Does the President of the US make the final decision about laws?

Answer 1

Absolutely not. He does have a lot of power, there is no doubt. But the Founding Fathers were careful to build into our system many checks and balances to keep any one person from having too much power. For example, Congress can over-ride a presidential veto (when the president decides that he will not sign a bill into law). Congress can also bring impeachment charges against a president. Presidents are absolutely NOT above the law. However, interpreting the laws are not always easy, and that's why we have a government in the first place. People have to come together and work out differences. The Founders also knew that the system would be a little cumbersome, and this itself is a protection against hasty decisions. Of course, sometimes decisions about critical things have to be made very quickly. We do trust the president to take charge of affairs when and if it is necessary. It's just important to understand that the president does not have absolute power over any and every question that could possibly arise. The president is not an emperor or dictator.

Answer 2

No- the president can not make a law. (He can make it more difficult for Congress to pass a law by vetoing it, but they can still pass it over his veto 2/3 of them in each house agree to do so. ) Further, he is required by law to enforce all laws even if he does not like them.

He does have some leeway in how he interprets a law and he can order the federal enforcement agencies to concentrate on certain laws or parts of the laws and more or less ignore some aspects of a law.

Answer 3

The president must sign a bill into law. Alternatively, he can actively veto a bill, or veto a bill by ignoring it for 30 days (this is called a pocket veto). If he vetoes a bill, congress needs a 2/3 majority to override the veto.

In practice, the president's involvement in passing laws is far greater today. The president can rally public opinion better than any individual member of congress, and the president has far more leverage over members of Congress than was envisioned by the framers of the Constitution. Thus the president today often plays a very active role in prodding some members of Congress to draft the legislation he wants, and other members of Congress to support that legislation.

Answer 4

the US President can sign a bill that has been passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate. The "bill" is in the form of a law, such as a proposal to change part of the US Tax Code. This is a bill that is sent to the President. If he agrees with the proposal, he signs it and it becomes a law.

Answer 5

Yes and no. The President can sign a bill, making it become law. But, if he disagrees he can veto the bill, and send it back to Congress, then Congress can override the veto by a 3/4 vote.

Answer 6

No