The presidency is the most powerful and visible position in the U.S. government. The president has many roles in representing the nation, signing bills, and enforcing laws. However, the president’s most important role is chief legislator, which means that the president acts as the main policymaker in the protection of the interests of Americans. President Joe Biden’s recent decision to pass a bill to provide subsidies to domestic semiconductor manufacturers demonstrates the influence that the president’s role as the main policymaker has on the country’s economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the consistent shortage of semiconductor chips in the U.S. through increased demand for electronic devices and an insufficient supply of chips due to issues in the supply chain. The new ‘CHIPS for America’ bill, also known as CHIPS Act, will offer domestic manufacturers 52$ billion in subsidies to build manufacturing plants in the U.S (Abutaleb and DeBonis). The action presents the government’s critical measure to address the issues in the supply chain of domestic tech companies. The measure will also strengthen the country’s competitive position in the technological race against China. The bill will significantly influence the country’s economy because it will likely cause a substantial increase in the development of tech start-up companies.
Thus, the president urged Congress to pass the bill sooner because the topic directly concerned the interests of the national economy and citizens. The president’s work with the legislative branch and ability to act as the main policymaker allows him to draw the government’s attention to issues that are important for the population and the national economy (Krutz). Thus, in my opinion, the president’s power of persuasion and negotiation in working with the legislative branch presents the most important role.
Works Cited
Abutaleb, Yasmeen, and Mike DeBonis. “Biden poised for big wins in Congress.”The Washington Post, 2022.
Krutz, Glen. American Government. 3rd ed., OpenStax, 2016. OpenStax.