December 04, 2003
According to democrats and their willing accomplices in the press, President Bush is single-handedly responsible for the worst economy since the ice ages. This inference suggests that the Constitution vests the office of the president with some level of authority over the economy. If the American people were more constitutionally astute, and the press was doing its job, the democrats could never get away with such a shameless distortion of the Constitution because there is not a single provision in the document that grants the President any general authority over the economy.
From a constitutional standpoint, the President is merely the head of one of the 3 branches of the federal government. He is not the ruler or president of a single nation because the Constitution only established a partial union between the several States. Under our constitutional system of government, the powers of the President are more fiction than fact because they are not as extensive as many believe.
The Constitution vests the President with twelve powers and duties. Since the document established a federal government of limited enumerated powers, the only powers and duties a President can lawfully exercise are those specifically granted by the Constitution. The constitutional powers and duties of the President are:
1) Signs or rejects all legislative bills submitted to him by Congress. Art. I., Sec. 7., Cl. 2.
2) Becomes the Commander and Chief of the military forces of the United States (After a declaration of War by Congress or an act of war against the United States by a foreign power) and the Militia of the several States when called into the actual service of the United States. (By Congress) Art. II., Sec. 2., Cl. 1.
3) Requests opinions, in writing, from the principal officer of any Executive Department of the federal government concerning their duties. Art. II., Sec. 2., Cl. 1.
4) Can grant Reprieves or Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. Art. II., Sec. 2., Cl. 1.
5) Makes Treaties with the Advice and Consent of the Senate. (Only by a vote of two-thirds of those Senators present). Art. II., Sec. 2., Cl. 2.
6) Nominates for appointment, with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, Ambassadors, public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States. Congress can, by law, vest the President with the power to appoint inferior Officers, i.e., Courts of Law, or Heads of Departments. Art. II., Sec. 2., Cl. 2.
7) Can fill Vacancies which occur when the Senate is in Recess and unavailable to confirm an appointment. Art. II., Sec. 2., Cl. 3.
8) Gives Congress from time to time Information on the State of the Union, and recommends to Congress for its Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. Art. II., Sec. 3.
9) Can convene both Houses of Congress on extraordinary Occasions. Art. II., Sec. 3.
10) Receives Ambassadors and other public Ministers. Art. II., Sec. 3.
11) Takes care that (federal) laws are faithfully executed. Art. II., Sec. 3.
12) Commissions all the Officers of the United States. Art. II., Sec. 3.
As shown above, none of the powers vested in the office of the president have anything to do with the so-called economy. How can the President control the destiny of the economy of a nation when he doesn’t even have the power to enact legislation on his own? All legislative powers granted to the federal government by the Constitution are vested in the Congress. This means Congress writes the laws, not the President. The President merely signs or rejects legislation submitted to him by Congress. So how can a president be held responsible for the performance of the economy?
The democratic candidates for the 2004 presidential election are falling over each other in an effort to pander to the American people concerning the economy. If one candidate promises to add 600,000 jobs, another promises 700,000 plus a Snickers bar. President Bush will do the same when the election rolls around next year.
Since the Constitution does not grant the President any general authority over the economy, these grandiose promises are nothing but shameless lies and distortions. These individuals will say anything to curry favor with the people. And to add insult to injury, the American people are such dupes that they are willing to give these clowns money so they can spout their carefully crafted propaganda.
There is no hope of preserving liberty unless the American people educate themselves and quit falling for these political fairy tales. The next time a presidential candidate asks for your vote in exchange for creating jobs and reducing unemployment, stand-up and scream―The President doesn’t have any constitutional authority over the economy, stupid!
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