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The [[President of the United States of America|president]] always, however, has enormous [[politics|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 [[politics|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]], [[historian]]s debate how much influence a [[President of the United States of America|president]] really has over the [[Unites States of America|country]].  But the [[President of the United States of America|president]] is held responsible regardless of whether he is at fault.  When [[Iran]]ian students captured the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held [[America]]n diplomats hostage for a [[year]], [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[Jimmy Carter]] was held responsible.  Was it his fault?  [[vote]]rs are going to hold him accountable whether he was at fault or not.

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

[[Economist]]s say that the outcome of every [[president]]ial [[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.  [[Vote]]rs will reelect him if the [[economy]] is doing well, and elect someone else if it is doing poorly.

[[Economist]]s say that the outcome of every [[president]]ial [[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.  [[Vote]]rs will reelect him if the [[economy]] is doing well, and elect someone else if it is doing poorly.

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 [[military|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 [[bomb]]ing runs in [[Vietnam]]. [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[Lincoln]] was hiring, firing, and ordering [[general]]s 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 [[military|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 [[bomb]]ing runs in [[Vietnam]]. [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[Lincoln]] was hiring, firing, and ordering [[general]]s during the [[Civil War]].

More generally, the [[President of the United States of America|president]] is responsible for all foreign policy.  He appoints the [[ambassador]]s, and decides what [[treaty|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 [[ambassador]]s, and decides what [[treaty|treaties]] to negotiate and sign.  But 2/3rd approval by the [[United States Senate|Senate]] is required for any [[treaty]] to become [[law]].  The [[NAFTA|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]]).

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] also has [[legislative]] [[authority]] in signing or [[veto]]ing 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]].

The [[President of the United States of America|president]] also has [[legislative]] [[authority]] in signing or [[veto]]ing 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]].