The president’s main job is to oversee the federal government, which is made up of more than 2 million employees. To keep it running smoothly, each president chooses a group of senior advisers called a Cabinet. They supervise government departments, including Defense (which oversees the armed forces) and Education. George Washington’s first Cabinet consisted of just four people. Modern presidents’ Cabinets are much larger. President Donald Trump, for example, has more than 20 Cabinet-level advisers. Show
The president is also the head of the executive branch of government, which is the branch responsible for enforcing laws. Although laws are passed by Congress, the president decides which ones are most important to enforce—and how to do so. The president also appoints federal judges and nominates people for open seats on the U.S. Supreme Court. The president’s choices for both judges and Cabinet members must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Along with the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers form the main decision-making group within executive government – the Cabinet. The Cabinet in session.DPS Auspic DescriptionA group of people sit on both sides of a wooden table. The men and women look towards the camera. It looks as if their meeting has been interrupted because there are papers and water glasses on the table. Permission should be sought from DPS AUSPIC for third-party or commercial uses of this image. To contact DPS AUSPIC email: [email protected] or phone: 02 6277 3342. After a President comes into office, you often hear about their appointments to the Cabinet and the debate it causes amongst political parties. But what actually is a Cabinet? To simplify it, let's think of a clique in your school that clearly has one prominent leader. This main leader selects who gets to be part of the clique. However, once in the clique, the members may have their own opinions and voice them, but it is entirely up to the leader's discretion on whether or not they use their advice. Cabinets are similar in that way, where the prominent leader is the President and the cabinet members are the clique members. However, the President's Cabinet is important because each of the clique members has their own job leading various departments! This article aims to give you a deeper understanding of the Cabinet and its function within the US government. Figure 1. President Barack Obama meeting with his Cabinet, Pete Souza, Wikimedia CommonsThe President's Cabinet DefinitionThe President's cabinet is a group, including the vice president and the heads of 15 different executive departments, who serve an advisory role to the President of the United States and manage the departments in the executive branch of government. The point of the cabinet is to have a group of people knowledgeable in different areas to advise the President on policies and the direction the administration should take. The cabinet serves at the pleasure of the President, meaning that the President can fire them whenever he wants. FUN FACT! The word "Cabinet" is nowhere to be found in the Constitution. Founders instead used the word: "head of the department." President's Cabinet PositionsThere are currently 15 Cabinet positions within the executive branch of the US government. The following list is written in the order of seniority of the office - Presidential succession also follows this order!
Additionally, the President can add more members to the cabinet as they see fit, including, but not limited to, the chief of staff, UN ambassador, and head of the office management and budget. While they may not manage their own department, the President grants them cabinet-like status. FUN FACT! President George Washington established the first presidential cabinet that just included the Department of State, Treasury, and War. Figure 2. President Biden holding a Cabinet meeting during Coronavirus Pandemic, Adam Shultz, Wikimedia CommonsPresident's Cabinet MembersArticle 2 of the Constitution establishes that the president may require advisement from the heads of executive departments. Currently, the 15 heads of department that are the President's cabinet members are appointed by the President; however, they must be approved by the Senate in special hearings. While they cannot be members of Congress and aren't directed by Congress, they have to testify before congressional committees and have their budget approved by Congress. Members, therefore, must try to navigate between serving at the pleasure of the President (who hired them), appeasing Congress (which controls their budget and legal authority), and advocating for their department (listening to the people that their department is meant to serve). FUN FACT! Recently, Presidents have been having difficulties filling Cabinet positions because many highly-qualified applicants refuse to put themselves and their families through the highly polarizing Senate confirmation hearings. Figure 3. Empty Cabinet Room, USGov, Wikimedia CommonsPresident's Cabinet RolesThe President's cabinet roles depend exclusively upon the President. Some presidents actually held cabinet meetings often and relied on their advice, like President Eisenhower. In contrast, others rarely held cabinet meetings and looked to "kitchen cabinets" or other institutions such as the Council of Economic Advisors or the National Security Council for advice like President John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush. Kitchen cabinet: a cabinet that comprises the President's loyal friends or associates who advise the President. They are often considered "unofficial" advisors. The President's cabinet, also, under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, has been given the ability to be able to declare that the current President is unable to fulfill his duties leading to the removal of the President from office, making the vice president the temporary President. However, the cabinet's political role is the most crucial. Presidents have used cabinet positions throughout the years to gain political leverage; they will appoint certain people to thank them for their support, appease the opposing party, build up their political reputation, or look more inclusive. Recently, Presidents have appointed minorities into the Cabinet. As a result, some Presidents tend to question the loyalty of their Cabinet members and tend not to rely on them. Although somewhat modeled after the British Cabinet, the US cabinet has no legislative power. Its role is purely advisory and administrative, and it's up to the President if they decide to agree with them, are not. In Britain, the Cabinet has legislative power and can veto a presidential decision. Importance of the President's CabinetThe importance of the President's cabinet is that it serves in an advisory capacity to the President. The Cabinet members also manage their respective departments, which is very important because many of these departments play an essential role in citizens' daily lives, so it's vital that they are running smoothly and functioning to the best of their ability. What is the function of the President's cabinet?The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he or she may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office.
What is the main function of the cabinet quizlet?The primary functions of cabinet members are to effectively run a department of government and advise the president.
What are the three main functions of the cabinet?What are the 3 main functions of Cabinet ministers?. directing government policy and making decisions about national issues.. spending a lot of time discussing current national problems and how these can be solved.. presenting bills – proposed laws – from their government departments.. |