The power of The American President
If one manages to be lucky enough to grow up to be president, that person must abide by Article 2 of the constitution of the United States of America. This prestigious $400,000 a year job comes with some perks, rights, and tremendous responsibilities that are comparable to none. By design the American president is meant to be “powerful enough to respond quickly when necessary, but also would be limited by lack of lawmaking power and need to gain congressional approval.”(1) The presidential powers from the constitution are specified in Article 2 in a few short paragraphs as the Framers did not want the president to be too powerful.
Article 2 Section. 2. says that the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, …show more content…
3. says that the president shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.(2)
So, what do these powers mean? They mean that constitution empowers the president to be the chief legislator, chief administrator, Chief of State, Chief Diplomat, and the Commander in Chief. Certain powers are subject to congressional oversight or approval while others are not. These powers define the president’s constitutionally intended roles and these are also known as the president’s many hats--a term coined by political scientist Clinton Rossiter.
If one manages to be lucky enough to grow up to be president, that person must abide by Article 2 of the constitution of the United States of America. This prestigious $400,000 a year job comes with some perks, rights, and tremendous responsibilities that are comparable to none. By design the American president is meant to be “powerful enough to respond quickly when necessary, but also would be limited by lack of lawmaking power and need to gain congressional approval.”(1) The presidential powers from the constitution are specified in Article 2 in a few short paragraphs as the Framers did not want the president to be too powerful.
Article 2 Section. 2. says that the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, …show more content…
3. says that the president shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.(2)
So, what do these powers mean? They mean that constitution empowers the president to be the chief legislator, chief administrator, Chief of State, Chief Diplomat, and the Commander in Chief. Certain powers are subject to congressional oversight or approval while others are not. These powers define the president’s constitutionally intended roles and these are also known as the president’s many hats--a term coined by political scientist Clinton Rossiter.