The American President
| Subject: | 🗳️ Politics |
| Type: | Process Analysis Essay |
| Pages: | 4 |
| Word count: | 955 |
| Topics: | Americanism, ✔️ Political Science, Democracy, Electoral College, 🏳️ Government |
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The American presidential elections are one the most popular political processes both in the United States and the whole world. Although the American President is elected every four years, coming up with a successful presidential candidate is a long and demanding process. The process entails both political and social requirements which have at most remained the same over the years. The Constitution, which is the legal sanctity of the United States, provides the legal framework of the qualifications and the requirements of an American Presidential candidate. America boasts to be the biggest and most progressive democracy in the world. As such, there exists a widespread belief that the election of the president is the choice of the popular vote. However, the election is a process that entails various dynamics as will be demonstrated in the present discussion.
Both the preparation and election of the American president is a lengthy process. In fact, the process takes years in advance to prepare. The Constitution of the United States offers the fundamental requirements for candidacy in the presidential election. The document provides for the term limits, which is four years amongst other provisions. The primary qualification of a presidential candidate as provided for in the constitution is being an American citizen by birth, be above or thirty-five years of age, and have resided in the US for fourteen years (Morone & Kersh, 2018). The president is the head of the Executive Arm of the Government. Hence, the provision of the constitutions describes both the functions, requirements, and powers of the president. Although the constitution is both a legal and political testament, it offers the legal requirements. However, there is more to the process than the fundamental legal qualifications.
For instance, potential presidential candidates have to make legal, political, economic, and social implications of their ambitions. The office of the president is a demanding civil duty that needs rigors consultation and aforethought before venture. According to Vontz and Nixon (2000), a potential candidate should understand whether they can face, and make personal sacrifices that come with the duties of the office. Besides, the presidential race calls for the implementation and roll out of a campaign process. The process is lengthy and costly as it calls for traversing the vast United States while selling political ideologies to the citizens. Thus, the potential candidate will have to form committees that would be responsible for broadening the candidate’s viability (Morone & Kersh, 2018). The political action aims at testing the candidate’s appeal and raising money towards the campaign exercise. As such, the presidential bid entails fronting a singular candidate yet it is a joint move by various stakeholders.
The process is a grueling exercise that needs pools of resources, both monetary and human. After the successful consultations with the relevant stakeholders and confidantes, a presidential candidate can start taking the legal processes. Ideally, the whole process starts from a personal level, onto a social, then to the legal and political extremes. When a person declares their candidacy, for instance, they have to file their legal application with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC is the legal body that has the mandate of administering and enforcing the campaign process (USA.gov, 2018). FEC follows the provisions of the FEC Act, which is the legal framework that governs the registration process. The committee regulates the financing and fundraising during the campaign period. Thus, a candidates committee must continually file reports with the electoral commission on the contributions and expenditure. A presidential campaign is, therefore, a multibillion-dollar exercise.
Although the US is a democratic nation, their presidential election process differs from other those of other democracy. Ideally, people tend to assume that only numbers that count in a presidential election. However, in the US, history dictates that the situation be quite different. Often, candidates with a lower vote will win the race become the official Presidents as was the case in 2000 (USA.gov, 2017). The Electoral College plays the main role in determining the successful candidate. Thus, the presidential election is not done directly by the people; instead, the process involves the nomination of electors who have the final say. The primaries and caucuses are political party affairs that are not only fascinating but also play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the presidential race (USA.gov, 2017). The primaries are akin to a nomination process. Party members conduct voting through secret ballot, and the emerging winner becomes the flag bearer. Both the primaries and caucuses bring political parties nominees for the main election.
Therefore, the election of an American President is lengthy, demanding, and involving a process. Although the process starts as a personal decision and ambition, it involves rigors consultative and persuasive processes. The constitution is the principal legal instrument that provides for the necessary requirements and qualifications of a candidate. However, over the years, other legal and political processes have been changing the rigidity of the constitution albeit without abrogating it. Party primaries and caucuses are critical in the determination of the successful candidate in the US presidential race. Despite the US being a democratic state, the Electoral College plays an imperative role in determining the winner; and often candidates with a higher number of votes may fail to clinch the seat. The United States Presidential race is a long political and legal process that is unique, costly, and fascinating.
- Morone, J. A., & Kersh, R. (2018). By the people: Debating American government.
- ProCon.Org. (2012). How to become the U.S. President.
- US Const. Art 1.
- USA.Gov. (2017). Requirements for the President of the United States.
- USA.Gov. (2018). Presidential Election Process.
- Vontz, T. S., & Nixon, W. A. (2000). Teaching about presidential elections. ERIC Digest.
Offered for reference purposes only.