Please answer the following prompt from the 2011 College Board AP US Government and Politics Exam.
For each of the presidential powers below, explain one way that congressional decision making is affected by that power.
- Veto power
- Power to issue executive orders
- Power as commander in chief
The President has the power to veto bills passed by Congress. He also uses the threat of veto to influence congressional decision making. This influences congressional decision making because Congress might decide to not pass certain bills because the President has already threatened veto on the issue or declared an opposing opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe President can issue executive orders which are directives issued by the President that carry the force of law. The President can issues laws without congressional involvement. This presidential power influences congressional decision making because Congress tries to avoid taking action on controversial issues that might invoke an executive order.
The President is the Commander in Chief. He has the power to deploy troops and conduct covert affairs without Congress. However, Congress is the only one that can declare war and appropriate funds. The President's power as Commander in Chief influences congressional decisions because they use their power to appropriate military funds to approve or reject funding. Also, the President has historically deployed troops without a formal declaration of war from Congress. After the Vietnam War, Congress reasserted their power through the War Powers Resolution. The President's overuse of his power influenced Congress to enact the War Powers Resolution.
Veto Power: After a bill has made its way through both the Senate and the House, it must receive the president's approval to be made into law. If the president disagrees with the bill, however, he can veto it, resubmitting it to Congress. Hardly any bills survive a veto because they require a 2/3 positive vote in both houses to override the veto, which translates into a logistic and time-management nightmare. Naturally, Congress attempts to only support the bills most likely to win the president's approval. Even the threat of a veto on a potential law can dissuade congressmen from supporting a bill.
ReplyDeleteExecutive Orders: This presidential power creates an order with the same power as a law without having to win Congress's approval. Because the president can issue an execute order any time he pleases, Congress's role in government as the maker of the laws is severely threatened. They, and indirectly their constituents, cannot offer any opinions, support, or opposition to the order, violating the democratic process this country was founded upon.
Commander in Chief: In contrast to other presidential powers, his role as the Commander in Chief actually gives Congress quite a bit of power over him. The executive branch may be the one to wage war, but it is the legislative branch that funds any war efforts. The president must receive Congress's approval for any formal military action against another country, and he is dependent upon them for money. Should they withdraw their support, they can grant smaller amounts of money to limit the president's military capabilities.
One way that the president affect congressional decision making is through the power of veto. The president can veto bills passed by Congress and send it back to Congress. In order to override the veto, Congress must obtain two-thirds vote on the bill. Therefore, Congress pushes for the bills they believe that the president will most likely support.
ReplyDeleteThe president withholds executive order, which allows him to bypass involvement of Congress. Because the president is able to use this power when he pleases, the power of Congress is severely threatened. Therefore, Congress avoids making decisions on highly controversial topics in fear of the president enforcing an executive order.
The president serves as the Commander in Chief because he has the power to deploy troops. However, Congress withholds the power to declare and fund war. Therefore, the president is dependent on Congress when it comes to his position as Commander in Chief. If Congress does not support the president on his war efforts, they will refuse to declare war and will withhold funding.