Presidential Powers

Presidential Powers

The president should have the power to do what's right but not enough to do things that only he things is right. I think that the president should have the power to make thing write and to help those in need. But when the power is abused there should be some limit as to how much power he has.

It is a good idea to give the president as much power as he can have to do good. While a President can veto, he can't force Congress to act in a particular way. The constitutional separation of powers sees to that. What it means is that a President has to rely on the ability to persuade to get things done in Congress, but that fortunately, the Presidency confers the ability to offer things in return - in other words, not just relying on a President's persuasive charms, but also what he can give in return - from as simple as photo opportunities and appearances in the congressman's district, to directions given to Federal departments.

The president's unifying influence is exerted through the position of head of state. Like traditional European monarchs, the president is the ceremonial head of the government. The president receives representatives of other governments and performs a variety of ceremonial duties such as holding state dinners and bestowing the Medal of Honor.

As chief executive, the president appoints the heads of the government departments heads of agencies, subject to the Senete's approval, and supervises the work of the executive branch. The president's administrative role, however, is also sharply limited. The Senate may withhold approval of presidential nominees, as it did with John Tower, President George Bush's choice for secretary of defense. Despite a large White House staff, the president has difficulty keeping abreast of all activities of the vast executive branch. The bureaus, encouraged by interest groups and congressional committees, often resist and delay the fulfillment of the president's orders. Presidential power to remove personnel is circumscribed by Supreme Court decisions, and civil-service laws protect the tenure of most federal employees.

Because the presidency is the foremost prize of American politics, the president is also normally the nation's principal political leader and regarded as the leader of his political party. The president's skills in that task influence the success of the president's party in electing members of Congress and holders of state and local offices.