Political Almanac: Power of the President

When we see the president on TV or mentioned in the newspaper, it is often coverage of ceremonial duties, such as welcoming foreign dignitaries, awarding medals, making proclamations, signing legislation or addressing Congress. While our attention is focused on these activities, it is easy to overlook the enormous powers we grant to the chief executive when we cast our votes. The president of the United States is the most powerful elected executive position in the world.

As chief executive officer of the United States, the president executes the legislation he signs into law and manages his Cabinet, which oversees the myriad departments and agencies created to conduct the business of the federal government. The president’s ideas will be incorporated into policies and acts that will affect the life of every citizen. In addition to his responsibility for upholding the Constitution and enforcing the laws of the land, he has extensive powers in the following areas:

Foreign policy

The president formulates foreign and military policy that determines issues of war and peace. As commander-in-chief of the armed forces and chief executive of the nation, the president has extensive power to act independently of Congress. Without consulting Congress, President Harry S. Truman ordered the atomic bombing of Japan;President John F. Kennedy approved the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba; President Ronald Reagan sent troops to Lebanon,invaded Grenada, stationed troops in Central America and adopted a “re-flagging” policy in the Persian Gulf. While Congress gave President George W. Bush the authority to use force in Iraq, he determined the level and intensity. Once the military is engaged, it is nearly impossible for Congress to stop a conflict without appearing to be unpatriotic or even cowardly.

Legislation

The president sets the legislative agenda for Congress and a budget for the nation. The president may:

• Personally lobby for or against bills.
• Veto bills that he opposes. (Vetoes are seldom overturned. The then-Republican-run Congress wrote a line-item veto bill, which President Bill Clinton signed, but this was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1998.)
• Formulate and propose a budget for the federal government.
• Impound funds already appropriated by Congress against his wishes. (Presidents Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon impounded billions of dollars.)
• President George W. Bush greatly expanded the use of “signing statements,” messages attached to the bills he signed into law that state modifications or interpretations of his version of the final bill. While past presidents have issued signing statements to comment on legislation, Bush’s statements actually eliminated or nullified portions of legislation he found objectionable. The American Bar Association has stated that this type of signing statement is “contrary to the rule of law and our constitutional separation of powers.” President Barack Obama has ceased this disruptive and disturbing practice of nullifying the laws Congress passes.

Appointments

A new president appoints between 3,000 and 4,000 people to high-ranking posts in government agencies. He nominates Cabinet secretaries and agency heads who agree with his philosophy of government to offices within the Department of Labor, OSHA, National Labor Relations Board, Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Trade Commission. He also appoints federal judges and Supreme Court justices. The nominations are subject to confirmation by the Senate. A president may make a recess appointment while Congress is not in session, which circumvents the confirmation process, but only until the next Congress is sworn in.

President Obama’s appointments represent the kind of change people voted for in 2008. His secretary of labor, in particular, is a stark contrast to Bush’s. Secretary Hilda Solis is the pro-union daughter of two union stewards who has set about turning the Department of Labor back into a department for labor.

Shaping public opinion

Presidents mold public opinion in support of their ideas, programs and policies through television appearances, press conferences and speeches to the nation and to joint sessions of Congress. It is in this area that Obama has distinguished himself far above the previous president. He has had far more press conferences, more public speaking engagements and more appearances in Congress than his predecessor. President Obama hasn’t hesitated to use his office and his personal powers of persuasion to move Congress toward policies and legislation that benefit working people. It is doubtful that America would have avoided a deep economic depression if Obama hadn’t pushed Congress to pass a stimulus bill and “cash for clunkers,” while also reforming the U.S. banking and financial systems. President Obama has worked with Congress and through the media to shape the debate on health care and pass the Affordable Care Act in 2010. He has also used the weight of his office to push for increased education and training opportunities, as well as an energy policy that creates new jobs while protecting the current workforce in manufacturing and energy production. While the president cannot personally introduce bills in Congress, he certainly can make sure that Congress hears from him, and encourage citizens to make their voices heard as well.