| THE PRESIDENT"S JOB The President of the United States has many roles to fulfill. Although your book describes eight roles, we may combine two to form seven distinct functions the president must execute. They are 1) chief of state, 2) chief executive/administrator, 3) chief diplomat, 4) commander in chief, 5) chief legislator, 6) chief of party and 7) chief citizen. These roles are described below. Chief of State - The chief of state is a ceremonial head of government, one that acts as the "figurehead" of a nation. The easiest way to distinguish this type of ruler is to look at England. Queen Elizabeth II is the chief of state, attending official dinners, making public appearances, etc., but she does not run the government. In the United States, the president fulfills this role. Chief Executive/Administrator - Just as any large company needs capable leadership for the business to run smoothly, the president is responsible for running the government of the United States. The president oversees a government employing over 3 million people and with a budget in excess of 1.5 trillion dollars annually. Chief Diplomat - The president directs the course of foreign policy for the United States. This role is supported by a number of powers, which we will discuss later. If the president wants to put pressure on a nation to act in a particular manner, the president may direct efforts towards that goal. Advised by the Secretary of State, the president does share some diplomatic power with Congress, but it is really up to the president to make the crucial decisions. Commander in Chief - This is perhaps the most well-known of the presidential roles. The US elects a civilian to the top military post. The president has broad powers associated with this role, but since Vietnam his ability to use military force continuously has been curtailed. Chief Legislator - Odd as this might seem, the president and the executive agencies are a major source of legislation in the United States. The president often shapes the course of congressional action, and applies a variety of pressures to stimulate Congress to act on the programs he/she promotes. Chief of Party - The president of the US automatically becomes the spokesperson for his/her party. In such a highly visible office, the president is able to effectively form party policies. Although there is occassional disagreement from members of Congress over the implementation of a policy, rarely is there disagreement over the policy itself. Chief Citizen - The president, despite recent scandal, should be a model citizen. In fact, the president is one of the few citizens that publishes his/her tax return in the newspapers. The president does this to demonstrate to the American people the importance of filing a prompt, correct return and to fully disclose his/her sources of income. The president should represent good citizenship. The last two roles are non-constitutional in the sense that they are not mentioned in the Constitution, but are expected of the president. The previous five roles are contained within the Constitution proper, although they have been subject to interpretation and revision through the years. |