STANDARDS

Common Core: RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.2, RH.6-8.3, RH.6-8.4, RI.6-8.1, RI.6-8.2, SL.6-8.1, WHST.6-8.1, WHST.6-8.4

C3 (D2/6-8): Civ.1, Civ.2, Civ.3, Civ.4, Civ.8, His.2, His.15

NCSS: Power, authority, and governance; Civic ideals and practices

Enjoy this free article courtesy of Junior Scholastic, the Social Studies classroom magazine for grades 68.

CIVICS NOW

The President

The Toughest Job in America?

The U.S. presidency is one of the most powerful positions in the worldand its responsibilities are huge. Get an inside look at one seriously busy job.

Nobody said being president would be easy. U.S. President Donald Trump leads the planet’s strongest superpower. He commands massive armies and can tap huge financial resources with the stroke of a pen. Yet in the two years since he’s taken office, other people in the U.S. government have kept saying no to him.

Recently, for example, Democrats in Congress blocked the president’s plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico borderat least temporarily. And last November, a federal court judge stopped the president’s attempt to restrict how migrants can apply to stay in the U.S.

Trump isn’t the only president who has struggled with the limits of his power. Every American leader going back to George Washington (in office 1789-1797) has as well. That’s just how the Framers of the U.S. Constitution planned it. They organized the federal government so that none of its three branchesthe executive branch (headed by the president), the legislative branch (Congress), and the judicial branch (the courts)—would be more powerful than the others.

Another thing unites our presidents: Almost all of them found that the duties of the office were much harder to fulfill than they expected. Indeed, many experts have called the presidencyan impossible job.”

Most of the president’s basic tasks are outlined by Article II of the U.S. Constitution. Others were created by acts of Congress or through tradition. All together, they form a position of great authorityand enormous responsibility. Here’s a look at the seven main roles that make up the tough job of our nation’s highest elected official.

Jobs of the President
A video about the roles and responsibilities of U.S. presidents

Chief of the Executive Branch

Paul Schutzer/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

President John F. Kennedy (1961-63), far right, meets with Cabinet members.

The president’s main job is to oversee the federal government. Think of him as the boss of one of the world’s biggest companies. (The U.S. government has nearly 3 million employees!)

To help keep this organization running smoothly, each president chooses a group of senior advisers called a Cabinet. They supervise government departments including Defense (which oversees the armed forces) and Education. George Washington’s first Cabinet consisted of just four people. Modern presidents’ Cabinets are much larger. Today, Trump has 24 advisersincluding the directors of Homeland Security and the Central Intelligence Agency.

As the head of the executive branch, the president must also carry out the nation’s laws. Although laws are passed by Congress, the president decides which ones are most important to enforceand how to do so. The president also appoints federal judges and nominates people for open seats on the U.S. Supreme Court. The president’s choices for both judges and Cabinet members must be approved by the U.S. Senate

Guardian of the Economy

The president shares responsibility for the economy with Congress. But as the nation’s chief executive, he is expected to help it run smoothlyand as fairly for all Americans as possible. Overseeing the economy includes many factors, such as trying to keep the unemployment rate down and aiding businesses. Every year, the president proposes a budget for the country. This determines how much money each part of the government, such as the military, will get to operate. Congress adds its own prioritiesand sometimes changes the president’s suggested budget completely. The final budget must be passed by Congress and signed by the president.

Head of State

Martin Cleaver/AP Images

Ronald Reagan (1981-89) with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

As the head of state, the president acts as the highest living symbol of our country. When he welcomes Super Bowl champions or hosts an official dinner at the White House, he is representing the nation. Americans look to their president for inspiration, especially when he engages with foreign leaders. His actions are expected to represent the nation’s highest ideals and commitment to democracy.

Political Party Leader

The president serves as the leader of his political party and plays a key role in shaping its positions on important issues. He helps raise money for the party and campaigns for members who have supported his policies and are running for office. Experts say that Barack Obama (2009-2017) reshaped the Democratic Party during his presidency. Under Obama’s direction, the party became much bolder in its support of rights for minorities and undocumented immigrants.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Barack Obama addresses the Democratic National Convention in 2012.

Head of Foreign Policy

Another crucial presidential task is maintaining America’s role as a world leader. A president has to decide what the nation’s relationships with other governments will be like. His goals and actionsincluding meeting with foreign leaders, often in tough negotiationsmake up his foreign policy. Chief among President Trump’s foreign policy aims is convincing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (below left) to give up his nuclear weapons. Presidents also appoint ambassadors who represent the U.S. to foreign nations.

The president has the sole power to negotiate treatiesformal agreements with other countries. Treaties serve important functions, such as ending wars or promoting trade. Before such agreements can take effect, however, they have to be ratified by the Senate.

Evan Vucci/AP Images

President Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Commander in Chief

AP Images

In 1945, Harry S. Truman made the call to bomb Japan.

The Constitution divides the power to make war between the president and Congress. Only Congress can actually declare war on another country. But the Constitution names the president as commander in chief of the nation’s armed forces.

That means the president makes major decisions on where and when troops will be deployed, who will lead them, and how the U.S. will use its weapons. The president also has what experts call theawesome responsibilityof deciding whether to bomb a foreign country. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953) had to make that choice when he ordered atomic bombs to be dropped on two Japanese cities, the action that ended World War II (1939-1945).

Legislative Leader

Only Congress has the power to make laws. But presidents have several ways to influence legislation. As a bill works its way through Congress, the president will call members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to urge them to vote for or against it. He will also invite members of Congress to the White House to discuss a proposed bill.

Presidents have another tool when it comes to new laws passed by Congress: They can veto (reject) legislation that they don’t like. Congress can override the president’s veto by a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate.

Write About It! What personal qualities should a president have? Why might you makeor not makea good president?

Fun Facts

The tallest president in history, Abraham Lincoln, liked to wear a 7-inch top hat to make himself stand out. He also used it for stashing important notes.

Long before he became head of state, George W. Bush was head cheerleader at his high school. He was also a cheerleader at Yale University.

Someone once sent 30th President Calvin Coolidge a raccoon for Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of eating it, Coolidge kept the raccoon as a White House pet.

Illustrations by Zohar Lazar

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