Presidential Roles

Being the President of the United States is not an easy job. What you see on television is a small fraction of what their job actually entails. There are seven jobs that the President is required to perform while in office and they all require different skills and the ability to multi-task.

The first job is Chief of State which requires the president to present himself as a positive example to the American people. In America, the President is our number one in charge, someone to look up to, and a symbol of our nation. To shake his/her hand is an honor in itself. In this role you award medals to scholarship recipients, congratulate astronauts when they return from space, greeting White House Visitors, and making a 4th of July speech, just to name a few.  His/her second job is that of Chief Executive. In this role, the President is the boss for millions of people who work in the Executive Branch. He enforces all laws, and assists in running the Executive Branch.

Their third responsibility is Chief Diplomat. This means that they get to decide what American diplomats and representatives will say to foreign governments. He/she also makes the US foreign policy. His/her fourth responsibility is that of Commander-in-Chief. This makes the President in charge of all armed forces including the Navy, Army, Air Force, and the Marines. They also get to decide where troops will be station and what weapons they will be using. Military generals take orders from them as well.

As their fifth responsibility they are Chief Legislator. While the President does not make the laws (Congress does this) the President has the power to influence the decision-making process. He can urge them to veto a bill or pass new laws. One of the examples of this is signing a bill of Congress. His sixth duty is Chief of Party. This requires him to assist members of his political party win the election. His seventh and final responsibility is that of the Chief Guardian of the Economy. This is where he/she focuses on economic issues such as taxes, unemployment and the overall condition of the country.  While he does not control the economy, he does play a hand it helping to run as smoothly as possible.

As previously mentioned, the President has many roles and these are not easy tasks. It is important to keep that in mind as an American citizen.