The Division of Power between the U.S. President and Congress

The relationship between the President of the United States and U.S. Congress has historically been a tenuous one. The founding fathers implemented a system of checks and balance in the Constitution so that the power struggle between them would persist and prevent an autocratic or oligarchic take over. The Constitution divides domestic and foreign policy powers between the President and the Congress. The existing balance of power between the President and Congress remains both complex and difficult because of how polarized the two-party system, which forms the bedrock of the U.S. government, has become. Congress has waged an obstructionist campaign that has hindered or delayed the president from performing his legislative duties both domestically and in foreign affairs, which has forced President Obama to bypass Congress in order to serve the American people. Presidential power and ability must be retained to protect the interests of the people if Congress prioritizes its politics and vested interests over those of American citizens.

The polarized nature of the U.S. government has resulted in a Republican-dominated Congress to use its constitutional powers to thwart the legislative capabilities of President Obama. Various scholars have investigation whether under divided governments the president enacted significant legislation or whether they failed to do so. Many have concluded that presidents under divided governments failed higher levels of legislative gridlock (Fine 33). Furthermore, divided governments alter the results of presidential nominations to the executive and judiciary branches because of the Senate's power to "advise and consent" (34). Obama has faced a disproportionate amount of filibusters and blocks by Republicans over his presidential appointments in comparison to all of the other presidents combined (Politifact). Ultimately, the degree to which divided government curbs the capabilities of the president is contingent upon how polarized the political parties truly are. Clearly, President Obama faces a Republican-dominated Congress bent on preventing Obama from passing legislation they politically and ideologically agree with even if it serves the best interests of the nation. The primary example is Obama's healthcare reform package with regards to his agenda in domestic politics. He ran his 2008 presidential campaign under the promise that he would make healthcare available and affordable for both poorer Americans as well as for those who suffer from pre-existing conditions. Despite benefiting low-income families, the working-class, and the elderly, the Republican Party skewed information about the bill to the public, promulgating that Obama sought to socialize healthcare in his desire to make extend the power of the government. They critiqued Obama for benefiting the American populace as a whole rather than corporations, big business, and members of the elite (Rucker and Myadze 111).This deep political and ideological rift has often infuriated Americans from both parties and has conveyed the notion that Congress has curbed the power of the president through their constitutional powers within the U.S. government.

As a result of Republican obstructionism, however, President Obama has rightly adopted a unilateral approach in order to get important measures passed that serve the interests of the American people. Operating under the slogan "We Can't Wait," Obama and his strategists have unilaterally passed a plethora of important new legislation, including policies that help prevent domestic violence, create jobs for veterans and prevent drug shortages (Savage). Despite his past criticism of George Bush's unilateral decisions and assertion that the president had the right to bypass Congress on pressing issues, Obama asserted that "If Congress refuses to act, I've said that I'll continue to do everything in my power to act without them" (Savage). He even circumvented the Senate confirmation process in January 2012 appoint four government officials. Gridlock and stagnation, according to Obama, is unacceptable during a time when the American economy continues to falter, inequality persists, and the gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to widen (Savage). Although warranted, President Obama's decisions do have political risks, as they threaten the fundamental structure of American democracy by upsetting the balance of power. Nonetheless, if a Congress does not serve the best interests of its people by blocking necessary legislation, something must be done for progress, a fundamental American tenet, to be achieved.

The founders of America incorporated a system of checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution in order to divide the power to avoid an oligarchic or autocratic takeover of America's democratic government system. This balance of power, however, has remained tenuous throughout U.S. history. Nonetheless, the current situation in the U.S. reflects this difficult and tense relationship between the two political entities. The American government is extremely polarized along political and ideological lines. This divide has translated in Congress, dominated by Republicans, seeking to block many significant pieces of legislation that do not cater to the interests of the elite. Furthermore, they have abused their power to block presidential nominations for various judicial and executive positions. As a result, President Obama has been forced to make unilateral decisions and bypass Congress, even though he had previously critiqued George Bush for doing so. The bitter divide within the U.S. government, fueled by Republican resentment, has thus upset this balance of power the founding fathers had envisioned by forcing Obama to bypass Congress in order to better the status quo for all Americans.

Works Cited

Fine, Jeffrey A. . "The Problem of Divided Government in an Era of Polarized Parties." The College Board. N.p., n.d.http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/US_Gov_Balance_of_Power_SF.pdf.

Politifact. "Harry Reid says 82 presidential nominees have been blocked under President Barack Obama, 86 blocked under all other presidents." PolitiFact. N.p., n.d.http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/nov/22/harry-reid/harry-reid-says-82-presidential-nominees-have-been/.

Rucker, Mary L., and Theresa Myadze. "Obama, the Obstructionist 112 U.S. Congress and Tea Party Adamantine: A Political Spectacle." International Journal of Business and Social Science 3.3 (2012): 108-115.

Savage, Charlie. "Shift on Executive Power Lets Obama Bypass Rivals." The New York Times 22 Apr. 2012: n. p. The New York Times.http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/us/politics/shift-on-executive-powers-let-obama-bypass-congress.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print