The Executive Branch

Article II of the Constitution describes the role of the executive branch of the United States government as “vested in a President of the United States of America.” The second article is remarkably brief, outlining how the president and vice president are to be elected, the president’s role as commander in chief of the armed forces, and the power to enter into treaties, appoint ambassadors, judges, and other officers. It also provides instructions for how the legislative branch may remove the president from office through impeachment and conviction.

Given the brevity of Article II, it is remarkable how powerful the office of the presidency has become over time. It may have been a surprise to advocates of a decentralized government dominated by the legislative branch, such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to see the few words of Article II imply a hording of power in the executive branch. Much of this growth can be attributed to George Washington’s role as the first president and the influence of his Cabinet — especially Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, a strong advocate for an energetic central government led by a vigorous executive. Hamilton believed the executive branch should guide foreign policy and, through the Treasury Department, shape fiscal policy via a central bank and a unified national currency. Washington shared these views, and together they set important national precedents during the Republic’s formative years following ratification of the Constitution.

The presidency is the only federal office voted upon by all the citizens of the United States, making it a position of extraordinary power not just constitutionally, but symbolically — as a reflection of the collective will of the nation. The person occupying the office presents a political and cultural snapshot of the United States to the world and to the country itself. The president leads the nation strategically across a wide range of decisions in both foreign and domestic policy and, as commander in chief, directs the nation in times of war or international conflict. For example, Franklin Roosevelt guided the United States through the Great Depression years with revolutionary social programs that changed the relationship between Americans and their government, and led the nation during the second world war. Ronald Reagan similarly inspired a mood of economic self-reliance and national pride during his two terms of office in the 1980s. While individual members of the legislative and judicial branches have risen to prominence throughout history, it is the president, as the embodiment of the executive branch, who is most naturally endowed with the nation’s leadership role.

Checks and Balances

The Constitution grants the executive branch checks against the legislative branch through the use of the veto and the ability to propose legislation. The president can also call Congress into special session. With regard to balancing power against the judicial branch, the president appoints judges and, through the use of the presidential pardon, can effectively override judicial decisions affecting individuals.