The President of the United States
The President of the United States is the executive of the country meaning he is the head of state as well as the head of the U.S. government. The President of the United States has the role of being the head of the Federal government’s executive branch as well as the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The power of the President of the United States is given by Article II of the U.S. Constitution which is the authority of the Federal government’s executive branch. Article II also gives the President of the United States the authority and responsibility of appointing different federal officers, such as executive, regulatory, diplomatic, and judiciary powers. Furthermore, the President has the power to conclude treaties with other foreign powers as long as the Senate has consent.
Since the President of the United States is the commander-in-chief, the president has the authority to command and direct military forces and is also responsible for military strategy. However, he does not have the power to declare war. That power rests in the hands of Congress.
Since the founding of America, the federal government’s power as well as the power of the President of the United State has grown significantly. The president has continued to play a powerful role in dictating his party’s legislative agenda regarding domestic and foreign policy within the country, despite lacking powers beyond signing and vetoing bills.
The specific powers that are given to the President of the United States include:
• Signing legislation that makes a bill into a law.
• Vetoing legislation and having it return Congress and discussing any objections
o If each house of Congress votes to override the veto, they must both have a two-thrids majority.
• Take no action in regards to a bill. Here the president does not sign or veto the piece of legislation. By doing this, two things can happen after 10 non-Sundays:
o The bill becomes law if Congress is still convened.
• If Congress is no longer convened, the bill will not become law.
Election of the president of the United States occurs through the electoral college who serve as the citizen’s delegates. The presidential term lasts four years and is one of the two Federal positions that are national elected, the other being the Vice President.
There are limitations to how many terms a president can serve because of the 22nd amendment which was put into effect in 1951. Under this amendment, no individual can serve as the President of the United States after two terms for a full third term. Furthermore, a former president, or acting president for over two years cannot be elected to the president.