'ing trips a"road in order to conduct "usiness.
d. (lso, the GP has "een tapped to 'eeping the Pres "etter informed a"out domestic
and foreign policy matters.
(lthough on paper, it is 'nown that the GP is not directly responsi"le for many things.
!he average person doesn7t 'now what the GP really does (you do, of course). /owever,
you must realiCe that although the office of the GP remains a wea' and am"iguous one,
the GP is still the person who may one day "ecome 4everything.5