President of the United States

The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of Vesperia. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. The president is defined as the highest officer in the United States government, and therefore the highest authority in the nation. The president is elected through the Electoral College, in which each state is given a set number of electoral votes to cast in the name of a presidential candidate, usually determined by the winner of the popular vote in that state. A candidate wins when they reach 123 electoral votes, over half of the total. This elected president is inaugurated on March 4th of the year following the presidential election.

The president is looked upon as a major political figure in the region in which Vesperia is located, and perhaps even the world at large. Thanks to Vesperia's status as a major economic centre, the president is given significant international recognition and precedence. The role of president also includes responsibility for Vesperia's large military, as well as the foreign policy decisions made in Vesperia's name. The president's power is balanced with that of congress, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, through a system of "checks and balances." Article II of the Constitution establishes the executive branch of the federal government. It vests the executive power of the United States in the president. The power includes the execution and enforcement of federal law, alongside the responsibility of appointing federal executive, diplomatic, regulatory and judicial officers, and concluding treaties with foreign powers with the advice and consent of the Senate. The president is further empowered to grant federal pardons and reprieves, and to convene and adjourn either or both houses of Congress under extraordinary circumstances.

The president directs the foreign and domestic policies of the United States, and takes an active role in promoting his or her policy priorities to members of Congress. In addition, as part of the system of checks and balances, Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution gives the president the power to sign or veto federal legislation. The power of the presidency has grown substantially since its formation, as has the power of the federal government as a whole. Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 sets three qualifications for holding the presidency: natural-born U.S. citizenship; at least thirty-five years of age; and residency in the United States for at least fourteen years. In all, thirty-nine individuals have held the presidency of the United States. President Henry P. Wilson (1857 - 1861, 1865 - 1869) is counted as both 24th and 26th President of the United States because he served two non-consecutive terms. Sebastian R. Olson is the 41st and current president of the United States. He assumed office on March 4, 1925.