Philosophy Now Forum

Since the last election the US has had a president in the throes of rapidly advancing dementia and a cackling harpy vice president who can't put together a coherent sentence and speaks in some kind of weird language that's a cross between corporate bullshit-speak and what Americans call 'ghetto'.
This begs the question:''What does the president do?'
What is he there for? What decisions does he make?
Is there any point in a president at all, or even an election? Do countries basically run themselves regardless of who is allegedly 'in power'?
The president is nothing more than a glorified paper signer. I would be willing to bet that American presidents rarely have a clue what they are actually signing.

Here's the job (according to Sections 2 & 3 of Article II of the US Constitution)...

Section 2

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section 3

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

In other words...

A president can...
make treaties with the approval of the Senate.
veto bills and sign bills.
represent our nation in talks with foreign countries.
enforce the laws that Congress passes.
act as Commander-in-Chief during a war.
call out troops to protect our nation against an attack.
make suggestions about things that should be new laws.
lead his political party.
entertain foreign guests.
recognize foreign countries.
grant pardons.
nominate Cabinet members and Supreme Court Justices and other high officials.
appoint ambassadors.
talk directly to the people about problems.
represent the best interest of all the people.

A president cannot...
make laws.
declare war.
decide how federal money will be spent.
interpret laws.
choose Cabinet members or Supreme Court Justices without Senate approval.

Yes, but what does he actually 'do'?

Not quite sure about this guy. I think he likes to exaggerate to create drama and mystery. He's quite convincing though, and events tend to often support what he says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw7Sfq3QuDw

accelafine wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:12 am Yes, but what does he actually 'do'?

He can change the profile of the Supreme court. But only when members retire or die. But when this opportunity is there it can radically affect the future interpretation of laws.
He can use execttive orders - this is a King-like power, one that has been used more and more by presidents in such a way that it now is antiremocratic. I'll give one example that seems almost a footnote, but actually could have enormous consequences. I think it was Bush who changed the way the federal government can relate to states. Before, if there was, for example, a disaster, the federal government could only send in the national guard and FEMA (federal emergency management agency) if the state in question asked for the help. Whichever president it was changed the process via executive order to 1) not requiring the invitation and 2) allowing a potential future emergency to be sufficient grounds to send in both troops and a serious degree of federal control. So, you don't have to have an ongoing disaster but the President's sense that one might be coming - which shifts away from just natural disasters - and you don't need an invite. That should make people nervous about presidential powers.
Couple that with the President's incredible access to media and this could be a real problem. It also allows the president to affect everything the other branches do, because the president can put tremendous public opinion pressure on them, by making them look evil or moronic if they don't agree.
Presidents guide foreign policy. They do this just via media, but in many other ways. And they can do it very quickly. The executive branch doesn't have to go through all the Congressional processes. It can just decide things and do them. And this includes war. It used to be that Congress was needed to approve a war. That's no longer the case and hasn't been for a while. Presidents can just send troops, start a war, then ask for Congressional approval. Congress, regardless of party affiliation has found it impossible to say no, given the whole 'our troops are in danger, we have to support them' line of PR, and then the support the president in time of war, goddammit, meme, even though the President put the troops in danger without asking and started the war and if you continue the war the troops will be in more danger. In practical terms this is incredible power.
Presidents can and do pardon all sorts of people, often powerful people.
Presidents can gut government agencies. For example, presidents can elminate the power of industry oversight agencies. So laws of all kinds simply don't get enforced.
Presidents have a habit of using government agencies, including law enforcement to mess with people and groups they don't like. That's not an official power, but it's a power they have and use.

A lot of what the president does is put pressure on people. He can pressure his party to go with him and there is a historical tendency to do this. In other words, they are supposed to represent their constituents, but they are often pressured to represent the P's will. He can also do this with the other party's reps. Since he can veto laws, he also has a good lever to pressure them with, should they have any legislative goals, and they all do. They are, essentially, the biggest politicians, and they have the biggest sticks to hit people with. So, much of what they do is manipulate or influence, to put it more neutrally, cajole, pressure, influence, market ideas, and use public opinion and often lies to move things the way the president wants - or really what the people who paid for him or perhaps someday her want. They all, including Mr. Outisder Trump, put Wall St. in power the moment they get in office. And Trump did exactly what Obama did in relation to his cabinet and Wall St. even though he critiziced Obama for how he included Wall St. until he walked through the White House doors himself.

So, on the other hand, the president spends a lot of time appeasing his backers and friends. They are like the somewhat legitimate businesses - like laundromats - that the mod or drug cartels use for money laundering and as covers for their real moneymakers.

There see, we're a democracy, you voted for that guy and he does what his voters want. LOL.

Clearly a senile person isn't going to be able to do any of that. Do I really have to spell it out??

accelafine wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 7:36 am Clearly a senile person isn't going to be able to do any of that. Do I really have to spell it out??

"What does the US president do?"

I'm thinking (Biden related), after he wakes up and someone guides him to breakfast, he is guided for his morning poo - someone assists with stuff.

Eventually he makes his way to the oval office but loses his bearings and ends up in the rectangle office, where someone with extremely high level clearance in the special service (of looking after passed their use by date presidents) then guides him past the triangle office and ensures he doesn't enter (because he once bounced off of some obtuse angles which resulted in the death of a cat)...once he reaches the oval office he sits in a couch, a blanket is brought to him and he remembers how blankets keep him warm, and how if he stuffs the corners of the blanket into his ears he doesn't hear the cackling crap of Kamala blabbing on.

(eventually, the process is repeated until he either drops dead or gets to retire to a life of virtual golf...until he drops dead)

..in the mean time and its going to be a very mean time, the ultra fake Kamala that manages to even smile from her eye sockets and thus charm (fool) the LEFTY wokie portion of the nation from every crevice of her being...sucks the life, the very blood out of the US of A. and drains it into the weakness that the LEFT demand.

the democratic political machine controls this marionette

-Imp

accelafine wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:12 am Yes, but what does he actually 'do'?

Depends on the prez.

Mostly, he (mebbe soon, she) empire builds, culture shapes, and caters to backers.

There are exceptions.

accelafine wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 4:29 am Not quite sure about this guy. I think he likes to exaggerate to create drama and mystery. He's quite convincing though, and events tend to often support what he says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw7Sfq3QuDw

One of the greatest things Donald Trump has accomplished, and I think he’s accomplished a lot… and believe will accomplish more in the future… is exposing the corruption, criminality and filth of “those” who are hiding behind the curtain.