Can "The People" Check the President's Actions? - Essay Sample

Introduction

In the history of the US, there are two major political parties represented by individual politicians making the government. The American government is made up of three branches, the legislative (consisting of the Congress, i.e., the Senate and representatives) who make the laws for the country, executive (made up of the president, cabinet and other agencies and commissions) which implements or carries out the laws made and judiciary (made up of the courts and judges) which helps interpret the laws to the people (Forteza & Pereyra, 2017). As mentioned, each of these branches has its rule of power and authority that it uses to perform its responsibilities. According to Posner (2015), the balance of power among the branches to ensure equality and limitations to ensure that the government itself is not too powerful to be controlled or lead which has led to fairness when running the country. However, even with the three arms checking and balancing each other, there is a great need for the people to be involved simply because they are the ones being governed. In one way or another, the American people help make the laws, either by electing politicians, voting and fighting for certain rights, indirectly campaigning and advocating for certain policies, etc. Therefore, with their own power and responsibilities, they have the right to know whatever is happening in the country, the constitution, and laws being made. The people can "check" the president's actions, but indirectly. This is because people are directly connected to the Congress (legislative branch) who keeps an eye on the president (Executive) providing them with an opportunity to oversee the president as well. The Congress is often the determinant of the president's actions and progress while the people determine the progress of the congress hence affecting the way the government runs the country and policy making system.

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Aspects Helping People Check the President's Actions

Checks and Balances

As mentioned earlier, the American constitution divides power proportionally between the three branches of the US government. The division was meant to ensure that none of them would be more valued than the other, hence balance. This system enables each of the three arms to check and oversee one another at an equal level; any one of the branches can monitor the progress and actions of the other two without question (Forteza & Pereyra, 2017). Therefore, since the judicial and legislative branches can check the president's actions, then the people can also check on the president. These leaders simply work on what people want. The leaders have to support and look after the needs of the people because that is what they were elected to do. The role of the leaders is to represent the people and present their interests to the other branches for funding and approvals especially the executive branch (Posner, 2015).

For instance, when the president needs to go through with foreign policy with another country, it must be approved by the Senate who represent the people's interests. This means that whichever issue the citizens require solved or addressed, it will be presented by the legislative and judicial arms to the president hence affecting his decisions. Also, since the three arms watch for each other and that they all work for the American people, the priority is to attend to the needs of the citizens before everything else. Through this, collaboration and collectiveness are achieved hence a productive and successful country (Forteza & Pereyra, 2017). Therefore, it is evident that through the help of the three branches and their roles, the American people can check on the President's actions, especially on major general issues affecting the country.

Election

All of these leaders are elected or appointed through a process that involves American citizens. Looking at the congress and some of the judicial leaders are directly elected by the people. On the other hand, the people choose presidential candidates during the Presidential Primaries and caucuses. In the end, two candidates are left to be chosen by the Electoral College. This means that during the State Primaries, the people influence the choice of a President and therefore, the president's actions too. The election of the congress members by the people ensures that they have a say in his decision making and his actions. Also, concerned citizens and legislators are effectively involved in making the rules and laws of elections, especially those that may affect their democracy (Wiist, 2011). In other words, through the secret balloting during State Primaries and election of the Congress and some of the judicial leaders, the people pass policies and can check on the president's actions.

Popular Sovereignty and Policy Making

This is a concept attributed to people's rule of power. This means that the country's citizens are the makers of the laws and determine how it is run (Huhn, 2010 pg. 4). In America, popular sovereignty interprets the rule of power and authority by handing over the mantle of governing to the American citizens and making the politicians their servants (Huhn, 2010 pg. 291). This concept is applicable in America's history every time they conduct political elections or when a popular vote is required like in 1854 when abolishing slavery. When elections are held people are able to choose their desired candidate or leader in each of the three branches of the government who will have a direct influence on the laws made, implemented and how they are interpreted. The people elect members of the Congress and some in the judicial arm members; they both have the power to check the president's (executive) actions. Therefore, the people have an indirect check on the president's actions as well. They affect his decisions and progress by affecting the team he works with.

Budgeting

In America, the president is in charge of allocating money to government department through a budget. Therefore, when a president creates a budget for the country, it must go through Congress before it is approved. This means that Congress can either approve or disapprove an allocation made by the executive branch of the government. Essentially, since the congress members are directly elected by the people, then the citizens have an effect on the president's budgeting choices. For instance, if the people elected more republicans than democrats in congress and the president turns out to be a Republican, then it will be easy to pass even unjustifiable budget allocations. This is because, when the people voted for those congress members, they voted for their views which align with the president' and therefore more support. The political system and structure play a key role in ensuring the participation of the citizens during open budget debates and allocation either by Congress, Senate or the president (Ebdon, 2000 pg. 383). This proves that the people have an effect on (can check) the president's actions, though indirectly.

Government Investigations

For democracy to be felt and experienced by the American citizens, they must be in a position to acquire information from the government in any way possible; considering it is lawful and constitutional. The separation and balance in authority and responsibilities created a healthy environment for power share which meant that no arm of the government is powerful than the other. Essentially, no political leader or group that is above the rule of law. Therefore, in case of misuse of any political power or office must end in proper investigations. During such investigations, people are able to get the truth from their leaders in a lawful way. The American system is set in a way that even the president can face indictment and prosecution if he conducts any criminal acts. According to Voltmer (2010, pg. 2), the federal employees are held accountable and the public's demand is honored. In such a case, if convicted, he/she is impeached and removed from office. These investigations although done by the congressional or senate, the aim is to get to the bottom of the truth and provide the American people with facts and evidence. On that note, the people can practice their right for democracy and check on the president's actions and every step made.

Conclusion

The American government system is created to protect and attend to the needs of its people. Even if the American president is the commander in chief, he does not hold all the power to rule the country. Neither does his office, the executive branch of the government. According to the constitution, the three branches must watch each other's choices and decisions. This is because they actually share power and responsibilities equally. Therefore, since they are chosen by the people and represents the needs of the people, then the American citizens have an actual say in what the president does. They have an indirect check of the president's actions, i.e. through their representatives, congress, senators, judges, and courts.

References

Ebdon, C. (2000). The relationship between citizen involvement in the budget process and city structure and culture. Public productivity & management review, 383-393. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/3380726?casa_token=YoyxNfhI3x4AAAAA:AkWYMOOUIFtwUIeg_AsH7LtYNZmOvvZeB2lYsACyZm8sTz0wMqIcv6Ri1TNnhjgsS64Q9VmfBL_DaJ-zX7DQQ0uzUCwURRzATc7FBwE6auJc3sCtLg

Huhn, W. R. (2010). Constantly approximating popular sovereignty: seven fundamental principles of constitutional law. Wm. & maRy BiLL RtS. J., 19, 291. Retrieved from http://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1086&context=ua_law_publications

Forteza, A., & Pereyra, J. S. (2017). The trade-off between governance and checks and balances. ECARES Working Papers. Retrieved from http://www.iea-world.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Forteza_Pereyra_20170609.pdf

Posner, E. A. (2015). Balance-of-Powers Arguments, The Structural Constitution, and the Problem of Executive Under enforcement. U. Pa. L. Rev., 164, 1677.retrieved from https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=12552&context=journal_articles

Voltmer, K. (2010). The media, government accountability, and citizen engagement. Public Sentinel: News Media & Governance Reform. Washington, DC: The World Bank, 1-24. Retrieved from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un-dpadm/unpan044461.pdf

Wiist, W. H. (2011). Citizens United, public health, and democracy: the Supreme Court ruling, its implications, and proposed action. American journal of public health, 101(7), 1172-1179. Retrieved from https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2010.300043