Submitted by: Brian Cunningham
What are the Enumerated Powers of the President?
The powers of the President are “carefully limited” and precisely defined by our Constitution. In Federalist Paper No. 71 (last para), Alexander Hamilton asks,
...what would be ... feared from an elective magistrate of four years’ duration, with the confined authorities of a President of the United States?...[emphasis added] 2
The answer to Hamilton’s question is this: There would be nothing to fear if Presidents obeyed the Constitution. But they don’t obey it because the dolts in Congress don’t make them obey it!
Well, then! Here is the complete list of the President’s enumerated powers:
Art. I, Sec. 7, cls. 2 & 3, grants to the President the power to approve or veto Bills and Resolutions passed by Congress.
Art. I, Sec. 9, next to last clause, grants to the executive Branch - the Treasury Department - the power to write checks pursuant to Appropriations made by law - i.e., by Congress.
Art. II, Sec. 1, cl.1, vests “executive Power” [see below] in the President.
Art. II, Sec. 1, last clause, sets forth the President’s Oath of Office - to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”.
Art. II, Sec. 2, cl.1:
