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Essay On The Power Of An American President

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The Constitution defines the president as the executive who puts into effect the laws Congress passes. The president is elected every four years, and can only be re-elected once. The president is both the head of state and head of government of the USA, and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The president is also responsible for the execution and enforcement of the laws created by Congress. The president of the USA is by many considered the most powerful man in the world. But how much power does he actually have?

The president has a number of specific powers. He can issue executive orders and he can extend pardons for federal crimes. He has the power to sign legislation into law, or veto bills enacted by Congress. Despite this, Congress can override a presidential veto, and therefore go against the presidents wishes. The president can also negotiate and sign treaties with other nations. He also appoints ambassadors, Supreme Court judges, cabinet members and all other officers of the United States.

American presidents rarely control both Houses of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, and presidents such as Clinton, Bush and Obama have all had to work with or against a partially hostile Congress. This has made it difficult for the …show more content…

This is due to the power of the media, for instance the radio, TV and the Internet. Media has made it easier for the President to communicate with the people, and the modern presidency is a kind of media invention. This power however, doesn’t seem to actually come into action. It just makes people think the President is the most powerful man on the planet. In reality the power, or influence, is divided between more than just the three branches if government. Lobbyists, trade associations, governors and non-profit groups also gets more influence with the power of the media. Therefor the influence of the President is not as great as it would

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