The Roles of the President, Part II

The Congress has not declared war since World War II – December 8, 1941! And we have gone to war many, many times: The Korean War, 1950 – 1953 The Vietnam War, The Invasion of Grenada, 1983 The Persian Gulf War of 1991 Both Afghanistan and Iraq have been fought without a declaration of war from the United States Congress…

Foreign Policy Foreign policy is the set of plans for guiding our nation’s relationships with other countries. The President of the United States usually seeks input and advice on his foreign policy choices from national security advisors, ambassadors, and his Cabinet. However, the final choices about US Foreign Policy are always determined by the President. Congress is able to set some limits on the President’s power by confirming or rejecting any treaties he negotiates.

The President as a Legislative Leader The President can recommend to Congress “such meaures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” So Congress has an obligation to at least consider the President’s proposals. The President delivers the State of the Union Address each year to update Congress on his views. The President can threaten to – or actually – veto laws he or she does not agree with.

Traditional Roles of the President The President has adopted two roles by tradition, rather than by the power vested in the office by the Constitution. First, the President is the leader of his political party. Because he or she is the standard bearer for the Republican or Democratic Party (in today’s two-party system), they have the ability to influence the party platform more than anyone else. The President is also the Chief of State. This means that the President’s words, actions, and public reactions to events should reflect the values and goals of the American people.