Presidential Powers Essays - Commanders In Chief,

Presidential Powers In every government there is a ceremonial head of the government who is the symbol of all the people in the nation. As Howard Taft put it, "The personal embodiment and representative of their dignity and majesty" (McClenaghan, pg. 316). That person is the Chief of State or more commonly known as the President. One of the main factors that cause the presidents to be viewed as a symbol of the American community is the president's ceremonial duties which are named in the Constitution. The Constitution states several ceremonial duties that the presidents are "obliged" to perform. They are required to take an oath of office, periodically inform Congress of the State of Union, negotiate with foreign powers, and receive "Ambassadors and other Public Ministers". "These Constitutional ceremonial duties supported the assumption of the Chief of State role by George Washington and his successors because they made the president appear as the leader of the entire nation"(The Presidents A-Z, Pg. 68). Castro 2 Both, the Oath of Office ceremony, the Inauguration, and the State of Union address physically place the President out in front of other government officials. Also, the President's duty to receive Ambassadors shows that foreign governments view and regard the president as the official representative of the United States, and since the rest of the world sees our president as being the Chief of State, then the "domestic responsibilities of the Chief of State could not be assumed more gracefully than anyone but the President" (The Presidents A-Z, pg. 69). In the 18th century, when the Framers designed the U.S. president's job, monarchy was the style of government throughout most of the world. But, since they wanted to avoid any suggestion of a monarchy, the Framers of the constitution made the Chief of State the Chief Executive as well. They called this person the President. But, like monarchs, the U.S. Presidents are the living symbol of the nation. They symbolize the country's history, liberty and strength. The President can appoint ceremonial representatives, but while they are still in office they cannot escape their role as Chief of State. At every moment they represent the United States at home and overseas. Castro 3 When the President, or shall I say "the Chief of state, is not occupied with functions that pertain to government he would attend and participate in such as lighting the national Christmas tree, deliver a patriotic address during the Fourth of July, lay a wreath on the graves of soldiers that died for their country (such as the Tomb of the Unknowns) on Memorial day, lead us special holidays (such as Thanksgiving, bless fund raising drives, and on numerous occasions in the past he would throw the first ball to open the baseball season in the Spring. Many of these functions mean something and are significant especially when the President is involved. "But consequently, the duties of the Chief of State are seldom described as a power and are sometimes denounced as a waste of the President's time." (The Presidency, Pg. 69) Although the President's right to dedicate a monument or congratulate an astronaut may mean little, The symbolism that the action portrays clearly "enhances presidential authority, legitimizes and maximizes other presidential powers, and secures his position as Chief of State." (The Presidency, Pg. 69) " "As political scientist Clinton Castro 4 Rossiter explained "No president can fail to realize that all his powers are invigorated, indeed are given a new dimension of authority, because he is the symbol of our sovereignty, continuity, and grandeur." The presidency is therefore elevated above other offices and institutions not just by its legal authority, but also by its symbolic and historic mystique." (The Presidency, Pg.69) The position of the President as the Chief of State is defined by the Constitutional provisions which are the source of some of the most important power the President can use. The parts covered by these provisions are classified as Military, Judicial, and Diplomatic. Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, provides for the power as "Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States and of the Militia of the several states, when called into actual Service of the United States". (U.S. Constitution) The position of the Commander in Chief makes the President the highest Military officer in the United States, with control over the entire Military establishment. Although, that does not mean that he is always doing something involving Military or Naval actions every minute. He leaves the smaller jobs up to the generals Castro 5 of the Army

Rural and Urban Conflict in the 1920s

Rural and Urban Conflict in the 1920s At the end of World War I, changes in society began to dominate daily lives. Conflict arose as an increasingly urban, secular society came into conflict with older rural traditions. The rise of new ideas and the change into peacetime economy brought problems in both urban and rural environments. The two sections of the county had their own sources of conflict, but many affected both. One source of conflict was fundamentalism, in which the millennial zeal of the 19th century was combined with a less rational way of interpreting the Bible. The Fundamentals, a series of religious pamphlets, gave fundamentalism its name, and allowed it to gain popularity. Fundamentalism became institutionalized in 1919 and 1920. The Darwin theory of evolution became more widely recognized and accepted in the more liberal parts of Protestant churches. Higher criticism of the Bible, much of which contradicted Darwins theory, followed. With the growing popularity of fundamentalism in the South, southern laws were passed prohibiting the teaching of evolution in schools. George W. Rappelyea offered support to teachers who wished to disobey the laws. John Scopes, a schoolteacher, took advantage of this offer and taught Darwins theory to his students. When arrested, Rappelyea alerted media to attend the trial. Clarence Darrow was Scopes attorney. Darrow wanted the jury to find Scopes guilty so he could appeal to higher court and get the law changed. When Darrow was denied the use of scientists to testify as expert witnesses, he called the prosecutor, Williams Jennings Bryan to the stand. Bryan was a highly religious fundamentalist. Through sarcastic questioning, Darrow got Bryan to contradict his beliefs, turning public sentiment against him. Scopes was found guilty, but given a minimal penalty, later overturned by an appeals court. This &q...

Qualitative Research Designs Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualitative Designs - Research Paper Example As a way of seeking to provide an example of just such a piece, this brief analysis will consider the given article, analyze it for its utilization of quantitative techniques, and seek to detail the type and manner of the content which was portrayed therein. The research question itself clearly has to do with the level of linkages that may be illustrated between the use of antidepression medication and an increased likelihood of suicide; something that has gained widespread media attention in the past several years. With reference to the way that the research itself was actually set up and carried out, the authors of the piece sought to set up a series of test which sought to measure the epidemiological affect that antidepressants had on the patient; up to and including what the researchers deemed as â€Å"suicidabiliy†. Controls and test groups were established, antidepressant medication administered and trials concentric upon interviews and close monitoring in the form of diary and journal approaches to the frames of mind that the patients expressed during the period were employed. In terms of what was hypothesized, the researchers believed that there would be a small, perhaps unrecognizable increase, of suicidal thoughts withi n the adult patients and a larger, but still statistically small increase in suicidal thoughts within the adolescent test subjects. The study ran a series of 26 different trials of no less than 15 individuals participating in each trial. For further purposes of the study, adults were identified as over the age of 18 with children being represented from the age of 9-18. As the researchers expected, the rise in suicidal thoughts and motivations within the patients that fell into the category of â€Å"adult† were no different than that of the control group. In other words, no noticeable rise in suicidal thoughts or intentions was determined from those patients that were over the age of 18 that participated within