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The [[President of the United States of America|president]] is not a king.  His powers are limited and enumerated.  He lacks a special title, and is called simply “Mr. [[President of the United States of America|President]].”  Under the 22nd Amendment, the [[President of the United States of America|president]] may not be elected more than two terms.  In the past 40 years, only two [[President of the United States of America|president]]s have even served two full terms ([[Ronald Wilson Reagan|Reagan]] and [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]]).

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] is not a king.  His powers are limited and enumerated.  He lacks a special title, and is called simply “Mr. [[President of the United States of America|President]].”  Under the 22nd Amendment, the [[President of the United States of America|president]] may not be elected more than two terms.  In the past 40 years, only two [[President of the United States of America|president]]s have even served two full terms ([[Ronald Wilson Reagan|Reagan]] and [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]]).

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] always, however, has enormous political influence.  He is the leader of his own political party, which nominates him..  Everything he does affects the positions and fortunes of his party.  If his party is in control of Congress, then he exerts enormous influence over Congress.  If the opposing political party controls Congress, then it devotes its time to opposing his policies as much as possible.  Either way, the [[President of the United States of America|president]] controls the political agenda.

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] always, however, has enormous political influence.  He is the leader of his own political party, which nominates him..  Everything he does affects the positions and fortunes of his party.  If his party is in control of [[Congress]], then he exerts enormous influence over [[Congress]].  If the opposing political party controls [[Congress]], then it devotes its time to opposing his policies as much as possible.  Either way, the [[President of the United States of America|president]] controls the political agenda.

Beyond politics, historians debate how much influence a [[President of the United States of America|president]] really has over the country.  But the [[President of the United States of America|president]] is held responsible regardless of whether he is at fault.  When Iranian students captured the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held American diplomats hostage for a year, [[President of the United States of America|President]] Jimmy Carter was held responsible.  Was it his fault?  Probably not.  But voters are going to hold him accountable.

Beyond politics, historians debate how much influence a [[President of the United States of America|president]] really has over the country.  But the [[President of the United States of America|president]] is held responsible regardless of whether he is at fault.  When Iranian students captured the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held American diplomats hostage for a year, [[President of the United States of America|President]] Jimmy Carter was held responsible.  Was it his fault?  Probably not.  But voters are going to hold him accountable.

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] does have the power to make appointments, particularly to the judiciary.  He nominates new judges, especially those needed to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court.  These judges can serve for the rest of their lives, and thus can hold power for over 30 years or more.  [[President of the United States of America|President]] Lyndon Johnson left office 35 years ago, yet one of his appointed judges wrote the decision in one of my cases last year (U.S. v. Dr. Sell).  Chief Justice Rehnquist was appointed by [[President of the United States of America|President]] Richard Nixon over 30 years ago, and still sits on the Supreme Court.

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] does have the power to make appointments, particularly to the judiciary.  He nominates new judges, especially those needed to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court.  These judges can serve for the rest of their lives, and thus can hold power for over 30 years or more.  [[President of the United States of America|President]] Lyndon Johnson left office 35 years ago, yet one of his appointed judges wrote the decision in one of my cases last year (U.S. v. Dr. Sell).  Chief Justice Rehnquist was appointed by [[President of the United States of America|President]] Richard Nixon over 30 years ago, and still sits on the Supreme Court.

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] is also commander-in-chief of the military.  He controls its operations, and supervises its conflicts with foreign militaries.  After Congress declares war (and often when it does not), the [[President of the United States of America|president]] assumes the day-to-day responsibility for conducting that war.  [[President of the United States of America|President]] Lyndon Johnson would personally review and make decisions about daily bombing runs in Vietnam. [[President of the United States of America|President]] Lincoln was hiring, firing, and ordering generals during the Civil War.

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] is also commander-in-chief of the military.  He controls its operations, and supervises its conflicts with foreign militaries.  After [[Congress]] declares war (and often when it does not), the [[President of the United States of America|president]] assumes the day-to-day responsibility for conducting that war.  [[President of the United States of America|President]] Lyndon Johnson would personally review and make decisions about daily bombing runs in Vietnam. [[President of the United States of America|President]] Lincoln was hiring, firing, and ordering generals during the Civil War.

More generally, the [[President of the United States of America|president]] is responsible for all foreign policy.  He appoints the ambassadors, and decides what treaties to negotiate and sign.  But 2/3rd approval by the Senate is required for any treaty to become law.  The North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) established so-called “free trade” between the United States and Mexico and Canada.  [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] bypassed the requirement of Senate approval by arranging for Congress to pass the treaty directly into federal law.  Why do you think he did that?  (Answer: it only requires a majority to pass a law rather than 2/3 in the Senate to ratify a treaty).

More generally, the [[President of the United States of America|president]] is responsible for all foreign policy.  He appoints the ambassadors, and decides what treaties to negotiate and sign.  But 2/3rd approval by the Senate is required for any treaty to become law.  The North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) established so-called “free trade” between the United States and Mexico and Canada.  [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] bypassed the requirement of Senate approval by arranging for [[Congress]] to pass the treaty directly into federal law.  Why do you think he did that?  (Answer: it only requires a majority to pass a law rather than 2/3 in the Senate to ratify a treaty).

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] also has legislative authority in signing or vetoing new laws.  If the [[President of the United States of America|president’s]] political party is in control of Congress, then he has implicit control over its agenda too.  The [[President of the United States of America|president]] typically submits a budget each year for Congress to pass in order to pay for the operations of the government and all its programs.  Typically Congress will add spending to that budget and include it in one massive bill for the [[President of the United States of America|president]] to sign.  An attempt to give the [[President of the United States of America|president]] “line-item veto” authority to strike out certain spending items was held to be unconstitutional.

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] also has legislative authority in signing or vetoing new laws.  If the [[President of the United States of America|president’s]] political party is in control of [[Congress]], then he has implicit control over its agenda too.  The [[President of the United States of America|president]] typically submits a budget each year for [[Congress]] to pass in order to pay for the operations of the government and all its programs.  Typically [[Congress]] will add spending to that budget and include it in one massive bill for the [[President of the United States of America|president]] to sign.  An attempt to give the [[President of the United States of America|president]] “line-item veto” authority to strike out certain spending items was held to be unconstitutional.