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[rlbell]

Originally Posted by Blood-Pigggy

Perhaps the majority of the world that must concede to "living" with the president should research the role of the executive branch rather than idiotically assume that the president himself represents anything beyond another check and balance in the rappelling snake of US government - only then will you truly elevate yourselves above the ignorant state of many uneducated Americans.

Obviously, how one views the presidency depends on which side of the US borders one lives. The US president has little effect within the US, as the president only enacts and enforces the laws, often indirectly throw appointments of judges and attorney-general, but has a lot of clout in foreign relations. The president could be described as having maius imperium in barbaricum. Although he needs congressional approval to actually declare war and enter treaties, there is much latitude about other actions. Bush could send elements of the USN along the east coast of Africa with orders to sink all suspected pirates purely through his authority as CinC. Congress has to approve trade deals, but the president sets the tone and pace of negotiations. The US president often looks for foreign relations to score points domestically, as that is what he is most effectively able to do. Of course foreigners care who is president, as (to us) he is the only US political office holder that matters.