Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
What kind of power does the United States President really have?
Key Points:
- The President has much less power than people think once he or she takes office.
- The President shares power with Congress which is often made up of the opposing party.
- Convincing the public about a particular policy is typically more difficult than beating an opponent in a campaign.
- The way our government is set up forces compromise between the governing groups, and compromise is not always received well by a President’s political party.
- Compromise between groups is a good thing, and to bring about change we need to be supporting candidates who are willing to compromise with both sides.
Quote This:
When a nation issues ultimatums, it leaves no room for compromise and ensures that war will continue. -Howard Zinn
Talk About It
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- How much power did you think the President had before watching the video?
- How do you feel about the way our government is structured? Is it good to force compromise or does it hinder effective leadership?
- Have you ever thought about the difference between opposing candidates and opposing policies? What kinds of differences are there between these two?
- How do you feel about compromise? Is it always a good thing or always a bad thing, or are there different kinds of compromise?
- What do you think would be the ideal amount of power for a President to have?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
