The statement below shows that the power of the president in the United States is considerably limited. As a result, the implications of the situation include the inability of the president to be the sole person able to pass legislation. Moreover, in terms of policy outcomes, every presidential initiative is always subject to additions and changes of the Senate and other bodies. Nevertheless, the presidential power has grown over the past centuries due to the increasing role of the federal government and the passing of laws expanding the powers of the president. One of the main limits of power of the past presidencies is the impeachment of President Trump by the House of Representatives in 2019 (Fandos and Shear). President Biden’s recent policy to expel migrant families was blocked by U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan (Rodriguez). Finally, in 2016, President Obama’s overtime pay rule was blocked by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant III (Booker).
A divided government is preferable because it ensures a balance of powers in the political realm of the country. Partisanship plays an essential role in Congress since it contributes to debates on different phenomena and thus lets members of Congress gain a better insight into different topics. The passing of the Affordable Care Act, opposed by the republicans, was possible due to the fact that the democrats controlled both houses of Congress. Similarly, the republican control of Congress allowed the party to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, opposed by the democrats. Finally, in 2021, the Democrats passed the American Rescue Act in both chambers without the support of the Republicans.
The government bureaucracies, both on the federal and state levels, are powerful due to the fact that they possess expertise in their respective spheres. Thus, as experts, they are given public trust and more power to perform their responsibilities. There are several sources of bureaucracies’ power, but the main ones are their administrative and policymaking skills and support from politicians. The legislative branch controls the bureaucracy through oversight and makes sure it acts in a proper way. For instance, in 2013, The House asked the Committee on Oversight to investigate the IRS’s decision to subject groups applying for tax-exempt status to extra scrutiny (“Controlling the Bureaucracy”). Another example is the Republican congressmen’s attempt to remove the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, yet they ultimately failed to do it (“Controlling the Bureaucracy”).
Works Cited
“Controlling the Bureaucracy.” Lumen. Web.
Booker, Brakkton. “Federal Judge Blocks Obama Administration’s Overtime Pay Rule.” NPR, 2016.
Fandos, Nicholas, and Shear, Michael D. “Trump Impeached for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress.” The New York Times, 2019.
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Rodriguez, Sabrina. “Biden Blocked from Expelling Migrant Families Using Title 42.” Politico, 2021.