President holds leadership powers of country

As Americans we will celebrate the Semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence – our nation’s 250th birthday – this summer. Heritage Days will be filled with activities that honor this birthday, June 10 through June 14, Flag Day.

The leadership of the United States is described in Article II, Section I of the Constitution. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two persons of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.

The President of the Senate, shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person Having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President. If such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President, and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the House shall in like Manner choose the President.

No person except a natural born Citizen of the United States, shall be eligible to the Office of President, neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Article II, Section 2, further states the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of several States, when called in the actual Service of the United States. The President shall also have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. The President has the power by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur. He shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States.

Article II, Section 3, says the President shall from time to time give to Congress Information of the State of the Union. It further describes the details of how this information is disseminated.

Article II, Section 4, describes the President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States and their removal from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.