Government Essay

United States Presidency June 1, 1787, the creators of our country got together at the Constitutional Convention to establish the United States Constitution. At this meeting they decided there would only be one president at a time. From this decision, the framers were left with many decisions about the president’s power and limit of power. The delegates were undecided as to how they thought the president should be chose: some favored direct election and some favored the electoral college. The framers also established the four-year term, and felt the need for there to be a vice president just in case the president left office before the term was up. Three qualifications were listed by the framers which are: the president must be at least 35 years of age, he or she must be a natural born citizen, and the president must have been a citizen of the United States for the previous 14 years.
The president of the United States has three major roles. One is that they act as the Commander in Chief of the army and navy. As we know, Congress has the power to declare war, but the president will usually take over that power in times of national security scares and breeches. Another role the president plays is the Diplomat in Chief, which basically means they are the negotiator of treaties with other nations that then must be approved by Senate. Presidents also act as the Administer in Chief which just puts him or her in charge of the daily operations of any federal department or agency.
The president also has five powers specifically granted to him. One is the power to appoint judges, ambassadors, and other officers of the executive branch. The second power is the power to veto bills. This means that even though the bill has made it past the House and the Senate, the president can reject it, but then it will be sent back to Congress and voted on again. Another power of the president is the power to pardon. This means that the president can shorten prison sentences, correct judicial errors, and protect citizens from future prosecution. The president has a power entitled “The Take Care Power”, which states that the president “shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” Lastly, the president has the power to inform and convene congress. This power simply states that the president must, from time to time, inform Congress on the State of the Union, and inform the people of the United States as to what is happening within the government.