The President of the USA - Chief Executive (Head of the Executive Branch. the President cannot single-handedly execute all the laws of the United States or make all decisions concerning U.S. relations with other countries, so the executive branch also contains of 13 departments: of state, defense, justice, labor, health etc.).
Term of Office: 4 years; constitutional limit of 2 terms + 2 years of a predecessor’s term, for a maximum of 10 years (22ndAmendment). Elected in November of each leap year (first Tuesday after the first Monday).
Qualifications: Minimum age of 35 years; natural born citizen of the United States; 14 years a resident within the United States.
Presidents claim powers from three different sources: 1) the Constitution, 2) Congressional delegation, and 3) the inherent powers of the executive.
1. Constitutional Powers:
- being the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, of the Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states,
- The President’s authority as Commander-in-Chief is constrained by Congressional authority. Congress writes the laws governing the military and the budget for the military, with which the President must comply.
- the power to make treaties with other countries,
- is the country’s chief law enforcer (takes care that the laws be faithfully executed)
- the power to appoint and receive ambassadors from other countries,
- the power to appoint other officers in the executive branch (with Senate approval),
- the power to federal judges, including Supreme Court justices (all subject to Senate approval).
- responsible for the national security of the U.S.
2. Delegated Powers
- shape public policy. For example, Congress has passed a statute (law) requiring the President to submit a proposed U.S. budget for Congress to consider, and in much of its legislation gives the executive branch considerable discretion in writing rules to implement the law.
3. Inherent Powers
- the power to make executive agreements and executive orders
- the authority of the President to determine what information from the Executive Branch can be released to Congress.
ROLES OF THE PRESIDENCY
The President is the chief executive of the United States, responsible primarily for 1) ensuring that the laws passed by Congress are put into force effectively and 2) being the United States’ representative to the rest of the world.
The President is involved in the daily running of the government and making policy. He operates in a policy-making role, which often requires them to take positions supported by their party and opposed by the other party; represents the whole country, and tries to unite, rather than divide, the public.( In Great Britain the queen fulfills the role of head of state )
Presidents of the USA: Republicans - Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Harrison, Theodore Roosevelt, Richard M. Nixon, George Bush; Democrats - Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, William J. (Bill) Clinton, Barack Obama
