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| | The [[President of the United States of America|president]] is not a king. His [[power]]s 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 [[power]]s 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]]). |
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| − | 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. |
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| − | 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? Voters are going to hold him accountable whether he was at fault or not. |
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| | Economists say that the outcome of every presidential election can be predicted by how well the economy is doing on Election Day. Can the [[President of the United States of America|president]] control the economy? Not completely, but he can have an influence. Voters will reelect him if the economy is doing well, and elect someone else if it is doing poorly. | | Economists say that the outcome of every presidential election can be predicted by how well the economy is doing on Election Day. Can the [[President of the United States of America|president]] control the economy? Not completely, but he can have an influence. Voters will reelect him if the economy is doing well, and elect someone else if it is doing poorly. |
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| − | 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 [[U.S. Supreme Court|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 of the United States of America|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 [[U.S. Supreme Court|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 [[U.S. Supreme Court|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 of the United States of America|Chief Justice]] Rehnquist was appointed by [[President of the United States of America|President]] Richard Nixon, and he served more than 30 years on the [[U.S. Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] before President [[George W. Bush]] filled his vacancy when Rehnquist died in office in 2005. |
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| | 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. |
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| | 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 [[United States Senate|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 [[United States Senate|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 [[United States Senate|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 [[United States Senate|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 [[United States Senate|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 [[United States Senate|Senate]] to ratify a treaty). |
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| − | The [[President of the United States of America|president]] also has legislative authority in signing or vetoing new [[law]]s. 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 [[law]]s. 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 for violating [[separation of powers]]. |
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