Introduction
In the history of the American governance, different Vice Presidents have held different powers with some being powerful and influential than others. This has caused a debate in the country regarding the source of the VP powers. The argument has been whether the power is in the VP office or the sitting president decides to share his/her powers with the vice president.
This calls for the need to explore this situation and determine the source and nature of this power. This is a proposal for a research to dig deeper in this issue to determine and establish the powers of the Vice President in the government of the United States.
Rationale for the Study
Different vice presidents in the American government have portrayed varying powers with some being extremely influential and powerful than others. With the current Constitution, the powers vested in the office are clearly stated. However, history shows that some VPs have shown enormous powers under different sitting presidents.
For example, Dick Cheney and Walter Mondale are two famous vice presidents who had enormous VP powers and made many decisions during the time[1]. On the other hand, Vice President Bush had minimal powers during the Ronald Reagan Administration.
These observations therefore call for a research study to explore the unique powers of different vice presidents in the history of the United States. The most important thing is to explore how the Vice Presidents in the country receive and exercise such powers.
Using the examples of Dick Cheney, Walter Mondale, and Bush, the study will analyze the source of the VP power in different governments led by different presidents[2]. This will establish if the sitting presidents decide to grant their powers to the Vice Presidents or the office has such powers.
Research Questions
The research will present meaningful solutions to this question: Does the Vice Presidency have power because the office has grown or the sitting president decides to tender power to the Vice President? The study will explain the Constitutional powers of the VP office and determine if the office has grown to become powerful or whether the sitting presidents willingly share power with the VPs.
Discussions
In this study, the key perspectives of the research question is whether the presidents decide to share their powers with the vice presidents, or whether the office of vice president have grown to become powerful within the last few decades. If that is so, the study will determine why they have been differences in power possessions by deferent VPs in the American history[3].
The findings will therefore explain why some VPs in the United States have shown enormous powers while others have played minor roles in governing and making decision during their respective terms in office.
Conclusion
With increased VP power, chances are high that the office might offer enormous challenge to the power of the president. There are implications such as war decisions made by the vice president that might have enormous impacts on the power of the president. This has been a source of debate regarding whether presidents should grant their VPs powers, or whether the VP should be granted with such powers. The research study will discuss this issue in details and present the way forward for better governance in the United States.
Bibliography
Goldstein, Joel. “The Rising Power of the Modern Vice Presidency.” Presidential Studies Quarterly, 10, no. 11. (July 2008); 34-49.
Jillson, Cal. American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change. New York: Taylor and Francis Press, 2005.
Wilson, James. American Government: Brief Version. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2011.
Footnotes
- Joel Goldstein. “The Rising Power of the Modern Vice Presidency.” Presidential Studies Quarterly, 10, no. 11. (July 2008); p. 49.
- Cal Jillson. American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change. (New York: Taylor and Francis Press, 2005), p. 32.
- James Wilson. American Government: Brief Version. (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2011), p. 83.