FREE ESSAY ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE US

THE PRESIDENT OF THE US

The President of the United States- this title has come to earn so much honor, as it is
considered "the most powerful elected official in the world" (World Book). Some of
America's most distinguished men were once presidents, and we recall such great names as
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. This
prestigious position is not something one is just handed, and when one does obtain it, it
is very hard work. In this paper, I will help illustrate the role of the President, and
his/her affect on our American Government.
The position of President was created during and immediately after the Revolutionary War
under laws called the Articles of Confederation. The name itself came from the original
name for the chief officer who presided over congress. The first man who had taken this
position was George Washington, whose name every American is familiar with. To the
position, Washington brought great "courage, prestige, and wisdom" (Schlesinger, 21), and
created a sort of legacy for those after him to follow. The legacy was followed, and
expanded with men who interpreted the constitution in new ways, and increased the power
of the presidency. Presidents such as Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln
are examples of this. As America became a world power, the President was given more
power. Men like Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and John F. Kennedy then used
the position to advance the freedom of our country, and encourage the development of our
minds and souls. 
As time passed, rules and regulations were made to ensure the President's job was for the
best interest of this country. For instance, to become President, one must pass some
certain legal qualifications set by the Constitution. "The President must be 35 years
old, have lived in the United States at least 14 years, and be a natural born citizen"
(World Book). These qualifications were set as a means of filtering out some candidates.
To serve this nation efficiently, our forefathers believed that you must be older, and of
American heritage. These rules were made in protection of the welfare of our country.
With the twenty-second amendment came the limit on the President's term of office. Before
this, a president could be in office as long as the people elected him, such as
Roosevelt, who stayed in the White House from March 1945 to his death in April 1945. The
limit in place now is that no president is able to be elected to Presidentcy more than
twice, and nobody who has served more than two years of someone else's term can be
elected more than once. Another set standard is the salary of the President. As
established by congress, the President receives $200,000 a year, not including the
$50,000 the chief executive also gets for expenses, allowances for staff, travel, and
maintenance of the White House. After leaving office, the President qualifies for a basic
pension. As of 1990, a newly retired president would receive a hefty pension of about
$138,900 yearly, and use of office space, staff, and mailing expenses. Widowed spouses of
former Presidents receive a pension of $20,000 a year.
The President is employed by the executive branch, of the three branches our government
was divided into. This branch consists of the Executive Office, 14 executive departments,
and about 75 independent agencies. In total, the executive branch has about 3.75 million
employees. The executive office directly serves the president, such as the President's
physician, secretaries, and a number of close influential aides and agencies. The job of
the executive departments is to directly administer the federal government, and the
independent agencies' job is to conduct the federal programs in many fields. 
The President is the chief of this branch. The only roles the constitution distinguishes
are those of chief administrator of the nation and commander of its armed forces.
However, "court decisions, customs, laws, and other developments have greatly expanded
the President's responsibilities and powers" (World Book). After these two hundred years
of development, the President's job can be described in seven names: Chief Executive,
Commander in Chief, Foreign Policy Director, Legislative Leader, Party Head, and Chief of
State. The first on the president's resume, the Chief Executive has four main duties: to
enforce federal laws, develop federal policies, prepare the national budget, to appoint
federal officials. 
The next title a President must fill is Commander in Chief. To do this, the President is
expected to "defend the country during war-time and to keep it strong during peacetime"
(Bernstein,11). Only the president can decide whether to use nuclear weapons or not. 
As the Foreign Policy Director, the constitution gives the President the "power to
appoint ambassadors, make treaties, and receive foreign diplomats" (World Book). The
Foreign Policy is also able to refuse to recognize a newly formed government, propose
legislation dealings with foreign aid and other international activities, and make
executive agreements with foreign leaders without senate approval. 
The Legislative Leader position of the President describes how greatly the President is
able to influence the laws that congress passes. One instance is where the President
gives his State of the Union address, where he discusses the major problems, facing the
nation and recommends legislative programs to solve them. The president also uses his
cabinet officers to win congressional support for the president's programs. Another power
to influence laws is his constitutional power to veto any bill.
As the Popular Leader, the President is expected to represent every citizen and every
state. That is what he agreed to when he was elected, and this part is very important in
a representative government. The Popular Leader must also maintain good communication
with his people, such as Roosevelt did with the fireside chats. Through this, he is able
to promote legislation, and to inform the people.
Another name to describe the President is Party Head. This term is used to show that the
President, as the leader of a political party, will help push issues his party feels
strongly about, and hope that the congress is made up of enough of his party to pass his
programs. 
Lastly, the President earns the title Chief of State. "As the foremost representative of
the U.S. government, the President is expected to show pride and celebrate American
achievements and traditions". He is also expected to host dinners for visiting foreign
officials, and represents the United States in visits to other countries. 
Former President Harry S. Truman once said, All the president is, is a glorified public
relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to
do what they are supposed to do anyway. In a way, this summary is very true. The
President can not do all of the jobs I previously informed you about by him. In the end,
our President becomes the king of delegation. In fact, he couldn't do them without the
help of his whole office, and the whole branch, and the whole government, and in the end,
the whole people, whom the President so earnestly attempts to represents.
The President of the United States of America
Bibliography
Bibliography
- Agel, Jerome and Bernstein, Richard B. The Presidency. Copyright 1989, Thomas Allen and
Son, Marham, Ontario.
- Cunriffe, Marcus. The American Heritage History of the Presidency. Copyright 1968 by
American Heritage Publishing Company.
- http://www.quoteland.com/quotes/search/search.cgi?query=president
- Schlesinger JR., Arthur M. The Presidency. Copyright 1988 by Chelsea Home Publishers.
New York, NY.