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The Purpose of Vice Presidency Essay examples

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The Purpose of Vice Presidency It appears to me that the vice president serves little or no significant purposes in the American political system. When I think of the role of vice president, the only thing that comes to mind is the fact that if the president dies or is not able to hold office it is the job of the vice president to take over as president. I am sure I share this ideology with many others; however, the role of the vice president is far more complex than that. In this paper, I will discuss the position of the vice presidency and the role of the 25th amendment. The Framers devoted little attention to the vice president’s duties when designing this role. They provided that …show more content…

In contrast, with little display and without extensive discussion, the office of the Vice Presidency was added to the constitutional system primarily to address the problem of succession (This Nation). The Framers decided that the vice president would become the president of the U.S. Senate. This is a role that only allows the vice president to cast votes when the Senate is deadlocked in a tie. This role is not found to be significant to the American Constitutional system; however it was taken seriously by the Framers. The vice president has no formal Constitutional authority. In terms of real political power, vice presidents have exercised only the amounts of power and authority given to them by the presidents under who they have served (This Nation). The vice presidency has also served as an important training ground for future presidents. “One third of America’s presidents were first vice presidents, including five of the last nine” (This Nation). Another significant role they play is “balancing a ticket.” Vice presidents can play an important role in the election campaigns of the presidential candidates with whom they run. It is important for a presidential candidate to select a likable running mate who he can trust and rely on. For example, John

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