The Presidency: Leader of the

Executive BranchThe Many Hats Worn by the POTUS

The Roles of the President of the United States of America

There are at least eight (8) unique roles played by the President of the United States as leader of the Executive Branch, including:

1. Chief of State2. Chief Executive

3. Chief Administrator 4. Chief Diplomat

5. Commander-in-Chief6. Chief Legislator

7. Chief of the Political Party 8. Chief Citizen of the US

The Chief of StateThe Presidency is the ceremonial head of state for the United States of America – a ceremonial leader, as well as a leader in fact. He or she is a symbol of the nation; or, as William Howard Taft once stated, “the personal embodiment and representation of their dignity and majesty.” (Not bad for a man who once got stuck in the Presidential bathtub…) This aspect of the job is most similar to being the King of England.

The Chief ExecutiveThe Presidency is widely considered the most powerful office in the world. The President himself, however, does not have absolute control of the government of the United States. Thanks to the concept of limited government, the separation of powers, and a host of effective checks on the Presidency, tyranny is not an option for the President of the United States of America.

Chief AdministratorSince the President of the United States controls dozens of federal agencies and the “Buck Stops” with him, he is effectively the employer of millions of Americans. Your textbook estimates that over 2.7 Million Americans are accountable to the President of the United States directly. Harry S Truman once complained that the job required “flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they were supposed to do anyway!”

“It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit…”

- President Harry S Truman

The Chief Diplomat

The President of the United States is effectively the number one architect of US Foreign Policy around the globe. Harry Truman once stated “I make foreign policy.” And to some extent, he was correct. However, even the President’s powers are limited by the Constitution. President Woodrow Wilson, for example, had a terrible time trying to convince Congress to support his Treaty of Versailles.

Commander-in-Chief

The President is the civilian officer in command of all four branches of the United States armed forces. The over 1.4 Million Americans in uniform and everyone else in the US military today are under the President’s immediate and direct control. Although Americans have generally been fearful of standing armies, the President’s role as leader of the military has never been doubted. George Washington pulled this off much better than most Presidents!

The Chief Legislator

Although the President of the United States does not make laws, he is often able to propose laws and control the debates over legislation which take place during his time in office. Two of the most successful Presidents in creating a legislative agenda were Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Lyndon Baines Johnson, who created the New Deal and the Great Society, respectively.

Chief Political Party Leader

By virtue of the fact that they have been selected by their political parties and elected President of the United States, acting POTUSs become the leaders of their political parties. Some have a lasting role – like Andrew Jackson or Abraham Lincoln did. Others just need to be forgotten as quickly as possible: Richard Nixon, Herbert Hoover, or Benjamin Harrison, for example.

The Chief Citizen

The President is expected to be “representative of the people.” It is his or her duty to take the high road, to champion the public’s interest instead of individual or factional gains, and to provide moral leadership. Not everyone is up to the job! Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton both had difficulties living up to the moral responsibilities of the job.

Lyndon Johnson and the Vietnam War

LBJ, who asked for and received from Congress permission to fight the Vietnam War with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, was eventually ruined by that costly war. In 1968, as student protestors chanted, “Hey, Hey, LBJ, How many boys did you kill today?” outside the White House, he announced that he would not seek re-election as President of the United States.

Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal

Richard Nixon attempted to bring the nation out of the Vietnam War – with middling success. Yet, his Presidency failed as well, mostly due to his own consistent lying. He started by bombing Cambodia and Laos without Congressional approval and ended up ruining his own Presidency by authorizing the Watergate Hotel break-in and then covering it up!

The President’s Place of Birth Debate

The Constitution states that the President must be a “natural born Citizen…of the Unite States” – not native born. Most people believe that a person who is born outside the United States to American parents is a “natural born citizen” and therefore eligible to become President. No one born outside the US has ever been elected to office. Ironically, one of the major Presidential candidates to run recently was Senator John McCain – who was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

Requirements to be POTUS

At Least 35 Years of Age

Natural Born Citizen of the United States

Fourteen (14) Years of Residency in the United States of America.

Youngest: Theodore Roosevelt

Oldest: Ronald Reagan

Presidential Requirements

The President must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. Several President have lived abroad for long stretches of time: Herbert Hoover, who was a mining engineer before becoming President and traveled to Mexico and throughout Europe and Dwight David Eisenhower, whose military career caused him to move around the globe.

Term Limits

The President is elected to a four (4) year term in office.

Precedent dictated that no President should seek more than two (2) terms in office or eight years until 1912. George Washington retired after two terms, after all.

Theodore Roosevelt ran for a third time – unsuccessfully – in 1912 as a candidate for the Bull Moose (Progressive Party.)

FDR won a record four (4) elections from 1932 – 1944 during the Great Depression and World War II. He served a total of 12 years, dying in office at the start of his fourth term.

The 22nd Amendment limits the President to two full terms or up to 10 total years in office – if a Vice President succeeds a President who has resigned or passed away.

Presidential Salary

• The President is paid an annual salary of $400,000 a year.

• He or she also has an expense account amounting to another $50,000.

• The President is subject to the law and still pays taxes.